Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-29 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL,

Miss Cushman's last appearance in Europe, prior to
her visit to America, took place in the Theatre Royal last
nie.t. The house was better filled than on the pre-
cediag evening, but there was by no meant so large
an attendance as it might have been thought the parting
performance of one of the few great actresses living might
have occasioned. Miss Cushman appeared as Lady
Macbeth, and received an enthusiastic greeting when she
eame on the stage. We have ;on more than one occasion
already noticed Miss Cushman's performance of this cha-
racter, and need not enter into renewed criticism. It is
enough to say that it is a performance which cannot, now,
at least, be surpassed upon the stage. But:it must be
allowed that Miss Cushman played at mach disadvantage
last night. Ia the firer place, Mr. Ryder was the Macbeth,
and we are compelled to say, was utterly incompetent to tb,
very difficult task he undertook. In the next place, the
play was put on the stage with the accessories which of late
years are called a" revival" of Shakspere—comprehending,
among other astonishing ornaments, the introduction of a,
vast display of singing and witch-performance which
Shakspere never thought of. We feel much regret that
managers should be taken with the mania for these exhibi-
tions, which has originated with one actor and manager,
who, being himself incapable of worthily representing any
great Shaksperian character, may be excused if he endea-
vours to distract the attention of his spectators by dioramic
illusion and tinsel gorgeousness. We cannot at all con-
cede that the use the world is to derive from Shakspere's
dramas is to make them into exhibitions for childish
wonder, or to convert them into machines for illustrating
archterlogioal studies. In the particular instance of which
we now speak, there is much which can hardly be defended
from any point of vier-. The lights in the banquet-hall,

for example, being of inevitable necessity turned off, in
order that the dioramic ghost may be seen, shining now
through a curtain, and now through a pillar, must
make one fully appreciate the wonder of Macbeth
at the stolidity of his guests, who persist in not
being in the least surprised when total darkness
enshrouds them. Other instances equally absurd might
be pointed out, when sense and poetry and truth are
sacrificed to the merest stage effects. Managers might
recollect Horace's opinion as to the happy position the
drama has reached, when the splendid dress and the
showy scene make the genius of the actor a subordinate
attraction. These exhibitions, as we have said, are called
" ShaksPerial revivals." But for certain immovable
laws the name might be well applied, for surely such per-
formances might otherwise call up the ghost of Shak-
speare from the grave to anathematise it fitting language,
such preposterous °Torts at cavering his refined gold with
vulgarest pinchbeck. We need hardly add, that Miss
Cushman was called before the curtain at the close, and
was received with the most cordial and vehement applause.
Miss Cushman also appeared in the farce of " Simpson
and Co„" and gave by her spirited and thoroughly comic
acting, another proof that genius is rarely of limited
range, and tha+, a great tragedian will seldom fail even in
the lower walk of slight comedy.