The National Register.
London, England, 1813-01-31 00:00:00

176

DRA _VATIC REGISTER:

DRURY LANE.

JAN. 81.

One of the inconsisiencies• we alluded to is as fellows :
Mrs. GLOVER and Miss Satrr t, as Teresa and the Moresco
woman, come forward for the express purpose of warning
Akar, disguised as a Moor, of his danger in wearing the
prohibited apparel ; but they seem afterwards entirely to
have forgotten their errand as neither in ilmat scene, nor in
any other part of the Play is the edict again mentioned.
And it seems as it' the interest his appeatauce had occasion-
ed in the breast of Tures°, by a certain undefined likeness
to her lover, instead of making her more aiivc to his welfare,
had completely driven all thoughts of his peril from her me-
mory. The other is in a very fine scene, in which Akar,
personating a wizard, is probing the conscience of his bro-
ther Ordanio; after having roused the feelings of the latter
even to madness, by sliming him that he was acquainted
with many parts of his hidden guilt, he learns suddenly from
the remorse•strickcn wretch, that Teresa refuses still to be
his wife, and remains faithful to her former lover, and is
so overpowered by the delight the intelligence conveys, that
he sinks do .-11 on a seat, exclaiming, in the utmost emotion,
tt She is not your wife !" So far is well, but is it not very
extraordinary that this strong emotion, that this loud excla-
mation, should not strike Ordonio with surprise, or lead him
to suspect that the sorcerer was not what he appeafed me,ely
to be. But nothing of all this is the case. The villain pur-
sues his scheme of engaging the wizard, by a simulated spell,
to assure Teresa of the death of Atear, and he at length suc-
ceeds in gaining his promise to do so. The third and fourth
acts, excepting some fine passages in the scene in which
Ordonio assassinates Isidore, and in which the fortner com-
pares mankind to bubbles, of which, when they come in
contact, the stronger naturally makes the weaker burst, and
"It is but a bubble lost at last." The third and fourth acts
are heavy anti uninteresting. especially the spell scene at the
commencement of the third, which is not only unusually
long, but by far too meld-dramatic. In the •fifth act the
interest revives, and is carried through the play, excepting
what is perhaps the fault of the property managers. Miss
SMITH and Et LIS CON plaving at bo-peep with each othdll
in a dungeon, which, no doubt, ought to be dark, but is illu-
minated by two or three Grecian lamps. The scenery at;d
dresses are appropriate and beautiful. Et.LISTON and Mrs.
C LOVER were unusually happy and energetic in the deli-
neation of their respective characters ; we could wish, how-
ever, that the former learnt the art of weeping better, as he
rather bellows than sobs. As to Miss SMITH and Mr. AL's
just conception of their parts, we join our voice to that of the
applauding multitu-de, and think that the fs.rtner is very suc-
cessful in the portraiturre of the tender passions, Immo in
general she whines and rants ten much and though time
latter gave, at times, a new but just picture of Remorse, yet
there was upon the whole too much sameness in the ex-
pression of his countenance, and we are very much surprized
at perceiving that the very critics who could not abide Mr.,
BETTY'S performance, because he ranted, praise Mr. Re
who certainly in the ranting art out Ilerods Ilerod. Poe E,
as usual, bellowed, stretched out his arms, and whined, most
manfully, continually, and pathetically. As to DE CAMP'S
acting, we have no fault to find but with his hoarse and in-
flexible voice ; his conception of the character was correct,
and could his tones have accorded with his action, we could
have bad nothing to wish for. The play still continues, not-
withstanding the many blemishes we have pointed out, on
account of its many and really superior beauties to hold its
ground, and mve must add, that we are inclined to give it our
humble support, not only on account of its merits as a play,

. t 76. , THE NATIONAL REGISTER. JAN. SI .
. ,
.1
.7.
DRA 3f A TIC REGISTER: t One of the inconsisiencies• we alluded to is as fellows:—
. .. a
.............- 1 Mrs. GLOVER and Miss SmIT 1, as Teresa and the Moresco
DRURY LANE. woman, come forward for the express purpose of warning . s
• '
REMORSE. Akar, disguised as a Moor, of his danger in wearing the i
As the appearance of a new legitimate Tragedy is in prohibited apparel ; but they seem afterwards entirely to
modern days an exhibition of an interesting nature, both On y have forgotten their errand as neither in that scene, nor in 3
account of its nov( ltv, and, of what to the literary world is any other part of the . Play is the edict again mentioned.
of still greater importance, a sign that Managers are desirous And it seems as it' the interest his appeatance had occasion-
of restoring to the stage its lost splendour and conseriutlnee, I eel in the breast of Tures°, by a certain undefined likeness
we have been induced to add the snip:Nut:tit rental ks to to her lover, instead of making her more alive to hi 4 welfare,
stir very succinct account of Mr. Cot.ER IDG es Tragedy. had completely driven all thoughts of his peril from her me-
called " Remorse." and that those remarks should be the mory. The other is in a very fine scene, in which Altar,
better understood we shal probing the conscience of his bro.
tailed account of the ;llut. they Ordonis; after having roused the feelings of the latter
n.: 170.4.1 TS eF•osos:x.. t even to madness, by sliming him that he was acquainted
Valdez - - . - Mr. Porr. ; I with many parts of his hidden guilt, he learns suddenly from
Alvar .. 0 •• . .. 111 i• ELL I STO X ;
Ch-donio - " Mr. II 1. 1 ;
the remorse•strickcn wretch, that Teresa refuses still to be
Isidore_ - Mr. DE CA MP . .1
his wife, and remains faithful to her former lover, and is
•- . -;'
TVI.PATI ' - • . 111,S SMIIII ; so overpowered by the delight the intelligence conveys, that
Alitadrd - - - - - ,11r,. GLyvEn- he sinks do .11 on a seat, exclaiming, in the utmost emotion,
S..ene—Spain. " She is not your wife !" So far is well, hut is it not very
:...
Dm .1/tar, cleft st snn of Dfas ruidel, retorns, alter a six year's al).
extraordinary that this strong t.l no tion, that this loud excla-
. settee, to his !wive Lod, (Spain,) and to the inheritance of his lober's .
illation, should not strike Ordonio with surprise, or lead him
dinnains. Ile fiatif..ut his art ival, Don Oolonio, his younfrer brother,
uodea, owing to,supplout hint in the favor of 1 ere,.o, has mistress ; a to suspect that the sorcerer was not ‘shat he appeafed met ely ‘ki:
a Vat is even set ~n toot, by ordmio, to assassinate him, but isid-re,a to be. But nothing of all this is the case. The villain par- ..i.
0.,,,
Moor, who is ehi,i• or the assassins, spares his life. .Itpur learns sues his scheme of engaging the wizard, by a simulated spell,
f:ont Isidore that Teies.q. %%as an accomplice in the intended murder ;
to assure Teresa of the death of :Ileac, and he at length sue_
and, in his ra r.e, tears her picture from his breast, of which Isidore
reeds in gaining his promise to do so. The third and foot th
possesses himself, its order to prove to Ordonio that Alm. has been i
murdered. Altar diseuke,hintsell as a Sorce'er. and is antdied to by f acts, excepting some fine passages in the scene in which