The National Register.
London, England, 1817-01-06 00:00:00

THE DRAMA.

NIURY-L %NE.

To the good things provided for the holiday folks, the
managers of Drury-lane seem to have thought that the
tragedy of Jane Shorc would form no unseasonable addi-
tion ; and we can imagine a tragedy to be so ingeniously
acted as to appear a t.ery proper preliminary to an enter-
tainment of the nature of, the Christmas Pqc. In truth,
we are disposed to treat with much tenderness the novel
representation of Thursday evening*: first, because it
was something new betere such an audience; and second-
ly, because there were some of the perfermers who aimed
at performing it in a new manner. Of these, the most
distinguished was Mr. Bengough, to whom was confided
the character of the Doke of Gloomier. There strikes
us to be this difference between Mr. Bengough and the
" Amateur of. Fashion"—that the Amateur is equally
amusing in all Ids parts ; but holds the stage itself in
thorotu contempt, as an instrument for effecting any
other purpose than that of stirring the risible muscles of
the spectator. We have seen Mr. Bengough, on the con-
trary (we allude more especially to his comieeflerts),
the very reverse of entertaining ; and we are likewise
pretty certain that he attributes great influence to the
stage. We suspect, indeed, that he carries his theory of
the moral efficacy of scenic representation beyond the
usual bounds. Some of our most admired comic writers
have intended and no doubt accomplished, much good to
society, by turning the force of ridicule against those
vices and tellies which are spread upon the surface of
common life, and which however mischievous and re-
prehensible in themselves, are rather proofs of weakness
than enormity. Mr. Bengough goes a great deal high-
er : he is of opinion that the most horrid and atrocious
crimes are proper suljects for the lash of ridicule. Ile
appeared to us to labour very heartily, throughout the
whole performance of Richard Duke of Gloucester, to
deter men front the pursuit of ambitious and bloody
purposes, by making that monster a perfect laughing
stock, and an object not of detestation, but contempt ;
and we mtwt add, that it is in no small degree patriotic
and meritorious in this gentleman, at a season when so
many actors hi the Spafieldi plot may be presumed to
o:!eupy the most !malted stations at the theatres, to rein-
Ittrce the terrors of the police and of the gallows, by ex-
citing in the breasts of all traitors, who would seise the

government into their own hands, a salutary dread of
the hisses and hootings of the public. Miss Somerville
made her first appearance in Alicia. This lady's intro-
auction to a London audience in Imogene, the heroine
• of the tragedy of &dram, was rather favourable. to her
future prospects. We feel ourselves bound in strict

justice to say, that the impressions in her fitvour were
neither improved nor confirmed by her perfOrmance on
this occasion. Her action was profuse, without being
natural or graceful. Her voice was often strained, and
her tones violent without being distinctly heard. She
understands her part; but her execution of it does not
tell, upon the eye, the ear, or the feelings. Miss Suiner-
ville also made Xicia more pompous and declamatory
than became her These are faults ascribable to inexpe-
rienoe—and, as she prolongs her course upon the stage,
she will no doubt be able to extend the range, and do
more justice to her own conception of her characters.
Mrs. Bartley played Jane Shore more respectably than
almost any part in which she has appeared : but of Mr.
. Rae, we regret to state, that he was a dry, and awk-
ward, and tasteless representative of the insolent and
voluptuous, but animated Hastings,
We sincerely congratulate the public on the return
of Mrs. Allsop to the London stage. She returns as an
actress greatly improved. We do not know that she
has acquired any new fitculty, except that of self pos-
session ; but it is the faculty whose existence invigorates,
or the want of which extinguishes every other.-
IW/ode was the character in which Mrs. Al/sop was
reintroduced to the metropolis. To be well sustained,
it exacts a variety of powers : and we can aver most
truly and conscientiously, that, so fur as our impartial
judgment could infirm us, this young actress fully an-
swered the call. The four great scenes in the four last
acts of the comaly, and that in the fifth act above the
rest, are peculiarly trying to the mistress of Don Felix.
All these scenes partake of one character, but that
character is extremely complex. Wounded tenderness,
otii•ntled pride, affection rekindling to be again repulsed ;
these break out in their natural !males of speech and
manner, and lead the way to rapid transitions from one
cla►s of sentiments to another diametrically opposite.—
In the delineation of all and each of thee, Mrs.
discovered unusual talent : she reminded us frequently
of her mother, although she had not quite her mother's
easy management, and rich exuberance ()Goalie expres-
ion. Her playful sarcas:a was, however, given with
never-fitiling. effect : in the utterance of the softer emo-
tions it appeared as if her fear of extravagance pervaded
every look, word, and gesture. This, we think, furnishes-
strong ground fior anticipating in Mrs. Allsop the
attainment of one excellence of the highest kind—
namely, a singular uppnaximation to truth in her mode
of acting. She appears, indeed, as the occasion offers,
to unite some qualities that are rarely found without
is:l 7 : her humour is fax from grossness--her spirit
rota violence—and her feeling front the taint of