The National Register.
London, England, 1815-10-01 00:00:00

OCT. 1..

DRAMATIC REGISTER.

COVENT GARDEN.

The part of Gloster was, nn Monday evening, attempted by a Mr.
Edwards. who, we believe. has frequently figured as the hero of a
private theatre. This Gentleman at least possesses a claim to oni.
trinniiiy, for he contrived to excite the vivito/fay of his audience in
proportion to the (rarity of his subject. lie was very properly
greetPd on his entree by the most enthusiastic applause. mid we
should feel much gratified, could we add, that his exit prodireed the
same milk of public approbation and encouragement. He was at
tiro eon.i•lerably agitated. and for some moments appeared unable
to commynce. The opening speech of
" Now is the winter of our discontent, Sze." -

waq not proceeded in more than a few lineQ, when some wet IP
heard, which we think were premature, as Mr. E. had scarcely had
time to rce,iver from the alarm so natural to a first appearance.
%Viten he cams• to the line of

" But I that am not made for sportive tricks,"
he made so awkward and ludicrous an attempt to give effect to his
04. livery. and act ompanied it by such ridiculous grimace and action,
that part of the audience could no longer refrain from burst!' of
lanAter: his ii lends. however, who mustered very strong, were
load in their cries of " Bram." " !warn," -and the hisses of the op-
positionists were int vet overpowered. To the Tower scene, when
Gle:stee stabs King Henry, Mr. E completely failed ; his delivery of
the lialogne was not so good as we should have expected from a
school boy; an enaplinsia was constantly laid upon those words
which trqiiired none, and as constantly omitted where it (ight to
le.ve been applied : his action also was so unfortunately outrb that
et ies of " off!" Off!" 09'!" now became lond and general, in the
sveno with Lady Ann, when Gloster oresenta the sword for her to
di-pateh him. several people in the pit called mit " Kill him," 'c Kill
him by a I means:" this for a time produced considerable merriment ; •
towards the dose of the scene. the most decided disapprobation was
testified and it termi,ated in dumb spew; for, from the ill timed
aPidanse of friends, and the hooting and his,ing of the opposite
party, not a single word.could be beard : the Howie was now, in
fart, a complete bear garden, and put us very much in mind of the
0. P. IVar Mr. Edwards now appeared, and requested to know
whether it was the pleasure of the audience- that he should, or
shoal lint finish his performance?" He was immediately answered
by crit sof " certainly not," "by all means ; NO! No!" " Yeal.
Yes!" and at length left the stage without a possibility of ascertain.
ilia the determination of his judges. so contradictory and noisy was
their verdict. Mr. Fawcett now came forward, and with sonic dif-
ficulty obtained a hearing, so clamorous were the greater part of the
audience in bawling Silence." He stated, that if it was the fiat
of the audience, Mr. E. should not proceed—that Mr. C. Kemple
would finish the part for him ; this was .agreed to, and Mr. I? re-
tiled, but returned in a few moments, and pot it to the candour of
the audience vi heftier Mr. E. hail been suffered to proceed far
enough for a correct judgement to be formed of his meriti —itap-
reared to he the voice of the House that he had not, and the piece
was tesumed.
It wool(' he tedious. and unititereating to our readers, for ns to
Far, ed further with a critical analysic et' the representation of the
erook'd back'd tyrant. Mr. Edward's appearance was now a signal
for the vociferation!: of both parties, and the curtain fell amidst as
complete a rote, as the most enthusiastic admirers of tumult and dis-
order could possibly wish. The opposition was decided. and we
regret to say that the failure of Mr. E. was complete. The prin-
cipal fault of this gentleman is an awkward redundancy of action,
and a frequetit rotatory motion of the head strongly reminding us
of cur old friend Harletp:in, which with a tame insipid delivery of
the dialogue, and his constantly 'daring the emphasis on the wrong
word were fully suflii emit to justify the decision of the audience.
Mr. E. has a pleasing countenance, and appeared, as well as we
could
jiadge thronelt the disguise assumed for the representation of
the 'lw—shaven Richard to possess a good figure. Tie Manavers
yielded to public opinion, and the " .sClMilifOr &Wall, was announced
for representation on the succeeding Wednesday.