The National Register.
London, England, 1819-01-11 00:00:00

COVENT GARDEN.

Shakspeare's play of The Twelfth Night was per-
f armed at this theatre on Wednesday night, in a manner
which we think renders its repetition desirable for all
parties. The play which we are now considering, like
that of " The Winter's Tale," and one or two more,
holds en intermediate station between those which are
thus purely imaginative, and those which flinn an exact
copy of living nature. It gives a picture of what ap-
proaches to reality, heightened by the vivacity without
the grossness of caricature. Of all its parts the cha-
racter of Sir Andrew Ague-cheek is unquestionably
the most prominent; and in this Mr. Farren has
made Lis first sopcarance. It i, a portrait so exqui-
sitely drawn, so finished a developentent of utter imbe-
cility, that although it has, we believe, given birth to
more imitations than any other of Shakspeare's comic
characters, it still retains all its original freshness. Mr.
Farreo's success in Lord Ogleby and Sir Peter Teazle
had tnanift,ted his powers in seizing the nicer dis-
tinctions of human character, and in giving expression
to many of those fleeting and often unmarked lineaments
by which it is most certainly detected. A perfect con-
ception of .Sir Andrea, required more general knowledge
anti study, because the ideas with which it is associated
are necessarily more remote than those which serve to
explain the parts he has hith,!,sto sustained. It required
also, not peemps the same, but a considerable degree of
delicacy in the handling, if we may so express it ; for
the character, although sinLtle and uniform, is deeply
stamped, and cannot be counterfeited with impunity.
It would be idle to examine the performance of an
actor in detail—an useless prying into secrets which
can only be properly understood by the leading
professors of the art ; but of the general effect it is open
to us to speak, whether our opinion be consonant to
that of others or peculiar to ourselves. In this light,
Mr. Farren may be said to have neither lost nor added
to his previous reputation. That reputation we consider
to be established, and on a foundation the firmer,
inasmuch as the small inequalities and slight detects
which strike us most, are those which, without even
any effort on his part, time will necessarily correct.
He introduced though sparingly is number, with mach
taste and felicity, some of those unexpected sallies of
action and changes of tone, which contribute so much
to enliven our ider, of the character, but %a/hick can only
be supplied to the performer himself; by a just and
vigorous conception of hit subject. The extreme
chastity and reserve of his style subjects him to a certain
degree of hardiness, and furnished as strong a contrast
to the full, mellow, and glowing humour of Emery, in
Sir Toby ik/eb, as the fictitious originals themselves
present. Liston was the Ma/colic and it will be
readily imagined by those who are familiar with the
play, that all criticism would be misapplied. He was
the vain, fantastic, original in every look and tone.
His Soliloquy Scene was highly diverting. tl his
Brunton performed in a pretty interesting man-
ner ; and the entire representation was extremely well
supported.

The performers on Thursday night, did the Winter's
Tale great justice. Mi.. s Sommerville, as the heroine.
had au unusual opportunity for displaying her powers,
and she was fortunate in their display. Her reception
of the first appalling charge was natural and !spirited,
her defence on the trial was delicate, yet impressive ;
and when she sunk apparently not less os,erpowered by
the pain of such an imputation, than be the infirmity
of a mother's frame, the audience understood her ti:el-
- ing, and followed her exit with loud applause. Mrs.
-I Yates, as Patdina, glared spiritedly in the scene of