The National Register.
London, England, 1816-11-25 00:00:00

THE DRAMA.

DRU I.ollt.

MR. KEAN'S SIR EDWARD mowrimint.
Mr. Kean's first appearance as Sir E4atird Mortimer,-
in the play of the boa Coma, brought a crowded au-
dience to this theatre on Saturday evening. Wuatever
we may think of the conduct of this tragedy in some
respects, it is the undoubted vehicle of a most instructive
and necessary lesson, by pros ittg to toe worshippris of false
honour bow widely they mistake the proper objects of Mimeo
solicitude and ambition; how fatal to tranquillity, to safety,
and to happiness—how latterly subversive to the end for which
they struggle, is the sacrifice of the first duties of justice and
humanity in the criminal satisfaction of a vengeance however
merited. by its victim, or to the preservation of an empty
name. The character of Sir Edward Me-timer is powerfelly
conceived, and executed by a vigorous pencil. His weak-
nesses are only visible through the tremendous passions b.
which lie is ;agitated, and he excites all along the most vivid
though painfnl emotions. Mr. Kean displayed, in his deli-
neation
of this wretched man, more ability, because More va-
riety, th .n he did upon almost any other occasion on whiel,
we have seen him perform. lie never exhibited more of
spirit of his part, noel never, in oar opinion, reminded the
spectator so little of his own peculiar manner. The entore-
between the oriental mildness and benevolence of Mg/lime.
Ana the incidental fits of !layette phrenzy superinduced oy cir
comstances, or provoked by some chance expressions of those
about him, bearing ever so remotely upon the crime whose
perpetration had turned the colour and shaken the very tee.
tore of his soul —this contrast was perfectly and beautifully
marked by the actor. His-description of the state of min f
in which he committed the murder, with his detail of the ill-
Juries which inflamed him, and of his sitoserinent trial and ar.
pilau', were given with conett innate skill linden...4(y. Wit in
he r onchnling scene, which is indeed wenn(' np by the minor
to an extraordinary decree of anxious interest, we are dogbtful
whether Kean's effort iu not even more successful, as it is in.
comparably more difficult, than in the famous dying seem. it
Sir Giles Overreach, iu which he 114 i always produced so terri•
Ide an impression. Nothing was ever mote hardened rive,
his hypocrisy on the trial—nothire more shocking than his
agony of despair when the parchment was.dkrovereil, a..
the bloody dagger fell from within it; nor have we often
been more deeply moved than by the humbled and repemaie
tenderness which seemed to dissolve his WO, n. out spirit, whet,
he threw I • self *tutu Wilfords arms and implored f e•
;teas for his wrongs. Nir Giks One reads is altogether an
alien to our sympathies, and leaves the actor no noportnnity
brit that of exciting tetror iningle•l with some towhee• akin
to satisfaction when he expires. Rut the broken 'mete of the
unhappy Mortimer it is impossible to view without sentiments
of sorrow and comiaastrion. Mr. Kean's triu alpit over the in it•
ence was Complete. When the curtain &olive I, the whole pit
insisted that the from C 'test ehont.l take place of every other
play; and accordingly Mr. Wallack, who ha I (mine tbrward
to announce the entertainments for the en etitaz week, re
tired to consult the Manager on the sitbject. and xairl that,
"in compliance with the wishes of the H one, Mr. Kean
would appear in the same character on aloilev." Wailack
played WitArd better than any former par ; discovering in
it considerable judgment, strength, end se ',teddy. alms-
•den's .edam iVisterton pad all ce•• meta. It appears to
have been written for him ; and no le Koerner equals Mainleit
in the production of that species ofam. em .it which .prices
from a caricature exhibition of the lit turn its garrulity of
the old age. Some of the music intr sper lad through tin.
irregular drama is not imply& ing. A on: the seeuery we
may notice aro nantie and well exect,ted .min. 'flue piers
has been got up with great splendour, and its revival bids
fair to be a fortunate speculation.