The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-04-14 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

The tragedy of King Lear was acted here last
night. We wish, we could say SHAYSpEaftWa
tragedy, but we cannot, for the play represented
was TATE'S alteration, with. we are inclined to
tliitik, subsequent innovations on the original pro-
duction of Om immortal author. The former, in-
deed, sparest the spectator's feelings (so greatly
shocked in the acatastrophe imagined SHAN-
SPEARS. contra', to history). by doing poetical
justice to the virtues stud sutreriuga of Lear and
Cardelia, and rendering them triumphant over the
arts of their enemies. But such is our reverence
*for whatever came from the pen of the mighty
master of nature and the passions. that we look
upon this merit (and some will call even it into
question) as a poor compensation for the distortion
of the principal incidents, and extraordinary change
to the fable and structure of the drama. Mr.
TERRY had been at first advertised to play the prin-
cipal character. but his name was subsequently
withdrawn from the bills to make room for that of
a Gentleman whose appearance at dttlerent theatre,'
the metropolis, and the circumstances connected
with it, on a distant, as well as a recent occasion,
creuted so strong • sensation in the theatrical world,
and who has been engaged at this house—we mean
Mr. BOOTH. This was his first attempt of the
part, and the performance was certainly superior to
any we have known him undertake. Hit was not a
perfect image of •the poor old King, his leading.
features were in general well preserved—if it did not
always express the ever-changing passions springing
out of the coutiemsl vicissitudes of " hie strange
eventful history" in their nicest shades and faintest
hum, it yet exhibited' the shape, the hotly, the
glaring colours of most of them. The conception
was in must instances correct—the execution at
miles not so happy.. Mr. BOOTH appeared to us
to succeed best in the early and the conclnding
scenes of the tragedy. In the former he conveyed
4 pretty adequate impression of Lear's habitual
pride, iinpatimice of contradiction, and choler;
mod in the later, of the shame and compunction
Nosing from his unmerited treatment of his only
duteous daughter. In the scenes where the ne-
glected Monarch's madness is at the height, Mr.
BooTn's voice was frequently so rough and hoarse,
mid his pronuntiation au rapid and inarticulate, as
to he unintelligible. It was in these that his
much-talked of resemblance to Mr. KEAN'S play-
ing, and indisputably it was very strong, was
most observable. Whether this be the effect of a
similitude of natural powers or of imitation, we
cannot pretend to say, but we are sure that
circumstance operated to Mr. BOOTH'S dis.
adviseitage in the opinion of the audience. The
hovel scene, where Lear is so much taken with
Tom a' Bedlam, and the transition from sanity to
insanity, must strongly marked. struck us us being
very powerfully acted. Mr. BOOTH was frequently
applauded, and scarcely in one instance censured
is particular passages; and it is probably not an
unsafe prediction, considering the approbation be.
stowed on the performance the first night, though
Vy an means inqualifird. that it will hereafter
become pupate,. The tragedy presented another
hereby in Miss S. BOOTH'S first representation
of Curdeliq ; kud a third, we believe, in
Yates's Regan. Cardelia is far from being one
of the loftiest order of females; she has tamest
ranting in common with the Lady Macbeth, or
elyteritnearas of the stage ; the qualities re-
quirwl fur justly supporting the part are of the
smatipiring, modest, gentle order, stud itp these
Miss S. BooTH's performance was abundantly. rich.
The L ego. of Mre. YATES, the opposite of the last
picture, was cbarecleriaed by suitable dignity- amid
spirit. Mr. MACEICANT'S kifirtund mil a masterly
pace of acting; we have rarely seen soy thing on
the stage superior to his frown of scorn and defiance.
out hearing Edgar's challenge. Mr. C. }WHILE
personated the difficult part of Edgar with great
correctness and discrimination, and elicited repeated
suss its of admiration.

The curtain dropped amidst plaudits which ap-
peared to be pretty general. There were a few cries
of "Encore" and " Mr. Booth!" Mr. C. KEMBLE
cause forward to announce, as was understood, the
trag..ly fur repetition. Violent wals of applause,
;1116 for gotta waving of hats in different parts of
tf•e t.cuse, ensued. These manifestations of fa-
.our were met by numerous hisses, groans, sod
cries t.f "No ! no !"---sto that Mr. KEIIBLE,
after rhsplayiog great perseverance, and making
relocated t !forts apparently to ascertain what the
real feelings of the audience were, retired with-
nut oitotast,oug s hearing. Mr. BOOTH then ad-
vanced, and though received with loud cheerings
and plaudits, was equally unsuccessful. Mr. C.
EMBLE then presented himself a second time, and
having obtained silence. gave out the Antiquary for
this night, and the tragedy of King Lear for
Saturday and Monday.