The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-14 00:00:00

Benefit of Mr. and Ms; Charles Kean.

(nom the Bufalo Daily Courier of July 29)

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean took their farewell
benefit at the Metropolitan last night, and the dross
circle, parquette and family circle, were radiant with
the beauty, fashion, and intelligence of the city.
No matter how great the artists, the compliment
implied in such an attendance must prove flattering
in the extreme, even although it stood alone, instead
of being the last of five of the most brilliant assem-
blages that ever congregated for so many consecu-
tive nights in this city. The distinguished artists
had a right to be proud of the honour, for Buffalo is
not unnecessarily enthusiastic, and those who met
face to face in the auditorium night after night, had
as good reason for mutual congratulation over their
individual intelligence and appreciation. The season
altogether has been such as shall pass to the credit
of Buffalo as one of the foremost patrons of the arts
in the country, and as such we make record of it.
The first play on the programme last night, was
that of Shakspere's " Richard II.," with Mr. Charles
Kean as King Richard, and Mrs. Kean as the Queen.
But comparatively few theatre goers are acquainted
with it, and a goodly proportion of Shaksperean
students have overlooked it. The entire play is not
presented, but, as it is, its plot is simple ; the lan-
guage throughout is morally grand and beautiful; the
situations are intensely in teresting,but the denouement
is not so agreeable as we would like ; although Mr.
Kcan,with his veneration for his great master, makes
it as acceptable as can possibly be conceived. As
Richard, Mr. Kean maintained the same unswerving
consistency that characterises the unfoldment of all
his characters ; and one could readily see that he
would not part from it for applause or gold. As the
King he was regal ; as the deposed monarch he was
the moral hero, and his utterances gave an almost
divine significance to the words of the great poet.
From the beginning Mr. Kean displayed great
energy as the King, but when Sir Stephen Scroop
intimates in dubious phrase the success of Boling-
broke, Kean gives us a rendering of the following
lines which furnish the keynote to his character, in
magnificent style :
Mine ear is open and my heart prepared ;
The worst is worldly loss thou canst unfold.
Say is my kingdom lost ? Why lwas my care,
And what loss Is it to be rid of care ?
Strives Bolingbroke to be as great as we ?
Greater he shall not be ; if he serve God,
We'll serve him too and be his fellow so ;
Revolt our subjects ! that we cannot mend ;
They break their faith to God, as well as us ;
Cry, woe, destruction, loss, decay ;
The worst is—death, and death will have his way.
The reply to Aumerle in the same scene com-
mencing with the lines :
No matter where ; of comfort no man speak
Lot's talk of graves, of worms and epitaphs,
was still more sublimely rendered, and with these
the audience could not help love Richard, and Kean.
The scene in which, after surrendering his crown
and glory to Bolingbroke, he looks at himself in a
hand glass, and dashing it to the ground, he ex-
claims—
" For there it is, crack'd in a hundred shivers,
Mark, silent king, the moral of the sport,
How soon my sorrow hath destroyed my face,"
must have thrilled every one intent upon the act.
But we almost do the artist injustice in suggest-
ing a few points of interest where the whole was so
complete, yet it may not be out of propriety to aver
that a more effective piece of acting than that in
which himself and his queen are separated was never
witnessed in this city. Mrs. Kean, who played the
Queen finely, at this point displayed a power and
pathos which she could not have excelled even when
she was the pride of the stage. Mr. Cathcart's Boling-
broke was excellent, as he always is, and if we do
not mistake the temper of the audience the play
commanded their warmest commendation.
At the close of the play the artists were called
enthusiastically before the curtain, but Mr. Kean
appeared alone. He said that his wife was dress-
ing for the comedy or she would have appeared with
him. His further response was as follows :
Ladies and Gentlemen,—l beg you to accept the sin-
cere thanks of Mrs. Kean and myself for the distinguished
compliment conferred upon us by the crowded audiences
which have nightly filled this theatre during our engage-
ment. That engagement will conclude to-morrow night,
when we shall perform for the last time on the Buffalo
stage ; for after re-appearing before our kind and warm
friends in New York, we shall shortly return home, there
to take leave of public life. In our retirement the remem-
brance of seven years sojourn in this country at different
periods, will be amongst the most gratifying reminiscences
of our past lives.

The comedy of " The Wonder," which con-
cluded the entertainment, was a wonder, and de-
lighted the audience more than we have time to
state. The Don Felix of Mr. Kean and the Donna
Violante of Mrs. Kean were splendid performances.
Mr. Cathcart played Colonel Britton well, and Mr.
Everett as Lissardo displayed a felicitous humour
which we did not suspect him of. The remainder of
the characters were well taken, and Miss Bidelman
and Miss Hall are entitled' to a passing word for
the creditable part they took in the play. We think
the farewell benefit of the Deans will be long and
pleasantly remembered.

To-night Mr. and Mrs. Kean make their last ap-
pearance in the great tragedy of the " Gamester,"
the former appearing as Beverley, the latter as Mrs.
Beverley. We advise our readers to look to their
seats.