The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-29 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

We had intended writing a notice of the admirable
representation of Othello at this theatre last evening,
but we so entirely concur in the justice of the follow-
ing critique, which we find in a morning Contempo
rary, that we do not hesitate to adopt it :
" The tragedy of Othello, or the Moor of Venice,
was performed last night for the first time under the
present management. Othello is, perhaps, the finest
acting play ever written ; the characters are so dis-
tinctly articulated, and are wrought out with such
marvellous reality, that the work seems rather the
result of inspiration than the laboured effort of human
skill. There is no drama so full of difficulties for
the actor ; for not only is there required a refined ap-
preciation of the craft, but superadded thereto a deep
knowledge of the workings of the heart, and a full
reverence of the poet. It is rare, therefore, that
even an approximation to uniform excellence is
reached in its representation ; for there is assuredly
no company of actors now existing possessing the va-
riety of talent necessary to its due exposition. But
what may be wanting in genius may be rendered
less apparent by the exercise of a worthy enthusiasm,
and a just determination to convey the true meaning
and intention of the poet. The tragedy, as acted last
night, though it may not rank with the "past glories"
of Old Drury, bore fair evidence of the desire to
realise the unrivalled wonders of that scene, and
hence, taken in its entirety, it was cleverly and
in some instances subdwely rendered. The ob-
jections which we recently urged to Othello, as
presented on the modern stage, were satisfied by
the judicious restoration of Bianca. There was not,
indeed, any announcement of a rigid adherence to
the " text of Shakspere," but there was a nearer ap-
proach to the reality than has been witnessed for nearly
a century. For this the management deserves all
praise. The play was presented throughout with
greater care and success than the metropolitan stage
tas witnessed in our time. We would that the
snatches of song breathed by Desdemona during her
" wit wanderings" were likewise restored—without
these the gentle Venetian loses a moiety of the sym-
pathy and pathos with which Shakspere has so richly
endowed her. These versicles are as essential to
Desdemona as the perfect rendering of Ophelia or the
ballads of wisdom of the Fool in Lear; for the resto-
ration of the latter to the stage, infinite thanks are
due to Mr. Macready. They are the musical:sighs of the
o'er-fraught heart, and impart beauty, grace, colour,
and completeness to the several portraitures. Musical
knowledge, a fine voice, and the exuberances of a
prima donna are not required to give to them their due
excellence—indeed, we would not have them sung, but
rather musically murmured, and this might with foci •
lity and sath,fdction be accomplished by the actress whose
powers enabled her to personate Desdemona, and we
know no actress so fully capable of accomplishing this
improvement of the present incomplete version of one
of the most perfect creations of Shakspere than Miss
Laura Addison. The Othello of Mr. Anderson is a
picture, not without imperfections, but of considerable
power. In some sf its details there are blemishes
which we would wish to see removed. Amongst
these the most prominent is the unsparing use of the
mere power of a fine voice. The passage beginning
'That's a fault,' and including the imaginary de-
scription of the famous handkerchief, was admirably
declaimed. Would Mr. Anderson deign to copy his
own taste in this, throughout the recitation of Othello,
he might fear no rivalry. Monotony aecl loudness
often, in other places, marred a fine conception of the
author's purpose. The readings were always careful,
and frequently original. And the physique of the
Moor was assumed to perfection. lago was acted
with - marked intelligence by Mr. Vandenhoff.
It was subtle, without the accustomed exhibition of
fiendish cunning. The simulation of naturalness was
artistic, and the guile and the crime were sufficiently
hidden from his victims, though clearly visible to the
spectator. It is, out of question, the beat lago on the
stage. There is no character in which we have seen
Miss Laura Addison that is so instinct with a fine
Shaksperian appreciation as Desdemona. The femi-
nine dignity, the chastened joy, the patient suffering,
the wife-like devotion, and the passionate heroism
are all portrayed with such delicate distinctness, and
yet so harmoniously are they combined, that the pro-
found interest for the wronged wife and the loving
woman almost supersedes the agony and the heart-
wreck of the villain-ridden Moor. The scene in the
fourth act, in which she asserts her purity, is quite
Rachelesque, and elicited repeated rounds of applause.
The Emilia of Miss Vandeuhoff is commendable for
its good sense and dramatic spirit. The principal
performers were called for at the termination of the
Tagedy."