The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-10-07 00:00:00

THE THEATRE-ROYAL.

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The evening performances.of the Musical Festival have hada
slight effect upon the illeaire„, The houses, though on the whole
good, have not been so full as we anticipated they would have
been, with the execution perhaps of Monday night, Mr. Kean's
benefit, which was .a bumper. The receipts for that evening
were £l6O, the house being very full. On Tuesday night Mr.
Kean attempted, for the second time, and with decided success,
Shakspeate's .beautiful play of " King Lear." The nervous
excitement natural to the first representation of such a piece
had now settled down into calm mental effort, and we May With
justice now style this character as one of the most successful
efforts of Mr. Kean. As Othello his playing is excellent ; his
Manila bas little with which the most fastidious can find fault;
and his new character of Kind Lear is a rival in excellence
The fretful peevishness, the impotent rage, of the powerless old'
man, were pourtrayed with a faithfulness of personation wbich
placed King Lear before the audience, and nut Oharles Kean.
Of the many efforts of high genius which have distinguished
Shakspeare, there is perhaps not another which displays a
greater depth of knowledge of the workings of the human heart
than be has described in his King Lear. The old king, with
the desire for repose which age brings with it, bequeaths to two
of his daughters, his wealth, his kingdom; but with that desire
after power which ever characterises age—which has beedcalled
to age what love is to the young, he cannot give up. the na;ge of
king or dispense with the pomp of his retainers, but must
-- still retain
The name, and all the additions to a King ;
The sway."
Divested of power his name sinks into contempt. His ail;
dren having Revenue, execution of the rest," strive also for
supremacy, even in name, and mock and insult the now helpless
old man,

" That still would manage those authorities,
That he hath given away !"
who vents the bitterness of his rage in impotent cut-sings.
The delivery of the banishment of the Earl of Kent, who ex-
mstulates with the rashness of the choleric King. in cutting off
sis daughter Cordelia's dowry was most appropriate and effec-
tive. The attitude, and the delivery of Isis interruption of
Kent's passionate ebullition,
" Hear me, recreant !
On thine allegiance hear me !"
was as fine a piece of acting as we have witnessed. The acting,
on first finding out the predetermined neglect and insult of
Genera, as in astonishment he asks,
" Are you my daughter? Does any here know me ?
Why, this is not Lear : Does Lear walk thus ? Speak thus ?
Where are his eyes ?"
was a fine impersonation of the genius of the author • whilst the
cursing of his child, as the old man lifts up his naked arms to
Heaven and imprecates vengeance and curses upon her, was
given with a fearful faithfulness to nature. Nor was the flat-
tering unction,
" Yet have I left a daughter,
Who I am sure is kind and comfortable."
as the rash old man turns from Goneril with a mixture of fear
and horror depicted in his countenance, as if she were some
monstrous thing, less finely given. As he goes to his other
daughter, the part
" Oh let me not be mad, not mac{, sweet Heaven
Keep me in temper; I would not be Mad !"
was given with a subdued tone and feeling we have rarely seen
surpassed, and which, if Mr. Kean would adopt in preference
to more boisterous acting, would uo far to:establish his fame.
In one thing, the drawing his hair from his face, though indica-
tive of deep excitement, yet, when too eften repeated, is offen-
sive—it has too much the appearance of a studied effect. But
we must hasten on. In the interview with Kent whilst in the
stocks he was defective. The elocution partook too much of
studied fine speaking—a style which would almost be equally
applicable to any subject, and of too little appropriate feeling.
The scene, however, which followed, where he addresses Regan
as if his soul had at last found some rest and comfort, whilst he
complains that Goneril "bath abated him of half his train and
looked black upon him," was a splendid piece of acting. It was
the perfect old man. The storm scene and interview with Mad
Tom was also most effective. Where he inquires, full of- his
own misery,
" What, have his daughters brought him to this pass ?
Nothing could have subdued nature
To such a lowness, but his unkind daughters."
It was a fine portrait. In the following scene also, where Glos-
ter inquires, " Is't not the King ?" the reply,
" Ay, every inch a King:"
was given in a style which drew forth an unanimous burst of
applause. In the following scene also, where Lear has the in-
terview with Cordelia, and, in answer to her endearments, he
exclaims, incredulous,
" Pray do not mock me ' •
I am a very foolish fond old man,
Four score and upward"—
and the plaintive tone and manner in which it was given was a
fine conception of the author's weaning, and excited a deep
interest in the character. We cannot say more than that the
whole was a sterling performance, in perfect unison and keep-
ing,subdued yet impassioned ; —no snatchings of character which
the mind cannot unite as one perfect whole. The dress also of
King Lear was faultless, and accorded well with the character.
The part of Edgar, by Mr. Stuart, was not less ably supported.
In the part of Mad Tom, and in the interview with Lear, his
personation was most able. We well remember the effect which
his delivery of the sentence, "Do poor Tom some charity, whom
the foul fiend vexes—there could, I have him now—and there—
' and there again, and there," and which " Poor Tom's a-cold"
produced, Mr. Baker played the bluff Earl of Kent with much
ability. This gentleman's versatility of talent is truly surpris-
ing. Miss Faucit, as Cordelia, played with correctness, and
well, but there was want of expression in her actin.% Mrs.
Baker is also worthy of notice as Goneril. Mr. Howard talked
and walked his part; it would be ironical to say more. Mr.
Chaplin, as Oswald, had a character which precisely suited him,
and which he played well. The afterpiece of " Gustavus 111.,
or the Masked Ball," followed. This is a showy drama, with
plenty of parade, but not much else. Miss Chaplin, as Oscar,
the page, was very prettily dressed, and made a most excellent
page. On Wednesday the play of "A New Way to Pay Old
Debts" was performed. Sir Giles Overreach by Mr. Kean. And
last evening Shakspeare's " Richard the Third" was represent-
ed. We have before noticed the getting up of both these plays,
and must at present forbear, for want of space, from further
notice.