Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-08-08
Dickens as an Actor

owner, impressed with the belief that nature had
adapted him for a representative of the creations
of others rather than for originator Of character
himself, determined to seek fortune through the
trough and thorny paths" of theatrical life. Pro-
baby had the difficulties ever to be encountered at
the threshold of such career been less embarrass-
ing and annoying, and had there existed any means
by which the value of the "diamond" could be
tested I'm the rough" and its future briliancy pre-
dicted, the world that now worships Dickens, the
author, might have been called upon to do homage
to Dickens, the actor; and Nicholas Nickleby, Oil
yer Twist, the Old Curiosity Shop and their fellow
volumes might have been lost to the public.
But this was not to be. The author of the Pick
wick papers was not destined to be separated from
the public by the foolights of playhouse, but
erept nearer to our hearts and homes. And yet it
seems that, great as is the reputation he has won
as an author it could scarcely have been said that
Dickens had mistaken bis calling had be adopted
the stage as a profession. For some years, follow
ing the natural bent of his mind, Mr.. Dickens has
labored hard to bring into popular favor the amuse-
Inents of private theatricals, and in conjunction
with the late lamented Douglas Jerrold, and with
Mark Lemon, Wlkie Collins and other literary
celebrities, has stEiVen to organize a company
whose performances should be second to no profess
sional company of the day. Their early efforts
necessarily lacked system and were as faulty as
might be expected of the performances of novices;
still Dickens, Jerrold, Lemon and some others of
the set, always displayed evidence of much origi-
nal genius. OF late years there has been a more
systematic effort to bring the amateur company to
perfection, and the private thearicals Tavistock
House, the residence of Mr.. Dickens, were last
winter the great feature of the season, and happy
were the fortunate fsshiouables who obtained the
coveted privilege Of Witnessing the performances
The death of Douglas Jerrod, one of the "choice
spirits" of the company, has served to bring these
amateur celebrities directly before the public.
They have given q series Of performances at the
''Gallery of Illustration" for the benefit of the
family of the deceased author and friend. At
high price of admission, the place has been crowd
ed with spectators, and of course the newspapers
have. criticised the entertainment. They speak in
high @erm Of praise, of the principal performers,
and the Lon don Times article, which give be-
low will be read with interest even on this side of
the Atlantic:
An audience which is select as well as numerous,
and the humbcst constituents of which pay 5s. for
their places, is not apt to indulge III those noisy
demonstrations of delight that so freely given
by the mixed assemblage of ordinary tbeater.
But never was there feeling of deeper and more
genuine admiration than left by Mr.. Charles
Dickens in the minds of his auditors at the cOncu-
sion OF Wikie Collins drama, "lhe Frozen Deep"
There was literally gasp of applause when the
curtain descended, and the conversation that en-
sued during the interval that preceded the farce
was composed of a laudatoTy criticism of details.
To gain the cool, deliberate appreciation of such
audience was no small triumph. The rin2leaders
Of conversation on such occasions are men who, to
use a common phrase, are "up to every thing, es-
pecially 10 matters connected with public amuse-
ment, and whose organ Of veneratoD is by no mesns
largely developed. They would rather grasp
opportunity for quizzing the ridiculous than seize
an occasion for admiriug the sublime When such
as these not ouly murmer forth their admiration,
but discuss the Of it, who among an audi
euce could raise dissenteut voice?
The performance of Mr.. Dickens as the vindic-
tive and (afterW ords) pentent Richard Wardouris,
In the truest sense OF the word, a creation. Now
we may go further and say that il is the creation of
a literary man-that it IS doubtful whether any
mere actO. unless under the influence of some ex-
traurdinary sympathy with the part assumed, would
ATTEMPT to gil up ontlne with that elaborate de-
tail that is introduced by Mr.. Dickens into Mr. Col
Inns sketch. We feel that If Mr.. Dickens had had
to describe in narrative the situations of the Frozen
Deed instead of acting them, he would have COW
cred whole pages in recording those manifestations
of emotion which, not having his pen in his hand
he now makes by the minutest variations of voice
and gesture Where ordinary artist would look
for 'tpOints" of effect he looks for "points" OF
truth A specimen of humanity in which every
twitch of every muscle can be accounted for is to
be with all the elaboration of actual nature mat
ter whether il be admired or not. When Richard
Wardour tells the story of his disappointment in
love, there is ample opportunity for much noisy
grief and many a stride to the footlghts, but Mr..
Dickens dnres to keep down his voice through the
whole OF the narrative. The effect may be monOtO-
nous-but what OF that?
He who talks not for the sake ofdisplay, but sim
ply that he may relieve his mind from an oppres-
sve and almost humiliating burden, will pecessari
IL be monotonous. A man loaded under the sense
of wrong would have excited less uneasiness in his
conhdant. But such man as Mr.. Dickens presents
"a man strong in the command of his voice, but
weak IN suppressing the language of his eyes and
facial muscles-a man whose constant attempts to
hide the intesnai storm by slight stimulation Of
good fellowship only renders more conspicuous the
vastness of that which he would conceal-a man
who has habit of losing his temper in a manner
that mere external circumstances do not warrant
such man is just object of terror. Richard
Wsrdour, as depicted by Mr.. Dickens in the second
act of The Frozen Deep is the most perfect repre-
sentatiou OF dogged vudietiveness that the imagi-
nation could conceive.
In the third act, so intricate is the web Of emo
tons that he unfods that, in a verbal description,
no more than an indication of the various threads
that compose il can be attempted. Richard War
dour and the object Of his bate have departed to-
gether on excursion during their sojourn in the
Arctic regions and when the ''expedition" has ar
rived, on It's return, at Newfoundland both have
disappeared together, and it is supposed that one
has murdered the other. Suddenly a wild figure
arraved in tatteTs makes its appearance. This is
Richard himself, who has not only spared the life
of his rival when IL was completely within his
clutch, but has labored magnanimousy to preserve
him for the sake of the lady whom they both love,
when he might easily have let him die of without
incurring his bood-guitiness. When the magma
nimty OF Richard is fully established he dies in the
arms OF his friends and his beloved. Now through
out the whole OF this situation, Richard by dnt Of
moral aud physical suffering is in a state of down
right insanity, and he is compelled TO reveal the
generosity OF his soul through the impairment OF
mental iog.- All sorts OF emotions TO be por-
trayed under a stratum Of madness aud at last this
is to be dung aside. By the most accurate stlen-
ton in fitting every articulation aud gesture TO the
circumstances OF this complicated position, Mr.
Dickens solves the intricate problem, and presents
a solution which taxes the attention to the utmost
so high is the value OF every Of his details.
Such a deliberate creation on the part Of aa actor
can only be appreciated by the most careful study
on the part OF the spectator.
OF the company generally, with the exception OF
Mr.. Dickens aud two Others, il may be fairly said
they are clever amateurs, though there is much
genuine pathos IN the acting OF the ladies'. The
two, who, beside SIR. Dickens, are worthy Of CON-
parison with any menbers OF tue theatrical proles-
sion, are Mr.. Mark Lemon, whose representation Of
a bluff navel officer Is good sound unaffe ted
"bit" of nature, aud Mr. Augustus Egg, whose hui
NOR, as the gFunbling ships cook john Want, Ii
at once unexaggerated and characteristic.
The scenic effects, which, under the superinten.
denee of Messrs. Stanheld aud Telbin, we're deem.