New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-05

drama selected the Anglo-Ssxon era OF ine egg
ent-ry for .he reg2lstion Of the scenery a." 80
d,..s.s AZ affore no ds.s sufficiently remote, SO
Al he ,sme time. a. being enc intimately $3.50 nsSa
With British soi. degree OF sppro1inSe co...
ness IN these respects Is thus ettaiheo, my -
fcr dramatic purposes, bat which would hs'e oseI
fouSd sSsIuiey impoesible had the scene Teen 1914
IL "a m ythics age 10 which Lea. bes)ng:
In the production Of his remarkable pay M Mean
has reelected nothing - render i 'hve; &c o'
sutt ori.ies have been consuEe1, DO. Only i.t ~
tunes but for ell the minor Accessories OF Tue 'ehs
Is it a s,aie-room in LeNs palsce, We tsTo : u,'
rail, accurately representing the rough douea OF
-angemenis Of the period. The walls aIe 49,.
washed, and above them are suspsnuea .no mi,b
ard shirs OF all animals killed N the coass, WI
shields and other varlike weapons. huge ioe Eve
p bis Zing in the ceater sno not man o. "Ou'n ~
the picturesque groups present but u haoeu ~
priste costume r. Il inner chamber, we haVe one
duly tspettred with the quaint needlsEork OF the
period the composition and artistic erect OF "o1 re
und us of the tracDgs On the Uneven marcos ,e.'
not figure but reproduced upon competent auihol
ty. Is il the exterior OF oastle we nave real pa.
ssdes ex,eroirg scross the STAGE in the space WITHIN
which pass and repass those who have par IN lne
sction Cf The moment. Is II aoapp, we nave neal
Dover. with the old Roman road thre sdiDg the Downs
ike lazy snake, but apparently commencing y' lne
s.sge where II is marked by s butsresees oil feavy
stone wolk while the Saxon monument ere'eo W
the way eide bears s own historical prO'es' agat-'
the ancient hysders Of the soil Ana ina s.ofni On
the heath 20 al and appalling, with s sheets OF Va,
olet AID red flame bringing out INTO ielei 'he rVyai
wanderer ard bis strange companions, ana suose'
quertly illumihing the weird stone Hengeish run,
through which they feel their way. All ,hese ore
marvellous a. scenic effects; nor must the pecuhar
stage arrangements be lef. unnotictd, by whica ,ne
optical delurion of prolOngiug the perspective Is
achieved.
In ike manner what j. technically styled tue stsge
business has undergone raiical change unde: the
sane artistic hand. Let Us instance, as hrs exam
pie the discovery OF the kng, surrounded by his rude
court, with H. daughters grouped at ms feet; the
-. Z 4 Il. ysrtUa q n
conveying te idea of the cid mans fondness for his
,fls pliDg Or let US call attention to the dram.tc
ta.e aid tact which cat the accomplished eIngtress,
Mrs Poole for the part Of Court Jester, instead OF
in'Iustirg II 20 tie low comedian an arrangement
productive of new ana striking effect at the co.e of
The second scene in the third act. Anything more
touching and dramatic can scarcely De conceived man
the plaiDtiye d.ty of the poor hs tw.ted lad VINO
sIqs " The ram il rsneth every day, 10 his crazed
master as they both depart sbiverng 10 seek the howell
to shelte, themselves from the pltliess Storm Not
however TO dwell too lepgthiy upon other points 60
noteworthy that the public cannot fai TO seize upon
them LEI ne pass to the impersOnaton OF Lear by Mr.
Charles Kean. AS is his wont, ne has laid hold OF The
character a. whole, and elaborated II In deta Win
artistic skill not u be exc. He'd We do not get the
conventional old man, decTepid with the weight OF
wears and irsscibe from senl.y, but lie sturdy Old
me march Of stormy passions and hot impulses, who
might have lived for a century but for the calamity
that drives him mao. His foudness Tor his daughters
is mace the moot prominent trait 10 his c1a'a
Throughout the earlier scenes, and even when lie has
received uoof Of the iDgia,i.ude Of one, ne chogs
with all the tenscity CT strong nature 70 The belief
that tie IL will not cas-, b. Oft. When tho event
Ieslv occur. and biz reason becomes ulseht-3 ne still
dwells upon them, ard upon what he has done T
thtm SO, when lie has recovered his s'ey discarded
CoIdea, il il the affection be hsd once en-.
ed for the two pgrates had gathered increased
power for want of something TO love- only to concen-
tIae itself at lst upon her whom he takes back 10 his
heart. This deep-sesied sentiment impaIts tender
ress and pathos TO MIR. Keans Interpretation, which
eliminates bis cognoD OF Cordelis, and is por
frsyed with aectedness perfectly empowering.
Tie of TIE actor in this Was evidenced
by the emotion il created throughout q crowd Il
house en- oton by no means LINED 10 the iemi-
nile portion Of the AUDITORY. As contrast 20 this side
of Lesrs character fnd Lis hatred strong As his
love hence, when lie turns against his daughters, his
invtc'ive il of the iercest. Most powerfully did
Mr. Kean deliver the awful q. the end Of the
first act. Commencing in low tone, as if hinsef sp-
psed by the dreness of the vsi5aions he is invoking
upon his own flesh and blood, but gradually gaining
power bis feelings obtain the mastery, the maledc-
ton acquired almost impious dimensions, and fell
upon tie ear with solemnity no description can do
Justice to. The madness, too was painfully real, so
hi, lily WA it elabOrateC-each stage Of it, from the
lint partial cloudiDg Of the intellect Until IL final
overtorow, being delineated with mnuteness that
raves 10 doubt of the artists having studied the
manifestations of divers kind OF unscy, IN the school
OF nature. The entire performance received the sp-
prosal OF highly discriminating auditory.