Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-30

GAIETY THRArRR-Mr. and Mrs. WALLER have now
played nearly two weeks to the great delight Of the
Nashville people. The lady especially has secured
not only the admiration of the public in general, but
the high appreciation of thejudicious her acting il
Of the highest efforts Of the English Drama be-
ing unsurpassed, perhaps unequalled. Let Us add
that there Is much room for discrimination IN the
estimate Of her performance comedies too much
to the vulgar appetite for being startled and aston
ished. Hence a certain absence of repose, hence
the assumption of parts like Iago, which cannot be
played well by female, hence her spasmodic Cush
mqsiSms in Lady Macbeth and Meg Merrilies, all Of
which become even more unpleasant from contrast
with her refined taste and dignifed demeanor, when
she plays according to her own excellent judgments
for she has, PROFESSIONALLY, two distinct manners
the one her own. the other assumed TO extort fhe
applause Of the vulgar. In this respect her per
Torrance Of Lady Macbethis a constant alienation
Of very good and very bad. We have not space for
detailed specification. We will only say that we
like her best where she least reminds US of Miss
CusHMAN.
Having said thus much from a stern sense of BUR
obligation to do strict justice, we turn to
pleasing dGsys that Of expressing unquali-
fed appreciation Of reF in a character where
inshe is all herself. We alude TO her Ma
rina in the Duchess Of tNalf This is beyond
a question the noblest restoration OF the Eliza
bethan drama, which has been executed within
the present century. WEBSTER is the only dramatist
who knows how to accumulate sorrow, despair and
even physical tortHre and appalling murder in his
dramas without outraging the human interest Of the
piece, or abandoning the elevated strain of poetic
feeling in which the whole action is carried on
Even SHAKESPEARE. has not succeeded in this The
only instance of physical suffering we know of in
play undoubtedly Shakespeareian, Is the putting
ont of Gloucester's eyesin King Lear; and this has
been, vita general consent hanished from the stage
and related as a thing done apart from the scene
The art BY which WEBSTER renders poetical the
slCangllng ssene, which in any other hands would
ave been simply revolving, consists in ms rendering
Ne physical horrors of the scene subseryient to the
spiritual features Of the characters. the exalted
,oprage, the pious resignation, the uudying conju
'ap love of Mariana the remorse of Ferdinand and
5ossoi. Let US add that the aathor was in this I'M
qertaking aided most powerfully by the inimitable
art Of the actress; if Mrs. WALLER had been living
IN the authors time, it seems to US that he
would have selected her above all others to
anbody his thoughts; all the horrors of
The scene was poured soft, mellow light Of wo-
manly tenderness like an accompaniment Of sweet
dlisic consong and softening the tortured sym
athies.
Nor was il only in the highly tragic scenes that
the finished artistic was manifested; in the ear
ly scenes there was a grace and majesty, win
ming softness and frank, cordial expression Of
conscious purity, which expressed the fair, noble
italian lady Of the time to the life the pleasant Vi
vacity Of her conversation would have satisfied |
rCCACTo. the expressive face, and noble figure, |
81 exquisite costume would have honored the |
lncil Of a TITAN; her voice too Is capable of ey-
cry intonation, the tenderest melody. the stuffed |
groan Of agony, the trumpet accents OF reprovng !
scorn, and above all -dirge-liils strains with
which dter death her wandering shade speaks CON
ISOLATION and warning to her surviving husband and
through al its changes it is always beautiful
But we must pause and say to friends that
tonight their t chance Of seeing her, and that
tomorrow night is reserved for the benefit Of Mrs
y M HENDERSON We trust to see this graceful
ard captivating actress well patronizcd-she is al
ways perfect in her parts, and in those characters
which harmonic with her delicate physical organi-
ZatiOn. whether sentiment or gaety is to be cx- |
pressed, she fails to secure the hearty apprc
baton Of her audience in the delicate graces of
light comedy she has few supcriors on the stage.
We feel the interested in her success for the
Knowledge that she has contributed so much to our
pleasure this season, while she herself suffer
ing under severe and painful malady, often wear
ing face Breathed with smiles while her frame
was Tacked with pain.
S..e needs a holiday, so let US give her a coed
house and supply the wherewithal to enjoy one.
The plays selected for the occasion are, we under
stand The Hept Of Wjsa-t0a-,risl and Ben Bolt, with
lively farce between the two something in short,
to please all tastes