Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-09
THE HAMLETS OF THE STAGE.
The Keans, the ROOths, Macready,
Forrest and other Great Actors.
From the Atlantic Monthly
EDMUND KEAN.


EDMUND KEAS.
His Hamlet was first given in
March, month after his appearance at
Drury Lane, and while the Hamlet" of
John Kemble still charmed the town.
Already Kean had played !" Richard
and "Othello" with tremendous effect.
His "Othello" was considered q finer
piece of acting than his " Hamlet" Iu-
deed, the few survivors who still remem-
ber him pronounce him the "only
'Othello' of the modern stage" But
Kean did not believe this, and liked to
play Hamlet" best He always re-
served it for his benefit nights, and then
appeared in the afterpieee as Hsrle-
quin "a bill sure to crowd the house. :.
His Hamlet" was the antipode of
Kemble's. If he could be said to con.
form to any rules of art, his acting was
that of the Gsrrick school, as Kemble's
may have resembied that Of Bettertob.
His Hamlet" was fiery, spontaneous,
passionate. tender. The scene with
"Ophelia was not Only his best, but
perhaps the most exquisite ever wit
messed. An original feature in it was his
mode of parting with her after the last
word had been spoken between them. He
retired the length of the stage, turned,
looked fixedly at her moment with un-
utterable grief and longing, then, coming
back, he kissed her hand with a Sigh of
parting and despair, and rushed hastily
from her presence.
After the performance of his " Ham
let" Mrs. Garrick, then ninety years old,
sent for him. She seated him in Gar
rick's chair, which she said no one else
ever had occupied or ever should occupy,
and read him lecture on acting. 1t was
she who induced him to change his read
ing of the chamber scene, and give
F" Hsmlet's" rebuke to the "Queen
with greater severity. But Kean never
played it as we'll afterward, and said, pet
ulaDtly, he wished the old lady had let
bim alone. Mrs. Garrick. was very good
to the Keans, and Mary Kean was always
grateful to her; but naturally enough,
Edmund never quite relished her habit of
measuring his genius by the standard of
her lost David.
KEAN AND COOKE.
Kean carried back to England, as a
most cherished relic, the bones of the
forefiuger of Cookies right hand" that
dictatorial finger" which the great actor
had used with such wonderful effect DR..
j. W. Francis had carefully preserved
Cookies skull. One evening, many years
later, when Hamlet was represented
at the Park Theater, through some neg
lect ne skull had been provided for the
grave-diggsr's scene. A messenger from
the manager hastened to DR.. Francis
Office for one; and Francis furnished the
only one in his possession--that of the
veteran actor. Never before nor since
we're the familiar phrases, "Alss poor
Yorick," "a fellow of infinite jest. of
N ost excellent fancy" and Your flashes
of merriment, that were wont to set the
table in a roar" uttered with such literal
truth as by the "Hamlet" of that evening
to tse Skrll Of the great actor.
WILLIAM CHARLES aA0sE4Dy,
born in 1898, and long at the head of the
English stage, was q conscientious, cold,
polished actor of the Kemble school,
thoroughly devoted to his art, close and
affectionaie stGdept of Shakespeare, al
ways anxious to eEslt aud purify the
drama, and devoting bis leisure to the
cultivation of letters. He was stage
manager of tact and judgment. His
" Hamlet was one of his most successful
charaeters-6nished, artistic. scholarly,
bat ffsg.s any constrained. 1t was the
" Hamlet" Of culture, rathey then Of
genius. Satirists declared that 90 be
crooked his little finger one night eE-
aa:ily 40 at the same point would he be
found to crook it ten yes later
Despite thpse srtifcialisms, his acting
was occasionally 80 sstlral, both in
tone and manner, that performers
familiar only with their own parts,
actually thought be was in conversation
With them. Once, during q rehearsal of
Firqsnigs, be turned to William For
rest, brother of the tFsgedisn, Fho was !
playing "Icilius," and asked In the |
words of bis part, will you lead 'Vir-
ginia in, or do you wait for me TO do i'll"
Forrest politely answered, Whichever
you please, Mr.. Mscresdy," while the
other actors we're infinitely amused. On
another occasion, in William Tel" his
remark to young Wheatley about his
shoe being united was so natural, that
even Cowell, an old and experienced
uansger, said, pettishly, " Don't keep US
here oil day, Mr.. hacEeady, about that
boys shoe, but 60 on Eith the rehearsal"
he never received, higher compliments.
Mscready's introduction Of some origi-
nal "business" into Hamlet led indirect
" 10 aerious copseduences 10 the scene
before the king, where the prince says to
Horatio, They are coming to the play,
| must be idle" ell other Hamlets had
taken idle" in the sense Of being listless
aud auoocupied, MscreadY gave it
much more liberal construction, counter
feiting q foolish youth, skipping across
the sisge 10 front Of the footlights, and
switching bis handkerchief, which be
beld BY oae corner over bis right aud lefs