The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-01-17
John Philippe Ksmble.

pearance in London, excellent come
dams abounded; but Henderson was
the only tragic of any pretension left.
His career, too, was shortly to closei 80
that the new actor, like his sister, had
every advantage Of opportunity. On
the 3Oth of September, 1888, 8 few days
after his brother Stephen had appeared
at Covent Garden, John Philippe first
trod the boards of Drury Lane as Ham
let. From the beginning to the end he
was perfectly successful. His singular
ly handsome figure and grace, his ele-
CANT dress, his extraordinary likeness, to
his sister, reaching even to the voice,
and his perfect self possession and delibe-
ration, struck every critic. Though his
first appearance was not an extraordi-
nary and tumultuous success like his
sisters, like Garriek,s, like Kean's, 1t Is
interesting to read the account of it,
remembering the great career which lay
in the future beyond it:
"His reading of the part was different
from Garrick's or any other players.
He threw softness and tenderness over
the character. His performance was
evidently the result Of careful and in
tellectual study Of the play-there was
the most judicious elocution, and new
emphasis. The same imperfecti0n that
had imperiled the success of his sistero on
her first appearance was noticed in his
voice, but this was imputed to his being
accustomed to the smaller Dublin house.
Still, in its softer infection, 1t showed
uncommon feeling. John TaylOr was
struck with the laboriously critical tone
Of the character, but towned that he nev-
er saw such an improvement as study
aud repetition brought to the represen-
tation-an improvement owing in no
slight degree to the laborious txercise Of
having written out the part no less than
forty times"
The brother and the sister appeared
together for the first time In the "Game-
ster;' but Kemble did not make much
of Beverley. Then came the triumph Of
a royal command, and they played in
"King John" splendidly. Court favor,
then only bestowed on real merit, and
unattainable by low burlesque actors
and idiotic comic singers, meant much
in those days, and was lavishly bestowed
upon the Kembles to- the last.
From that moment Mrs. Siddons reign
ed supreme as an interpreter Of Shakes
peare, and her brother advanced OH his
slow and steady course, making every
step sure. His OtheUo, to which Mrs.
Siddons played Desdemona with ex-
quisite grace and softness, was an ad-
vance toward those grand and majestic
interpretations for which he was later to
be lannon's. He played sOtheNo in the
dress of an English general officer.
Soon his magnificent performance OF
Macbeth, for his own benefit, supported
by his sister, was to throw all his former
feats into the shade. Besides this mas
terpiece Othello was failure. For the
first time in his career, John Philip
and unbounded applause. On this sue
cess ensued two monotonous years, full
of triumph to the sister, and Of hard
work aud study to the brother, who
was cautiously and patiently trying ex.
periments in great parts. To this period
belongs the story of his marriage, which
surprised every one, and certainly was
inconsistent with his cautious, calculat-
ing and self-seeking character. The
lady was the widow Of Brereton, a hand
SOME man and an Indifferent actor, who
died in lunatic asylum in 1887. She
was pretty, interesting, but not clever,
and quite penniless. He signified his
intentions to her in very royal manner,
informing her that she should shortly
hear some very good news. Her moth
er, interpreting the oracular utterance to
indicate proposal of marriage, bade
her act ,uiesce, which she did. She made
him very good wife, and was appa-
rently very happy woman.-Chan-
bers' Journal.