Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-10-17
EyGLAND'S THREE GREAT ACTORS

ENGLAND'S THREE GREAT ACTORS.
The tradition of the wonderful powers of
David Garrick, the principal figure of the sec
oud theatrical era of rsnown, is confirmed by
the foremost Of his contemporaries, by states
meu aud orators, poets and historians, dramat-
cdgment from jealous and unfriendly observers
Truth to nature, versatility, and animation dis
tlnguished him as an actor, and in these quail
ties he has probably never been equalled
Cumberland has shown US the sharp contrast
between Garrick and the old school Of actors.
Hi. complete freedom from stage contlonallties
was bewilderiug. Partridge, known to readers
Of Tom jones'" thought that any one In sim
liar circumstances would do as Garrick did 10
Hamlet, and preferred the player Of the King,
because he ''spuke all his words distinctly, half
as loud again as the other" An actor who
performed Banquo's murderer Was surprised
by Garrick's earnest natural way Ut saying,
There's blood upon thy face" into putting
his hand up, with the exclamation, is there,
by God? ?" A country neighbor Of Peter Gar
rick, about to visit London, took from him
letter to the famous actor; but CHANGING to see
him as Abel Drugger before presenting it, the
uusophisticated countryman returned with
The excuse, well MIR. Garrick, though he be
your brother, he is one of the shabbiest, mean
est, most pititu hounds | ever saw in the whole
course of my life" Garrick went directly to
Nature school instead OF to that OF stage ira
dllivu thus unatic, who had been crazed by
dropping accidentally child from a window,
was bis model for Lear's madness. Great
mlmetic faculty, brilliant eyes, mobile features
"a deaf and dumb artist declared that Garrlck' S
ar. Goht tl,l
figure and a pleasing and clear, though not
ycry strong voice, enabled him to express his
conceptions in the most telling way. His range
vtchalacter was limited but in a single direc
,lun DIR. johnson, Horace Wapole, and the
actor MackIin, all rather ill-natureu critics,
agree 10 denying his capacity to represent the
cay high bred gentleman. 10 every other
corner of the mimic world bis sceptre reached.
Mrs Siddous played with Garrick occasional
Iy during his last season tl775-'76), but her
success was not such a, to give her re- engage
mcut at Drary Lane, and she returned to the
provinces, where she remained, chiefly at Bath,
which supported the best theatre out OF Lou
don, uut the autumn of 1872. Then, at the
aye ii twvnty-seven, she reappeared 10 the cap
!ta, abd as Isabella the innocent bigamist Of
SoutIerncs Fatal Marriage" called forth
such pealS of applause as she had never heard
before. This play was always faVorlte with
her, aud svme years later singular incident
happened n connection with it. The lady,
then unmarried who atterward became the poet
Byron mother, was so affected by the acting
Of Mrs. Siddons that she had an attack OF
hy>terics, and was carried out of the theatre
repeating Isabella's cry on recognizing her
list husbaud-"Oh, my Biron my Bron
>ob>, shrieks, tainting accompanied this
great actress's rendition Of Jane Shore,
bcIvidera, and some other characters. When
llabb Robinson, then mere youth, saw
! trr 10 Fatal Curiosity" he burst into
uehouse. till it was found to be hysterical.
Tie audiences of the olden time seem, however,
@have been more impressionable than our
owO. A young girl fell dead from agitation at
:vvug "a not very distinguished contemporary
ri,hv kembles play "Charles |, and several
hiv, taluted when Mrs. Litcbfeld played in
Mouk Lewis's accumulation of horrors, The
1 CupIr, in 1903. When Otbello was first
paved at Hamburg the consequences to several
airs 10 the audience were les plus regretta-
bes Similar mishaps were occasioned In
france by u scene from tragedy OF 4tschy-
.us, where the Furies pursue Orestes. With
every allowance for the greater excitabiity OF
The theatrical public of lang syne, such Incl
| oeIt> show the great power OF the performer
aud III Mrs. Slddou's case other anecdotes con-
aru the Inference. Experienced actors and
actresses OF respectable rank were sometimes
GOused by the force she threw into her part.
Tier audiences we're SO sobered by her pathos
Hawed by her submity, that the best comic
|tOr> lu tarces that used to excite untalllng
uerrlmeut, could not restore their spirits. ln
'%eue OF the Mourning Bride, where lara
Surprises O>myn and Almeria, the expression
"iFaS resentment seldom failed to raise a
alsh, even when that character was IN
,He Ne Lands of such powerful actresses as
..ie Mrs, Siddon's anger the il-timed
4einh was banished. She could make her
att'IouS griets as real to herself as to
H,hGF>. When she played Lady Constance,
Arthur 5 collar was wet with her tears. In
me Fair Pentent' her paleness became
'AOle through her rouge; and 10 ''Tamerlane"
w once tainted from emotion. This sensblEty
ASno doubt, secret Of her power. She was
ways what actors call lin the character,
1sT 1sSef allowing her attention to wander to the
..;-al'eucc, and she was always, too, in down
81 light earnest"
10 roles of hot, tumultous passion and con-
"93rated maguly Edmund Keau was grand
s s-l awful When, as Ianga in DR.. Young's
;Ssecied tragedy Of Revenge, character in.
I.uea by tic passion expressed in the title Of
% ~ pay, he stood exultiugIy over his PROSTATE
,,; ; Iis Iss eyes flashing from bis dark countenaoce
S'ni %a MS arms thrown upward, he seemed to
sJt'ney ,,.tay and Proctor Barry Cornwall) the
,*d *HdIaoseI ruined, the devil himself The effect
,baa 'ae last scene of his Sir Giles Overreacb,
~" asu lrst given, has never been paralleled; on
IN, s'oe Shreks of terror, Lord Byron in con-
S,>"! ,vOS, the house on foot frantic with entbu-
.soI.S u', 90 the other the leading lady in swooD
yrmaH actress weeping aloud, and the veteran
sen, sauusn, sn who was playing Marall. for the mo
y,rn, para'yzed with astonishment. The im-
ron %O,la ~ rage OF the dying villain was study
syInIau ua'ure, the fruit of observation of the
s NcmIIs NiI Jury OF a man vanquished in fight
8 t,rono I' attempted to maintain his tottering
ie WV. y appearing in the same character, but
ou,d Sa USED Sublime and thrilling as Kean