The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-12-26
EDMUND KEAE.
How she Greas Trasedias Played
"sbyioek."
All the Year Round

AAow the eFeat TFagedfas Played
"sbyioek."
All the Year Round.
The theatre was In great straits; the
managers were as sinking men clutching
at straws; otherwise they would not have
ventured upon the desperate .xpedient
of suffering Mr. Kean TO 40 Jear. For
weeks he had hung about lne theatre,
almost begging that he might have Q
trial. He was known 10 the scofiing
stage.door keepers ss the man with the
eapes," because of the heavy coachmsn's
cape he wore--it was bitter wintry
weather, the snow two feet deep upon
the ground. He was allowed his chance
at last. But one rehearsal was thought
necessary; this was on the morning of the
mem )rable Jan. 26, 1914, the day fixed
for his first performance. He repeated
his speeches with some intimation of the
manner he proposed to adopt In deliver
ing them before the foOtlights. His
play-follows predicted failure; the stage
manager boldly denounced the innovs-
tions of the provincial actor. elf / am
wrong the public viii see me right, said
the tragedian of the Theatre Royal, Ex-
eter. The stage manager shrugged his
shoulders. The actor dined literally,
for the FIRST time in many days, upon
steak and porter; then walked through
the snow from his lodging In Cecil street
to the theatre, carrying his properties,
an old pair of black silk stockings, q
collar, and black wig-for, contrary to
all precedent, his Shylock wore q black
wig-tied up in handkerchief, and
thrust into the pocket of the great coat
with the capes. The house was only q
quarter full. The play began drearily
enough. Yet Shylock's early speechss-
as Kean rendered them they were I" like
chapter of Genesis" Douglas Jerrold
was won't to say-greatly impressed the
audience, stirred to ex rsordinary en-
thusiasm afterward whe' the time came
for the actors superb odtbursts of pas
sion. Oxberry was surprised that 30
small an audience could "kiek up 90
great rowp Tie success of Edmund
Kean's Shylock could 90 longer be ques-
toned. The triumph mt actor hurried
home, crying exulti igly to his wife:
Mary, you shall rio ) III your carriage,
and Charley, my boy !" snd he lifted the
three-year-old baby irol / his cot, "you
shall 90 to Etonw On the actors sec
ond night the receipts fere Just double
those of the first-ths is to say, the
house was half full. The committee of
management begaia to ceubt whether q
genuine success had been achieved; they
had suffered 30 much from quasi-success.
es; they even contemplated the removal
of Kean's name from the bills, and the
trial of another candidate. Lord Byron
sensibly exposJulsted: "You have got
great genius among you and you don't
know it. But he will fall through like
msny others unless we lift him, and
force the town to come and see him.
There is enough In Kean to bear out any
extent of panegyric, and it will not do
to trust an opportunity like this to the
mere routine of ordinary chances. We
must 60 in q body, call upon the proprie-
tors and editors of the leading papers,
and ask them to attend in person and
write the articles themselves" This
advice was followed with the happiest
results for Kean's fame and fortune.
He appeared in Shylock fifteen times
during his first season at Drury Lane,
and the part remained to the last one of
the most admired in his repertory.