The National Register. — 1814-11-06 (London, England)

KEAN'S MACBETH. . Last night Mr. Kean assumed for the first time the obaracter of Madeth, and the piece was brought nut with all the attractions which liberality and taste, on the part of the Ma. nagets, could produce. As the lateness of the hour will not allow us to particularize, we must rest contented with stating that most of the scenery was new, beuttiful, and magnificent that the apparition of the spirits tnnli which the witches hold their power, and with whom Hecate rides on the moonlight clouds. NiltliSt the full chorusses of her companions, assembled 4:,1 barren rocks, hail her ascent, seemed to realize the wildest visions of ancient superstition ; and that the music, selected from the works of Purcell, and adapted on the occasion by Mr.llern, was at once most ap. propriate, tasteful and grand. In a word, every thing that can complete the illusion of the senses was profusely lavished on this tragedy ; and never had the genius of Shakespear I. received mon assistance from the painter's art, or the ma. chinist's skill.  Mr. Kean, however, was the magnet which Lad drawn immense crowds to this house. When he appeared, the air was rent with shouts of applause, and hundreds of hats and handkerchiefs were waved in the pit. When the tempest of congratulation had subsided, and he was able to proceed. he seemed in better voice than usual, and displayed much judgment. Ile,, however, persisted in at which robs his Hamlet of many beauties, the neglect those passages rendered celebrated by the effect with which they are. given by other performers. He thus reduced himself to the necessity of so iking out new ones, and as this is almost impossible, in a field so beaten by the genius of his predecessors, he was but seldom successful. Hence his performance during the whole of the first act was unifot tidy good, but without any of those eminent bursts which surpi ise the feeling's and elicit spontaneous applause. In the seccand, his soliloquy to the " air drawn dagger" was perhaps impaired hot* the same cause. Though delivered with great justness, its excellence was of -too level a nature to prodtice much effect. it displayed much harmony of colours, but wanted a few bold touches to give it life. After having committed the murder, he rose to greater eminence. It was there he successfully introduced a new point. Whilst giving an account of the interruptions he had encountered whilst going to the bed of his victim, he says. " There one did laugh in his sleep, and one cried murder, That they did wake each other. I stood and heard them ; But they did say their prayers, and addressed them Again to sleep." On coming to the word "prayer," he stopped, as though unable to utter it from the consciousness of his unworthiness after having imbrued his hands in human blood. The attention with which he watched for the first exclamations of Abide on finding the King murdered. whom he was going to wake, and the absent manner in which he replied to the quvfirms of Lenor, during that anxious interval, were most natural and effective. Throughout this act his performance was of a higher order. . In the banquet scene he was great, and his last moments were worthy of his fame. The fight ire not suite so well managed, hdwever, as either re  a .'  • •  • •