The National Register. — 1815-01-08 (London, England)

VIE NATIONAL REGISTER.  shippers constantly burn around him, we shall have afforded him au opportunity of amending his faults, and really deserving that pvaise whip 'i in many parts of his performance has been granted with more Jibe, ality than justice. The tinalitientions of Romeo should be a well-made person, a handsome countenance, elegance of manners, and harmony tit. voice. Without these, it is not only ridiculous, but inspossildo suppose that a girl of the romantic disposition of Juliet should at first sight be struck with admiration and fall in love with him. Th.:l all these requisites do not meet in Mr. Kean, is indisputable. H. might, however, mould Isis manners, so as to appear _the perteet gentkeian and ardent lover; but during the two first acts he mad. no attempt of the kind. -His love had all the cold solemnity of looks and tone of Richard's villainy, and his manners wanted that high polish of gallantry which charaetelises the Italian inamorata His behaviour in the 'nervier:lde scene was certainly never. but only added to the improbability of the lady's sudden h&c-thus. Contrary to the en torn of all the Romeo's whom we recollect, he kept Isis mask on throughout, so that Juliet had the hard task to fal: in love with_ a suitor, whose fcatnres 'le was not even allowed to see. In the balcony scene, with the exception of a brilliant illumination of joy which fleefel over his countenance when he heard hut calling upon his name, all was frigid dullness and monotony. The repeated protrusion of his right arm and clenched fist %%Us: say;9— • " 0! that I were a glove upon that hand !" had more in it of menace than tenderness, and the depth and gravity of his tones were much more suited to sorrow than to love. Even in the encounter with the fiery Tybult, when vowing to revenge 11.14 r, cvlio's death, his usual spirit forsook him, though he fenced with his wonted grace and skill. Indeed the first half of his performance left a ~enerol impiession en the mind of the audience that Mr. Kean was ~tli,posett, nod several persolo, who were not present at the be. ginu ng of the piece, inquired whether an apology had not been mace for him on the plea of illness. When apprized of Isis bani-li men% however, Isis gus:isis seemed for the first time_kindled. Every pass,ge was then delivered with the energy of wounded feelings. venting themselves forth in the language and ravings of despair. and drew down peals of applause from a crowded house, wing' had till then 11 maimed almost silent. The chief fault in this part of Mr. pertormance, and it may have appeared one merely on account of his pre ceding frigidity, was perhaps a degree of over-exertion bordering too close upon rant. The action of pulling his hair with both hands is expressive, but not sufficiently noble to deserve being repeated more than 'once, when the text requires it. The waffler iu which he spoke the following line,  " As I do sow " Taking the measure of a new-inaile grave." though it obtained much applause, as a new reading, rag in our opinion must detective. Alter raving in all the wildness of his griet up to  " the meactire he remained wiih his hands uplifted, his puffed up, and Ilis countenance full of tlu as theuszli considering of what lie anoula take titel,nre, for t«o wino eQ, then, having seemingl, wade tip his miatl, added, in a. low voice aml slow delivery,  " A new made grave," end fell to the ';round. Now, we conceive that no such ditteulty of choice shAilit be expressed. Row°, who has been calling for death instead of banishment, and is On the eve of attempt• lu' suicide, in his iotigingg tin dissolution, no sooner starts the idea of the grave, than he ought to rush at once, as it were, into it, with a hilg—hesitating pause, which is not coorenant with the nature of his feelings at the time. These detects excepted, the banishment scene was by tar ate best of Mr. kean's performance, stud pwsesed sunie beauties of an otiginai character. It was the only one in %%bleb he rose superior to iiH present rivals. For most of the test, h.! sank beneath them. Hi, COliVeisatiell With the Apethreury .f.d not display much ' ttenZill; and the catastrophe, ns acted Mr. Conway amid Miss O'Neill, is more strikingly affecting than Mr Kean's solitary fall. The sno• cent of his death, however, was tenissi k ably good. Fixin:.; his tyis on the di•consolate Juliet, lw repented her name, in viol; arcerts, till the chill of dent,' chained his tongue, and his last sigh vas one of love. Upon the whole, we are sorry that Mr. Kean Should have it:sinned tleir character. It is one in which he has to contend with so 'many natitral disadvantaffes, that complete success was out iii his power. Neither is it notch injury to hi., fame to say, th:it he %sins is almost iincionlled in the le pre,en tati"n of shost!.l have tailed ih, U., istA sQinitien ..i 1:  20  • Mrs. Bartley displayed considerable feeling, spOrtivcness, and strength in Juliet, and obtained deserved applause. Eih.ron Mental° delivered the speech relative to Queen Mab with Marla effect, but rendered the character one shade less gay than usual. Of the rest silence is praise. On Wednesday, Miss Walstein, for the first time, appeared as Lady Teazle in the School/or Scandal. Comedy is decidedly the line in which this lady is calculated to shine. The improvements which oe observed had taken place in her acting, when she resumed the part of Le(ilia Hardy were still more pe►eeptible in her Lady Teazle. Six was playfhl, without affectation, in her raillery; spit i tett. wide. ant tra_•ic pomp, in her quarrel with her lin a►>zl her ennfased •lictre•s when discuvered in Joseph's apartment, as well as her sub•s plent contrition, were highly natural and effective. 'the song of The Bee, whirls ahe introduced without mask, was deservedly ,eels. cored. Miasma ■urpasssed himself in Joseph Surface. Dowton was excellent in Sir Oliver, and all the other chat acters were most ably sustained by their rtrpeetive representatives. •--- We have received the following from a eorresporderif, and give it insertion, as we can add our testimony to the promising merits of 111.. William West:—  44 Mr. W. West, from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, made Lis debut at the Dlinlin:4ll Theatre, in the elniractyr of Dun Cgrlos iu the Duenna.—He a remarkably sweet voice, and evtry other qualification, to become a decided favorite."  Miss Cook, froM the Theatre Covent Garden. likewise made bee appearance in the arduous part of Juliet. Her conception of the character was excellent. This young lady has also performed the parts of .Sigisintinde and Letitia Hardy, and is, we understand. shortly to appear in Bekidere.