May 5. Henry VIII.*-Waterman. May The splendour and magnificence of the scenery, processions, and decorations, or, as it is technically called, the getting up of this historical play, is indeed worthy of " the most beautiful theatre in the universe," we will go still further-of SHAKSPEARE himself.† It can only, however, be in the power of one, who is "not at all a friend to truth," to say the same of the acting of the bloody and lustful tyrant, who gives title to the piece. Mr. Cocke appeared for the first time in Henry the VIIIth, and it is not easy to conceive (notwithstanding all experience in this way) a more defective performance. Instead of the noble, frank, boisterous look and manners of Harry, he had the look of Richard III. or the bearded head of Shylock, and the artful manners of Iago. Nothing could or can be worse. Here Mr. Pope is missing, whose excellence in this part, which consisted principally in his figure and dress, has in our time had no equal-but we think it might have been most successfully imitated by Mr. Egerton, especially as we see that it can be very well done with very little sense. Mrs. Siddons in Catherine. Mr. Pope in Henry, and Mr. Kemble in Wolsey, make the request of the prologue very easily granted. Thus it runs In the scene wherein Wolsey "falls like Lucifer never to hope again," Mr. Kemble's acting was very fine. We cannot, however, well reconcile the contradiction of his assertions-he tells Campeius that Dr. Pace was a fool, for he would needs be virtuous;" and he exclaims with regret, " Had I but served my God, &c." and yet he says, "My integrity to Heav'n is all I dare now call mine own-" This +"I know not," says Johnson, "whether the coronation shewn in this play, may not be liable to all that can be objected against a battle," which Shakspeare judiciously protests against on the stage, as destroying all opinion of truth, and leaving him never an understanding friend. The pomp of the coronation, which, " forty years ago, drew the people together in multitudes a great part of the winter," is now thrown into the christening. May 7. Hamlet.-Harlequin Pedlar. May This is Mr. SHERIDAN'S "mens conscia recti,"* and nothing else! In the banquet scene we think he fails. Sumptuous as the preparations are, the disposition is bad. Who would suppose that the host addresses such language as “That noble lady, Or gentleman, that is not freely merry, from a canopied seat, approached by steps, and at a distance on one side of the social board? He himself too observes the same demeanour as in the moment of his fall--relaxing nothing, though beneath his own roof, in a festive hour, and acting the part of a pimp! This seems to us incongruous. The Catherine of Mrs. Siddons, in the court at Black-Fryars, was perfect in all that's real or imaginary—an incomparable piece of mimic art. The commentator says that in this play, "the genius of Shakspeare comes in and goes out with Catherine," and here in representation we wish it had stopt, for her sleeping is catching; the scene is insufferably tedious, but, if we must have it, and hear of the "blessed troop," she dreams. about, we might as well be entertained during her nap with a sight of the "vision dancing," as it is directed to be exhibited by the poet, sc. ii. act iv. In the council, where Cranmer appears before his unjust judges every thing was construed with a bearing on the case of Sir FRAN CIS BURDETT.† Cham. "It stands agreed I take it, by all voices, that forthwith Cran. "Must I go like a traitor then?" (Great hissing.) Gardiner. "Receive him, and see him safe to the Tower." - (Hisses increase.) Then Cranmer, shewing the ring, says— 66 -I take my cause, Out of the gripes of cruel men, and give it To a most noble judge, the king my master." (Loud applause.) The king enters the council, and calls Cranmer to sit on his right hand * Vol. V. p. 187. "Good + This session, by virtue of the Speaker's warrant, forcibly taken from his house, and sent to the Tower. May 8. Macbeth.-Flitch of Bacon. 9. Henry IV. Part I.-Poor Soldier. 10. Henry VIII.—Farmer. 11. Merchant of Venice.-Love à la Mode. 12. King John.*—Birth Day. "Good man, sit down. Now let me see the proudest He, that dares most but wag his finger at thee, By all that's holy, he had better starve, Than but once think this place becomes thee not." May (Increased applause.) But when the king said, touching their usage of Cranmer, "I thought I had men of some understanding And wisdom of my council-but I find none!" the theatre was in an uproar, which was repeated at these words: "There's some of ye, I see, More out of malice than integrity, Would try him to the utmost, had ye means." King John, revived this evening, is by no means one of the best of Shakspeare's historical dramas, but there is enough of character in it to make it very valuable, and some scenes, especially the disclosure of John's design on the life of Arthur, inimitably conceived and expressed. It is, as now represented, judiciously curtailed in several places, the Billingsgate scene between Constance and Elinor, in act 1, sc. ii. and elsewhere. The sorrows of Constance for the loss of her son were skilfully pourtrayed by Mrs. Siddons, but on the whole we have seldom seen her to less advantage. Her delivery of "He talks to me who never had a son." was without effect. As the actor fit to personate King John, Mr. Kemble appears, "by the hand of nature marked, quoted, and signed," and, in every thing but the management of his robes, he suceeeded to our wishes. The neck-dress bringing his head and shoulders together, and the height of his girdle producing a short waist, gave him more the figure of Mr. Cooke than that of Mr. Kemble a change much to be regretted. In the orchard at Swinstead Abbey, when dying of the poison, he exhibited a masterpiece of the terrible in his art. The death of Cardinal Beaufort, in the painting, is little or nothing superior to it. Faulconbridge, "good old Sir Robert's wife's eldest son,” a noble hearted "mad-cap," was represented by Mr. C. Kemble, with all May 14. Macbeth.-Harlequin Pedlar. 15. Love in a Village.-Feast of Apollo, (a budget of songs). -Raising the Wind.-Mr. Incledon's night. 16. Man of the World.-Oscar and Malvina. 17. King John.-Paul and Virginia. 18. Othello.-Rival Soldiers.-No Song No Supper.-Mr. Young's night. 19. Henry VIII.-Is he a Prince? all the advantage that the character can ever be expected to enjoy on the stage. In the early scenes he was perfect Faulconbridge, and we rejoice to find him no longer a miser of spirit and expression. Of the rest, King Lewis, Mr. Murray, Dauphin, Mr. Treby, Blanch, Miss Bristow, &c.* nothing being said, may be the cause of some disappointment; but as nothing we could say would give them any pleasure, they owe us grace for our forbearance. One exception we must make, and that is in favour of Arthur, performed by Master Chapman. He is a fair, little boy, seemingly about eight years of age, and as Arthur was fourteen when he was murdered by John himself, we lamented that a stouter youth had not been substituted, he not having, as we feared, sufficient power and judgment to carry him through the prison scene with Hubert. In this, however, we were much and agreeably deceived, he has been well taught, and, without overloading him with praise, is a far better actor than his father. When the King said to Hubert "It is the curse of kings to be attended By slaves that take their humours for a warrant→ it was immediately applied to the present ministry with respect to their imprisonment of Sir F. Burdett, and produced peals of ap plause, indicative of the people's disapprobation of the act. A sentiment of a different nature was foisted into the play, reflecting with execration on traitors in the pay of France, which gave the other side an opportunity of displaying their feelings, in which, however, all parties seemed agreed. These time-serving interpolations, made by the servile to please the weak and pitiful in power, insure contempt, and merit severe reproof. LYCEUM. *Elinor and Lady Faulconbridge looked more like sisters or daughters than mothers. A little marking in the face might have prevented this ill effect, and Mrs. Weston and Mrs. Humphries have not, for neglecting it, even the excuse of being determined to look pretty. 1810. LYCEUM. April 23. George Barnwell.-The Village Doctor.*-Midnight Hour. 24. Confederacy.-Id.-Weathercock. 27. Honey Moon.-Id.-Of Age To-morrow. May 1. Inconstant.-Id. May *After the holiday tragedy of George Barnwell, in which Mrs. Powell's excellent acting in Millwood made us regret that such powers should be as it were annihilated by the pertinacious folly of the manager, who will play nothing but his own trash, wherein she of course disdains to figure, we were treated with " a new comic ballet" called The Village Doctor, “ composed," says the bill," by Monsieur Francesco Antonio Montignani, a celebrated mime, and principal grotesque dancer from the theatre at Lisbon, his first appearance in England." It had been our misfortune to witness the refined taste of the Portuguese, in their national theatre at Lisbon, and we knew how to guard against any disappointment from expectation, if we had not before known how to rely on Lyceum puffs and play-bills. We have not yet seen the New Theatre, Tottenham' Street, nor the Surrey Theatre, but we think that the works of this Monsieur, with the long Italian name, might there be worthy of patronage, where they have no horsemanship* to give any dignity to their performance. At Astley's it would be utterly disgraceful. The mimicry consisted in representing an old woman with a sore leg, and so obtaining the doctor's daughter; and the dancing was con fined to tumbling head over heels, and jumping up and down like a Newfoundland dog, for a roll out of his reach. This is indeed suiting the company to the house. * Mr. Beresford sets it down as one of the miseries of human life, to go to the summer theatres, and find that, the horsemanship being over, there is nothing left but celebrated mimes, and grotesque dancers. |