A Book of the Play: Studies and Illustrations of Histrionic Story, Life, and CharacterCook, Dutton
History
A Book of the Play: Studies and Illustrations of Histrionic Story, Life, and Character
Cook, Dutton
Theater -- Great Britain -- History
Garrick's skill "in preparing his face" has been already referred to,
upon the authority of Mr. Waldron. From the numerous pictures of the
great actor, and the accounts of his histrionic method furnished by
his contemporaries, it would seem, however, as though he relied less
upon the application of paint than upon his extraordinary command of
facial expression. At a moment's notice he completely varied his
aspect, "conveying into his face every possible kind of passion,
blending one into another, and as it were shadowing them with an
infinite number of gradations.... In short," says Dibdin, "his face
was what he obliged you to fancy it: age, youth, plenty, poverty,
everything it assumed." Certainly an engraved portrait of Garrick as
Lear, published in 1761, does not suggest his deriving much help from
the arts of making-up or of costume. He wears a short robe of velvet,
trimmed with ermine, his white wig is disordered and his shirt-front
is much crumpled; but otherwise his white silk hose, lace ruffles,
high-heeled shoes and diamond buckles, are more appropriate to Sir
Peter Teazle than to King Lear. And as much may be said of his
closely-shaven face, the smooth surface of which is not disturbed by
the least vestige of a beard. Yet the King Lears of later times have
been all beard, or very nearly so. With regard to Garrick's appearance
in the part of Lusignan, Davies relates how, two days before his
death, the suffering actor, very wan and sallow of countenance, slow
and solemn of movement, was seen to wear a rich night-gown, like that
which he always wore in Lusignan, the venerable old king of Jerusalem;
he presented himself to the imagination of his friend as if he was
just ready to act that character.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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