She had already grown quite gray when I first remember her, in the Civil
War period. Such a wonderfully expressive face could not be called
altogether homely, although her retreating mouth prevented it from being
handsome. Her teeth were small and insignificant, while the blue of her
eyes contrasted well with the gray hair. She was built on a generous
scale, her figure tall and commanding. As Queen Katherine in “Henry the
Eighth” she was at her best. One of her great points was in the trial
scene. When the insignificant Cardinal Campeius addressed her she turned
to Wolsey, with splendid gesture, looking every inch a queen, as she
gave with noble emphasis the lines, “My lord cardinal, to you I speak.”
In 1915–16 I again saw this play, after an interval of fifty years, with
Sir Beerbohm Tree as the cardinal. Anne Boleyn was graceful and
charming, making one understand as never before how Henry was won from
Katharine. Bluff King Hal was extremely well portrayed. Cardinal Wolsey
was magnificent in his vivid scarlet raiment, the costumes and scenery
all beautiful. The whole was a feast of color for the eye. But the one
great figure that had dominated the performance of early years I sadly
missed. The actress who played Queen Katharine did not even attempt to
make Charlotte Cushman’s great point in the trial scene. In the last sad
scene Miss Cushman vividly portrayed for us the discarded queen, sick
and suffering unto death.
I saw her also in “London Assurance,” when she took the part of Lady Gay
Spanker. She was gay and rollicking enough, although her gray hair
seemed a little incongruous in the part of a young woman. It was out of
keeping also in “Fazio,” where she took the rôle of Bianca.
Charlotte Cushman possessed wigs, for these were sold, with the rest of
her theatrical wardrobe, one being still in curl papers! When I saw her
on the stage, however, she appeared with her own gray hair.
It will be remembered that she had intended to go on the operatic stage,
but, owing to the loss of her singing-voice, was obliged to give this
up. The mishap may have been a blessing in disguise. For the perfect
development of Miss Cushman’s great dramatic talent the legitimate stage
was the best agent.
I had the pleasure of hearing her sing, on the occasion of a visit to
Lawton’s Valley. It was a wonderful performance. It was not like any
other singing, but rather a species of chanting or weird crooning, in
which she gave us the simple and moving story of “Mary, go and call the
cattle home, across the sands o’ Dee.” The deep tones of her voice
intensified the effect.
My mother also was accustomed to sing this pathetic ballad, to a tune of
her own composition. With her high, clear voice the effect was very
different from that produced by Charlotte Cushman; yet she, too, made
her hearers feel the deep pathos of the ballad.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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