Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 93. September 17, 1887Various
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 93. September 17, 1887
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
However, when Miss ANDERSON takes the reins of stage management in to
her own fair and shapely hands, the necessity of providing for a
tragedian of the first class disappears. The "leading man" of her
company is Mr. FORBES-ROBERTSON--a most talented person. He can paint
pictures, and play remarkably well in certain characters. His _Captain
Absolute_ was far from bad, and his _Romeo_ more than good. As _Leontes_
he has a part rather out of his line; but, all things considered, he
fills it very well. It may be objected that he is rather effeminate, and
that his costume would have been more becoming had he worn what the
ladies (I believe) term "half sleeves;" but for all that, his reading of
the character was entirely conscientious, if not absolutely right. But
naturally the success of Saturday evening was Miss ANDERSON, who was as
matronly dignified as _Hermione_, as she was deliciously girlish as
_Perdita_. She "looked" both parts to perfection. It may be my fancy,
but I imagine she has greatly improved since we saw her last in London.
The bass notes of her silvery voice have mellowed, and her attitudes,
always graceful, are seemingly now more spontaneous, and consequently
more natural. Charming as _Juliet_, she is more charming as _Hermione_,
and most charming as _Perdita_. Nothing prettier than her dance in the
"Pastoral Scene" has been seen in a London Theatre for many a long
year.
[Illustration: Young and Harpy.]
And my reference to the "Pastoral Scene," (by Mr. HAWES CRAVEN) recalls
the fact to my mind that all the scenery is excellent. The _Palace of
Leontes_ by Mr. W. TELBIN, is only equalled by Mr. W. TELBIN'S _Queen's
Apartment_, and a wonderful cloth of a roadside with a view of a flock
of sheep grazing on the brow of a hill (again by Mr. HAWES CRAVEN, who
seems to have become Artist in Ordinary to Arcadia), is not more
remarkable than Mr. HANN'S Court of Justice. In the last stage-picture
it is possible, but not probable, that the hypercritical might suggest
that the accessories are slightly suggestive of a kitchen, on the score
that the altar is something like a silver grill, and the Court Herald
appears, during a portion of the action of the piece, to be cooking
chops. Personally, I think this idea rather far-fetched, although, of
course, there is some resemblance (no doubt purely accidental) between
the helmets of the soldiers and the brass coal-scuttle of a modern
drawing-room. And I will even go further, and admit that, to a careless
observer, some of the warriors may appear to be wearing the garb of
Harlequin; but when it is hinted that _Leontes_, in his first attitude
on his throne, is not unlike a Guy on the Fifth of November, I feel that
the wish must be father of the thought, and that the resemblance is
purely imaginary.
[Illustration: A Scene on its Metal.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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