The Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor, Vol. I, No. 1, January 1810
General
The Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor, Vol. I, No. 1, January 1810
Drama -- Periodicals; Theater -- Periodicals
The amiable, the inimitable Cosey, never was, nor ever can be more
perfectly at home than in the person of Mr. Jefferson. Were the author
to see the performance and to observe the correspondence of the actor's
physiognomy as well as action and utterance, with the sentiments of the
character, he would from his heart exclaim in the words of Cosey
himself, "NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL COMFORTABLE."
It would be great injustice not to acknowledge the pleasure we received
from Mr. Francis in the character of Trot, which he conceived and
executed with great humour and spirit.
A Mr. West from the southward made his appearance in the Yorkshire
rustic Hawbuck. His face and person are well adapted to a certain class
of low comedy; his voice still more so. If he will but avoid that bane
of comedians, the effort to raise laughter by spurious humour and low
trick, he will thrive in his department.
In the drawing of the female parts there is nothing sufficiently
striking to call forth the powers of an actress. What was to be done was
sufficiently well done by Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Wilmot. But, were they well
cast? or, should they not change sides?
_FARCES FOR THE FIRST WEEK._
_November 20._ OF AGE TOMORROW.
Every character tolerably well played.
_November 22._ WAGS OF WINDSOR.
Hardinge, an old favourite of the town in Irish characters, appeared the
first time for four years in Looney M'Twoulter. His return to this stage
was hailed with thunders of applause; and all his songs were
_encored_.--We have not seen Caleb Quotem better performed in England,
nor so well by a great deal in America as this night by
Jefferson.--Wilmot is a true child of nature and simplicity in all such
characters as John Lump.
_November 24._ VILLAGE LAWYER.
We abhor this farce. Scout, from whom it takes its name, is too
detestable a picture of human meanness and depravity to be fit for
farce, the proper effects of which, however nonsensical it may be, ought
to be to enliven and not create disgust. We cannot bear to see a
respectable actor in it. Blisset, a favourite son of Momus, played the
Sheepstealer. Mr. West, whom we have mentioned in Hawbuck, played Old
Snarl with great humour, which his audience, and indeed himself, seemed
heartily to enjoy. In characters of low humour, particularly crabbed old
men, Mr. West would be very pleasing, if he would aim less at raising
gallery laughter by spurious means. And all that could be done for Mrs.
Scout was done by Mrs. Francis.
_November 27._
ELLA ROZENBERG.--WOOD DEMON.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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