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The period of reaction has at last commenced, and the eight days just concluded have been very prolific in theatrical novelties. In the first place, there is King John at the Princess's. To some readers this will seem a strange sort of novelty, seeing that it has always more or less kept possession of the stage. But under Mr. Kean's ma- nagement, the mounting of a drama is so very complete, and displays so much new spirit, that the whole visible result, produced by combining the old play with fresh decorations, may fairly be considered a new work of art. King John for instance even without the very meritorious acting by which it is illustrated, would be valuable as a series of tableaux vivants full of historical interest.
The true manner of producing historical plays so as to satisfy the taste of the modern public, was' in a great measure discovered by Mr. Mao- ready; who clearly saw that one or two eminences standing up on a vast plain of mediocrity, in which there was nothing either to satisfy the intellect or gratify the senses of the beholder, was a dull spectacle. To remove the dtlnass, it was necessary to fill up the details of the pic- ture, and, as a fastidious public was to be addressed, not merely with gaudy hues but with indications of taste and research. This principle of completeness—likewise adopted by Madame Vestris, who had already started it on a smaller scale—has been by no one carried out with more clearness of purpose and conscientiousness than by Mr. Charles Kean. He has his reward. His King John, though produced no further back than Monday last, is already a town-talk on account of its completeness and magnificence ; and that his plan, of which this is only an exponent among several, is generally sound, may be proved by documentary evidence. Take up a file of his bills, and observe how few pieces have been produced. There is no change made for change's sake, but every piece has been got up in the expectation of a "run," and a "run" has been obtained. Observe, too, the bills of the Lyceum, (where the Game of Speculation and the new feeric have been played without interruption since Christmas,) and of the Adelphi ; and you will perceive the edopti;iof the though applied to different purposes, accompanied by the J With historical plays, or more properly speaking " histo misses are almost as important as the principal figures, n,.. -"N. .1 8 but that of completeness will suffice. They must cith they must abound in elaborate combinations, they must bd"u dramatic art and antiquarian feeling, or they are not worth Join: To To attain the desirable end, a permanent company and establishment are first requisites ; and under a star system its attainment is impossible. The "star" has to be exhibited in a great variety of characters, in a period of time too limited to allow of attention to ensemble ; and hence the only plays which are suited for his purpose are those in which he nearly mo- nopolizes the interest, and such plays are decidedly not the " histories " of Shakspere. The pains which Mr. Kean has taken to secure a firm founda- tion for action are well worth observation. When he teqk the Prin- cess's Theatre, it was a "star" establishment in the extremest sense of the word, and nothing could be more careless than the general style of production. Now, on the contrary, the company never receives an acci- dental accession, which diverts it from its ordinary business; every actor knows his proper functions ; and pieces are brought out with a )view not to change but to permanence.
Altogether, great care and artistic conscientiousness are the leading cha- racteristics of Mr. Charles Kean's present career. They are nowfbven the distinguishing marks in his acting. His Ford, in the Merry Wires, was a masterpiece of histrionic finish ; and though in his performance of the King John there are certain expressions of face and peculiarities of utterance which were well omitted, the discrimination of mental phases is effected with admirable nicety, and the striking passages of the part are brought out with a consummate knowledge of effect. The same spirit of completeness extends to Mrs. Kean's Constance. She has a moro complete management of her voice than on many former occasions, and while she gives full play to the rage and pathos of the character, she does not force us to reflect on an inadequacy of physical force to meet the re-
ions of mental energy. The other characters are all satisfactorily filled.
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