HAYMARKET THEATRE.
WE saw the Hypocrite, at this theatre, on Monday evening • and could not help remarking the contrast between the English and French dramatic taste, as exhibited in this comedy, and the Tar tee, from which, as every bcdy knows, it is taken. The French consider the Tartuffe as the chef crceuvre of their theatre ; and the Hypocrite has kept the stage for the best part of a century : so they may be considered as representing the style of their respectivecountries. Our taste in comedy is something like our taste in wine. Like the Laird of Balmawhapple, we are apt to pronounce the potation of our neighbours "shilpit:" we like a liquor that feels rough on the tongue, and can kindle a fire in the brain ; and the most delicate juice of the grape is tasteless to us unless it be inflamed with a quantum sujicit of alcohol. In like manner, we have been in the habit of pronouncing the simple plots, natural pictures of life, ieflned wit, and polished language of MOLIER,E, GNARD, and DESTOUCHES, dull and insipid; and to find real amusement only in the complex intrigues, farcical incidents, exaggerated characters, and gross allusions, of VANBRUGH, FARQUHAR, and CIBBER. Among other mutations, our taste is under going a change. Our more refined gourmands prefer ,thetteau Lafitte, even in its native and unadulterated state, to what may be called the national wine of England ; and a portion of our playgoers are more sickened than delighted by the strong parts of our English comedies. Still, in the reception which continues to be given to many of these pieces, the good old national taste is sufficiently apparent. The construction of the Tartufe is very simple. We find the Hypocrite, at the beginning, in full possession of control in the family of the infatuated Orgon ; an attempt to unmask him, by al: lowing him to make love to Ehnire, the wife of his host, while the son of Orgon overhears him, is defeated by the address with which he turns the father's anger entirely upon his son ; but a second expedient of the same sort,—Orgon himself being concealed, and hearing Tart uffe disclose to Ehnzre all the atrocity of his character,—is effectual. The villain, however, triumphs in the success of the arts by which he had persuaded his benefactor to convey to hint a part of his property, and commands him ta leave a house which is no longer his ; and the denouement is somewhat hastily brought about, by the entry of officers, who arrest the Hypocrite as a detected criminal, and relieve the abused family of his presence. Orgon's daughter and her lover, with their valet and soubrette, do not furnish an under-plot ; they do not enter into the business of the piece, and are remarkable only for the pretty and amusing scene of their quarrel and reconciliation. One is inclined to wonder how these incidents can afford matter for a five-act play; and yet, when we read or see it, we find them quite sufficient. The dialogue, is so full both of wit and wisdom, so sprightly and humorous, and so characteristic of the different parts, that every word of it is listened to with eager attentiOn;-while the interest of the scene is intense. The poetical style in which this and other pieces of the same class are written, gives a charm to the language, which is not to be found in plays where it is merely that of ordinary life. But all this will not do in England ; and the conversion of Le Tartuffb into The Hypocrite, shows what are the requisites consi dered indispensible for out stage. The meagreness of the French plot is remedied by introducing a poor gentleman, a dependent of Cantwell, who falls hopelessly in love with Charlotte, and therefore resolves to assist in rescuing her father from the Hypocrite's toils ; and by changing the aforesaid Charlotte into a damsel cunning in device and learned in the law, who beats Cantwell at his own weapons of manceuvre and intrigue. Our love of farce is gratified by the introduction of Mawworm, a character of the lowest buffoonery ; and the insipidity (to our taste) of the original dialogue, is cured by a plentiful seasoning of double entendres and gross allusions. Indeed, the dialogue of this play is, in many places, an outrage on common decency ; and it is wonderful (in these days) both that performers should be bold enough to insult the audience with such things, and that any part of the audience should be insensible enough to suffer them, and even coarse enough to applaud them. The applause, indeed, on those occasions, comes from the upper regions ; but the actors, in regard to applause, are like the Emperor VESPASIAN in regard to coin : provided it ring well, they consider it all sterling, no matter how base the quarter from which it comes.
The play, on Monday, was 45 ut indifferently acted. FARREN'S Cantwell is good, in so far as he represents the smooth, oily hypocrite; but he wanted power both of face and voice to exhibit the darker features of the character. In the original play (which every actor who performs the English piece should study), the character of Tartuffe rises to a degree of fiend-like grandeur, from the union of its atrocity with powerful intellect and energy of mind. In the noble scene, where, finding himself discovered, he at once throws off the mask, and pours a torrent of menaces on the head of his host, he resembles the detected evil spirit in Paradise : when personated by a great French actor, his stature seems to expand, his features become those of a demon, his voice thunders, and his eyes gleam with baleful lightning. Nothing of this appeared in FARREN. The effect of the scene is, indeed, weakened by the English writer; but still enough remains to enable the actor to exhibit greater power than FARREN displayed. The part of Charlotte is that of the pert, flippant, fine lady —a numerous class in our comedies —who is a bundle of airs and affectation, and never opens her mouth but to say something smart and pointed. Miss TAYLOR played it well. The old grandmother, by Mrs. GLOVER, was admirable. Mawworm owes all its attractions (such as they are) to the unparalleled grotesqueness of Lisrosr, which forces laughter, in spite of the anger and disgust which the part is calculated to excite. RA.RLEY could not produce the laughter; and theretbre allowed the part to appear in slits nauseous deformity.The famous sermon is a disgrace to the English stage.
Previous page
