Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

126
Macbeth woo in continuous performance from its opening on
December 29 , 1888 to June 26 of the following year: for a shot
period in January the title role waa t;.!:en by Hernann Vezin,
whilst Irving recovered from an attack of 1 ryn/,itis« In a
final notice, published on July 6, ghe Saturday uoviov;
ace . imed the production as "a unique work of formative art"
in which
the scenery vvao an excellent subsidiary, and
nothing more, and ->layed neither more nor less
than the same part as did the picturesque
dresses of the" actors*
This was praise for the visual ensemble, but becked the
question as to what place the te;:t occupied in the tot; 1
effect. Irving &lv;ays maintained that visual effects were
subordinated to the ainc of the drr.:mr.tict. In the preface to
tho published edition of his ^acbotn version, he re-affirmed
the principle which, he said, had "always guided" .li.a:
namely, that to meet the requirements of the
r,t.".£e t without sacrificing the ~ur occ or tho
Toctry of the c.ut'ior, should be the rim of
those who produce the >layc of ohakefjpoc.re. 10
48
It was not a view which many contonnor^ricn v/ere inclined to
dispute. The reservations of Ai-cncr'o account of the production
were concerned -,;ith tlio precision with x.hi^h vieu 1 cfi'.cts
wore- obtr-lned end . itli the interpretation of the rargor cliarrctcrn,
but the basic premises - tact the j,-lry should be presented
as a r-uocccsion of &t'. c- it-tviroa coimor;oci. about the fibres
of "'acbeth rnd Lady Mac! : t V|..
Irvin,r'; . :-c not unjustly re^ r'/ed rs c-ii innovator by his
contem^or, ,ries - he brought m-..-loii'r;-nr.tic tec 1 nicuos to the
pl£'yiii.\ and ritacing of ShaL-ccscare, he r.;aint"incc a complete
control over tlie entire production of o r c::\ ;.lry ii: uio rcnrnd
he continaally cought nev; ''"'Oi-rits" anc": ncv/
in ..is o ;,.n -oerforHc.ncGS. Hie ir-oals em notliods were,
in due time, su ;cr& led - oicaiey Lee, by no ceans a revolut­
ion :>.-y, inclu'vcd t. o Lycctu-i ni^no;- ;ei-iont c.^.onc those v;Iiich had
tro; tod Shrkc.';pei;ro as a provider of "tcctelecs anr col-- '.rlecc
co,ir.->.oditiec M '..iiicii only c.vie. to life v;h-:n "rcinf >rccd by the
independent :rts of mui;ic rnd pai-itinr; 1 -"^. Lee woe ',,ritJ.n,T in