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

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Irving»s Macbeth. which nn from December 2v,16£6 until tne
end of the folio ing June, dominated the U6t-9 seeson. Despite
the reserv; tions of a number of critics concerning the
interpretation of the letaint, p* rts the effectiveness of the
stagin^ was indisputable, T. e Graphic proudly clainea it as
a triumph of nation: 1 art:
In scenic art, England may no be ftiily said to
stand pre-eminent. i*ith the exception of the
Meiningers, v.ho no'.-.*" Fno then, when at home, are
worthy rivals, there is nothing to be sc.,u on
Continent 1 stc",_es v.hich will compare i >r mise
en sce'ne ..ith the Lyceum production of, s,./, ^OC_L.
Ado about.Nothing, or Lord Tennyson's _,octic. 1 pi y
of The Cup* The I'.PC be tL does not e;;cei, tivju^h it
equals these productions; but it mey confi ontly
be sale thft i no previ ms production under
Mr IrvinL 's roi0n has scenic rrt, in its hi/_,r;03t
f or ., beeri so faithfully subdued to the purpose
of illustr ting r poetical pl-.y.
(^ Jtnuiry lic> )
Since Mary Anderson*G The inter'^ Trie thero had not oo-n
any serious challenge to the rscondfucy uhich i^'Cbetit reeifirir^a,
but t.vo comt >« nies had tt n te a full-scalo ^roductions
oi Shakespearoan pl^ys ouring Itfcc, t.nu e. Iu.. d; y^
after the first ^i^ht of /.ecbotj: the uei« n; Uc or oi the
iiayraarkot, Herbert -.eorbohrr Tree, began a crrcer oi JhcK-spG-i/rec-n
producti.).. tlu t soon rivrlled ana evu.iturlly s^ tjersedec
tlu t oi Irving. Durin,., the months tl.rt followed, kichc-rc,
Kansfielc e:>er ed s^ y^t another CDiitundo:- for tho Lyceum's
supremacy.
i. Au^ustin Ur 7-y's Company A:K. Tho Tarsia., ol the ohre «
Tic first visit >r Italy's c.^np«ny to London, in U«.4, Lad
beon a coasicerab'ie success - the ra-HC^QT .as . r- isetl lor
t!:e v^jZ^ulv of his f.ctJrc ;mo ^.c:a i.cheii t:.c leic.ii ic. lecy,
n^ao a ^.ood i :pres.iion on tho critics. A revie er in ^^
August lii-4) coin ,e.-to* :
The coc j,->- tiy...has yho-./n, in its f-ctia.,,, :n amount
of o.-somblo • ith v,hich sorie of us i^ ve .ot bulorv;
beon ci.'jposoo to credit tv.a A e.,icrn tr op. Its
cl fc.rcus, !"is Kehfi., is doubtlos.. moie