52() THEATRICAL REVIEW. 



portion of grace and gaiety. His voice is sweet and flexible, but de- 

 ficient in power. He sang throughout the night with great taste, and 

 has repeated the part several times since with increased effect. A 

 piece of vulgar balderdash, translated by Mr. Beazley, and called 

 " Every Body's Widow," was remorselessly condemned notwithstand- 

 ing the exertions of all the performers concerned in it. Then came 

 an incomprehensible mass of mummery, called " The Grand Com- 

 memoration of Malibran,'' consisting of a series of scenes in which 

 that great actress had been concerned, which Mr. Cooper, dressed in 

 a new suit of black, was kind enough to illustrate by reciting a series 

 ofdoggrel rhymes, and waving at intervals a very fine piece of 

 white cambric, which the manager had supplied him with for the oc- 

 casion. This gallimaufry was endured for a week, and was then 

 withdrawn. 



October 17. This evening a crowded audience assembled to wit- 

 ness the first appearance of Mr. Forrest, the celebrated American tra- 

 gedian. He selected for his ordeal the part of " Sparctacus,'' in which 

 he had been preeminently successful throughout theUnited States. In 

 this tragedy, called " The Gladiator," proceeding from the pen of a 

 countryman of the actor's, a Dr. Bird, " Sparctacus," who has been 

 made a slave, consents to fightin the arena upon condition that his wife 

 and child, who had also been made slaves, shonld be purchased by his 

 own master, and the revolt of the gladiators is brought about by the 

 praetor trying to compel " Sparctacus'' to fight with his own brother. 

 " Sparctacus" then heads an arrny of revolted slaves, and is at first 

 victorious, but finding his wife and child are slain, he rushes headlong 

 into the fight and falls covered with wounds. 



The tragedy, although possessing many scenes of intense interest, 

 is, in point of composition, a very mediocre affair, and is deformed 

 throughout with the coarsest vulgarisms, which the author seems to 

 have mistaken for strength of language. The part of " Sparctacus," 

 however, is a very fine one for the actor, as all the interest centres in 

 him, and he is scarcely off the stage for a single instant. Some of the 

 situations are very skilfully contrived; such as the discovery of his 

 brother in the arena, and his brother's death. But the poverty of dic- 

 tion in which they were arrayed lessened their effects considerably. 

 Mr. Forrest looked the " Gladiator" to perfection. He is one of the 

 most muscular men that ever trod the stage. His attitudes are at 

 times graceful, and always natural and energetic. His voice varies ; 

 sometimes it is full and melodious, and occasionally inharmonious and 

 sharp, while his face is strongly marked but not flexible, or capable 

 of conveying the multitudinous passions that agitate the human 

 breast. Throughout his performance he convinced us he was 

 a man of intellect and good taste. His style is decidedly melo-dra- 

 matic, but his action being subdued fits it for the embodying of the 

 highest range of characters the legitimate drama can supply. Con- 

 temporary critics have compared him to Wallack ; but Forrest is a 

 far superior actor, and produces the most powerful effects when stand- 

 ing still and appealing calmly, or, with the energy of true passion, 

 to the feelings of his auditors. Wallack, on the contrary, possessing 

 nothing beyond the attitudinizing starts of melo-drama, would have 



