Lights of the Old English Stage |
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Page 7
... given in private houses , inn - yards still sufficed for accommodation , as they had a century and more previous- ly . In 1572 , so greatly had the number of actors in- creased that it was enacted that all who could not show licenses ...
... given in private houses , inn - yards still sufficed for accommodation , as they had a century and more previous- ly . In 1572 , so greatly had the number of actors in- creased that it was enacted that all who could not show licenses ...
Page 9
... given . For those seven theatres there were only six companies ; the Black- friars was a winter house , the Globe a summer , and one * One of the inns most famous for dramatic performances . company sufficed for the two . The Red Bull ...
... given . For those seven theatres there were only six companies ; the Black- friars was a winter house , the Globe a summer , and one * One of the inns most famous for dramatic performances . company sufficed for the two . The Red Bull ...
Page 10
... given by torchlight , although not at night ; it was roofed in , and the pit had seats , which was not the case at the public ones , which were thatched only over the stage , the audience part being uncovered , and without seats for ...
... given by torchlight , although not at night ; it was roofed in , and the pit had seats , which was not the case at the public ones , which were thatched only over the stage , the audience part being uncovered , and without seats for ...
Page 11
... given what was called " a jig , " that is , some satirical coarse verses which were recited by the clown , to the accom- paniment of pipe and tabor , to which he also danced . Whether any kind of scenery was used in our ancient theatres ...
... given what was called " a jig , " that is , some satirical coarse verses which were recited by the clown , to the accom- paniment of pipe and tabor , to which he also danced . Whether any kind of scenery was used in our ancient theatres ...
Page 28
... given to the actors , which was the commencement of a theatrical institution that is only now on the wane . These gave noble and rich admirers the opportunity to present sums of money to their favorites , and Betterton is said to have ...
... given to the actors , which was the commencement of a theatrical institution that is only now on the wane . These gave noble and rich admirers the opportunity to present sums of money to their favorites , and Betterton is said to have ...
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75 cents actor actress admirable afterward appeared applause audience Barry beautiful became Betterton brought Burbadge character Cibber cloth Colley comedy Cooke Covent Garden crowded houses curtain daughter David David Garrick début delight dramatic dress Drury Lane Dublin Edmund Kean engagement eyes Fair Penitent farewell father favorite fell fortune friends Garrick gave gentleman green-room Hamlet honor husband Jane Shore John John Heminge John Kemble Kean Kemble King lady laugh Lear Lichfield London Lord Macbeth Macklin manager mother Nathan Field never night once Othello passion patent theatres performance play players poor pounds a week prince profession quarrel Quin received retired returned Richard rival Romeo Roscius says scarcely scene season seemed Shakespeare's Sheridan Shylock Siddons soon stage story Street strolling success Tarleton Tate Wilkinson theatre theatrical Theophilus Cibber thousand pounds tion told took town tragedy voice wife Woffington words young
Popular passages
Page 22 - Nature, was a most gentle expresser of it : his mind and hand went together ; and what he thought, he uttered with that easiness, that we have scarce received from him a blot in his papers.
Page 13 - And let those, that play your clowns, speak no more than is set down for them : for there be of them, that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too ; though, in the mean time, some necessary question}: of the play be then to be considered : that's villainous ; and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it.
Page 194 - Her face, her tones, her manner, were irresistible. Her smile had the effect of sunshine, and her laugh did one good to hear it. Her voice was eloquence itself : it seemed as if her heart was always at her mouth. She was all gaiety, openness, and good-nature. She rioted in her fine animal spirits, and gave more pleasure than any other actress, because she had the greatest spirit of enjoyment in herself.
Page 12 - Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace : but there is, sir, an aery of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question, and are most tyrannically clapped for't : these are now the fashion; and so berattle(38) the common stages (so they call them), that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose-quills, and dare scarce come thither.
Page 54 - Horatio — heavens, what a transition! — it seemed as if a whole century had been stept over in the transition of a single scene; old things were done away, and a new order at once brought forward, bright and luminous, and clearly destined to dispel the barbarisms and bigotry of a tasteless...
Page 165 - Yes, as rocks are, When foamy billows split themselves against Their flinty ribs ; or as the moon is moved, When wolves, with hunger pined, howl at her brightness.
Page 123 - She was not less than a goddess, or than a prophetess inspired by the gods. Power was seated on her brow, passion emanated from her breast as from a shrine. She was tragedy personified. She was the stateliest ornament of the public mind. She was not only the idol of the people, she not only hushed the tumultuous shouts of the pit in breathless expectation, and quenched the blaze of surrounding beauty in silent tears, but to the retired and lonely student, through long years of solitude, her face...
Page 54 - ... light upon them, yet, in general they seemed to love darkness better than light, and, in the dialogue of altercation between Horatio and Lothario, bestowed far the greater show of hands upon the master of the old school than upon the founder of the new. I thank my stars, my feelings in those moments led me right ; they were those of nature, and therefore could not err.
Page 117 - It was my custom to study my characters at night, when all the domestic cares and business of the day were over. On the night preceding that on which I was to appear in this part for the first time, I shut myself up, as usual, when all the family were retired, and commenced my study of Lady Macbeth. As the character is very short, I thought I should soon accomplish it.
Page 32 - It may be observable, too, that my muse and my spouse were equally prolific ; that the one was seldom the mother of a child, but in the same year the other made me the father of a play...