Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 5 July 2008

A random selection of clippings
from newspapers and magazines

Alice Marriott as Hamlet at the Park Theatre, Brooklyn, April 1869

Alice Marriott (Mrs Robert Edgar, 1824-1900),
English actress and manageress, as Hamlet,
which she first played at Sadler's Wells, London, on 22 February 1864

(photo: C.B. Walker, 3 Pembridge Villas, London, probably 1864)

'If Shakespeare could a-visit the glimpses of the moon and make a tour among our theatres, the most complete revolution of taste he would note would be in the position woman now holds on the stage. In the Augustan era of the drama, women were admitted to the theatre only as spectators. The heroines of the great bard were personated by men, and the play had often to wait till Ophelia shaved. Women have not only asserted their right to representation on the stage, but have invaded the province of the sterner sex, and play men's parts. We may say, with some satisfaction that, outside of burlesque, women have with rare exceptions never attained to any encouraging success in male characters. The latest aspirant for honors outside of the legitimate business of her sex, is Miss Marriott, who came to this country a short time since, played a brief engagement in new York, and appeared last evening at the Park Theatre in Hamlet. The house was well filled and the lady was very cordially greeted on her entrance. Miss Marriott has a tall commanding figure and, in this role, a fine manly bearing, and she look the part of the youthful prince to perfection. From the words put in the mouth of Hamlet we gather the author's idea of his physique, - when he says his uncle is ''no more like my father than I to Hercules.'' We can hardly recognize this ideal in the robust figures of [Edwin] Forrest, [H.B.] Conway, or even [E.L.] Davenport. In the performance of the role, Miss Marriott trespasses on none of the stage traditions, and attempts no new reading, but she acts the part intelligently and well. She has a rich deep toned voice, and her elocution is admirable. 'The support was uneven. Miss Louise Hawthorn made her re-appearance here as Ophelia. She looked as handsome and was just as inanimate as ever. Miss Wren played the Queen quite effectively. Mr. Harris adhered to the old stage conception of the Ghost, a solemn, impassive figure, who talks in a sepulchral monotone. This is considered the most impressive, but all you who ever seen it, prefer Mr. Conway's reading of the part - making the Ghost talk like a sentient being. Mr. Lambe's Gravedigger was excellent. Three new comers sustained the rather important roles of Caludius, Polonius and Laertes without adding anything to the brilliancy of the performance. 'Miss Marriott will play Pauline in the The Lady of Lyons [sic] this evening. Miss Harris plays Claude.' (Brooklyn Daily Eagle,, Brooklyn, New York, Tuesday, 20 April 1869, p.2f) * * * * * * * * Letty Lind fails to please in Grossmith's The Gay Pretenters, Globe Theatre, London, 10 November 1900

Letty Lind (1862-1923), English actress and dancer, as Mercedes in
Carmen-Up-To-Data, Gaiety Theatre, London, 4 October 1890

(photo: unknown, London, 1890)

'GROSSMITH'S PLAY WEAK. 'The Gay Pretenders Amateurish - Letty Lind Not a Success in it. 'LONDON, Nov. 10 [1900]. - Miss Letty Lind returned to ''the legitimate'' to- night in George Grossmith, Jr.'s new comic opera, The Gay Pretenders, at the Globe Theatre. The music of the opera is by Claude Nugent. Both Grossmiths, father and son, were in the cast. The music and the libretto both appear amateruish. 'Such honors as were afforded were divided between John Coates and Miss Jeanne Douste. The costumes were bright and the piece was prettily staged, but the opera lacks the force necessary to a permanent success. 'Miss Letty Lind, who never aspired to success as a singer, was unfortunately limited in her vocal efforts and had no chance to show her skill as a dancer, for which she is famous. Just why she selected the [part] is a mystery which the audience failed to solve.' (The New York Times, New York, Sunday, 11 November 1900, second section, p.7e) * * * * * * * *

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© John Culme, 2008