Event Comment: Afterpiece: Not
acted these 6 years. [See 11 May 1772.] [Young gentleman identified by
Hopkins MS Notes.
Genest, V, 517, also calls attention to the f
act that the text lists
Douglas as
Norval and Old Norval as
Stranger (1757) or
Prisoner (1768).
Webster first named as Douglas on bill for 27 Feb. 1776. Review of Webster's
acting appeared in the
Westminster Magazine for Jan.: "His person is rather elegant; his voice is full
and harmonious, his pronunciation distinct
and correct,
and his delivery graceful
and unembarassed. Those are his excellencies,
and considering it was his first performance, he seems to possess them in a degree far superior to the various c
andidates for theatrical fame which the managers of both houses have brought forward for some years past. On the other h
and he is aukward,
and in some parts unanimated. His arms are too long, or he flung them about in a very disgusting manner. He seemed to express the sense of his author much better than his own feelings. His voice though full, wants variety
and modulation; not but on some occasions he managed it with infinite grace
and judgement. But if this want of variety of tones
and extent of voice, which is so indispensibly necessary to constitute a first rate
actor, be not the effect of Nature, the Public may behold with less anxiety their decayed veterans giving nightly proofs of their increasing infirmities,
and quick approaching theatrical dissolution."