Event Comment: Receipts: #200 7s. 6d. (Account Book). Mainpiece: With
New Dresses
and Decorations. [
The first of a series of five performances (
the last,
Merchant of Venice, 18 Nov.) which got Macklin dismissed
from the theatre until 1775, when
his lawsuit against six per
sons whom he claimed formed a conspiracy to
hiss him
from the stage
and ruin
his livlihood
was concluded favorably for him.
His performance of
Macbeth was favorably treated but with certain misgivings in
the Morning Chronicle (25 Oct.), but he
was mercilessly criticized in
the London Evening Post and St James Chronicle: "In Act II, Sc. i,
Shakespeare has made Macbeth murder
Duncan; Now Mr
Macklin, being determined to copy
from no man, reversed
this incident,
and in
the very first act, scene
the second, murdered
Macbeth."
The favorable review (Morning Chronicle)
thought he did
well in first
and last acts, but gave way to stage rant
and "vehemence of energetic expression" wanting any variation in tone in between. It also pointed out a certain faulty memory of
his lines.
His novel stage effects came in for a paragraph of comment:
The alterations in
the jeux de
theatre respecting
the representation of
this tragedy do Mr Macklin great credit.
His change of
the scenery is peculiarly characteristical.
The Quadrangle of Macbeth's castle,
and the door which is supposed to lead to Duncan's apartment (both of which are entirely
new) are additions of consequence to
the exhibition of
the play.
The door also through which Macbeth comes to
the Weird Sisters, in
the 4th act, is a better
and more probable entrance than through
the common stage portal.
The dresses are
new, elegant,
and of a sort hi
therto unknown to a
London audience, but exceedingly proper.
The Banquet
was superbly set out,
and it must be confessed that
the managers seem to have spared nei
ther cost nor assiduity to ornament
and add to
the effect of
the representation." A favorable letter
from a correspondent to
the London Evening Post adds: "I must observe, Mr Printer, that
from the graceful
and characteristic manner in which Macbeth
was introduced by
the martial music
and military procession,
from the manner of M. Macklin's acting,
from his judicious alteration of
the dresses,
the disposition of
the scene where
the King is killed,
the cave of
the witches in
the 4th act,
from the improvement of
Mrs Hartley's thinking in
Lady Macbeth and from her manner of speaking, which seemed plainly to be
the effects of some intelligence she had received
from Mr Macklin...I
thought Mr Macklin deserv'd great praise." See
the newspaper comments all ga
thered
and reprinted in an
Apology for the Conduct of Charles Macklin, (London, 1773). See also note to 30 Oct. See also
London Chronicle, Oct. 23-26 (cf.
Odell, I, 453).
The Westminster Magazine suggests
the performance
was pitiable. "Macklin k
new what he ought to do, but could not do it."
The Scenemen's pay
this week
was about double
the normal cost. (Account Book).] Verse Squibs
from St James Chronicle (Oct. 1773) against Macklin: @Macbeth@"Eight Kings appear
and pass over in order,
and Banquo
the last"@Old
Quin, ere Fate suppressed
his lab'ring breath@In studied accents grumbled out Macbeth:--@Next
Garrick came, whose utt'rance truth impressed,@While ev'ry look
the tyrant's guilt confess'd:--@
Then
the cold
Sheridan half froze
the part,@
Yet what he lost by nature sav'd by art.@Tall
Barry now advanc'd toward
Birnam Woodv@Nor ill performed
the scenes--he understood--@Grave
Mossop next to
Foris shaped
his march@
His words were minute guns,
his action starch.@Rough
Holland too--but pass
his errors o'er@Nor blame
the actor when
the man's no more.@
Then heavy
Ross, assay'd
the tragic frown,@But beef
and pudding kept all meaning down:--@Next careless
Smith, try'd on
the Murd'rer's mask,@While o'er
his tongue light tripp'd
the hurried task:--@Hard
Macklin, late, guilt's feelings strove to speak,@While sweats infernal drench'd
his iron cheek;@Like
Fielding's Kings [in
Tom Thumb]
his fancy'd triumphs past,@
And all be boasts is, that he falls
the last.@ Also
from St James Chronicle:@
The Witches, while living deluded Macbeth@
And the Devil laid hold of
his soul after death;@But to punish
the Tyrant
this would not content him,@So Macklin he sent on
the stage to present him.