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 fact 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 ra
ther 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 o
ther 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."