HAYMARKET THEATRE.

Summary

Theatre review taking a moralizing tone over the playing of the male lead by a woman: "The play was Shakspeare's Merry Wives of Windsor, in which Mrs. Glover performed, for the second time, the part of Sir John Falstaff. We are not friendly to such exhibitions, however great the talent displayed in them may be. They are at variance with every feeling and principle of female delicacy, and ought to be discouraged. We speak generally. The profilgate Macheath is no proper study for a woman, and what are we to say of the heary debauchee Falstaff? Is it fitting employment for one of le beau sexe to gloat over and to describe the vices of such a character? It must assuredly be a depraved taste--or rather the absence of all taste--that can delight of performances of this nature. It is no answer to tell us that such antics have been played before, they are impurities that never should have been tolerated. Abstracting ourselves, for a moment, from these considerations, we would give to Mrs. Glover the credit of having read the part of Falstaff well, and in some instances of having acted it with a large portion of humour. Her voice had not, of course, that depth and fulness, which the sack-drinking propensities of the fat Knight had communicated to his vocal organ; and her feminine features, though valanced by a quantity of comely beard, gave us a very feeble idea of the ancient roysterer. Her manner was, however, sufficiently swaggering and confident; she made love with no little ardour. . . ."

Full Title

15 Nov 1833. HAYMARKET THEATRE. Times p. 2 c. F.

Publication

Full Record

Date

15 November 1833