THE REFORMER OF THE STAGE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10238, 30 August 1909, Page 2

THE REFORMER OF THE STAGE.

David Garriek, who worked a reformation in the British stage, and whose interpretations of some of Shakespeare's grandest plays have passed a tradition down a long line of celebrated actors, was born in the city of Hereford, on the 20th February, 1716. He was the son of a captain in the army, and received a liberal education, at one time studying under the celebrated Dr Samuel Johnson, with whom he enjoyed a lifelong intimacy and close friendship. Garriek was designed for the law, but from boyhood the mimic art had for him an irresistible fascination, and to the stage he turned. At that period, as we learn from the author of "Lives of the Players," "the stage was in a low condition, and the actors were persons of a humble order of life. In tragedy, declamation roared in a stentorian strain; passion was rant; whining grief, vociferation terror, and drawling the gentle accents and soft solicitations of love; the whole character of the drama partook of the same unnatural extravagance. Coined}' was a mingle tissue of farce and buffoonery, and tragedy was divorced from nature." Quin and Macklin had done and were doing something to restore the stage and the art to their true position, but it was left to Garriek to work the reformation and to establish the principle that the purpose of the stage was to "hold the mirror up to Nature." He founded what may iittinglv be designated a new school of acting" differing greatly from that with which the public appeared to be satisfied. Acting under advice, lie went into the country for a while, and his success was immediate and pronounced. Before the end of the year lie was back in London, but neither Fleetwood of Drury Lane nor Rich of Covent Garden, would engage him, viewing him as a strolling actor and pretender. Garriek, however, had swift and sure revenge for the slight. Accepting an engagement from Gifford at £5 a week he played a season at the theatre in Goodman's-fields, a suburb of the city. Ricahrd HI. was his first impersonation, and the renown of his performance rang through the city; "the whole metropolis gradually became impatient to see that display of powers which all who had witnessed confessed themselves unable to describe. Drury Lane and Covent Garden were deserted ; the fashionable trooped to the theatre at Goodman's-fields, which shone with a lustre not its own. His impersonation of King Lear a little later added to his fame now thoroughly acknowledged by all save envious rivals. A season in Dublin followed, and on his return to London Fleetwood, no longer viewing him as pretender, but as a man of genius, secured Garrick's services at a salary of £SOO for the season —the largest remuneration ever paid up to that time. Hamlet was added to histrionic triumphs, and then came Macbeth, followed by a long list of other great performances, including comedy. Subsequently Rich also capitulated, and Covent Garden had the most flourishing season it had ever known, Quin, Mrs Gibber, and other bright stars being also engaged. Space does not permit us to follow Garriek through all the years of his triumphant career. Suffice it to say that he, alter a time, became the manager of Drury Lane, his management being characterised as judicious, good taste and excellent sense appearing in all lie did. He retired at the ago of 60; full of honors, with a fortune that was deemed largo in those days. His personal character was high, and he was recognised always as a generous, highminded man. In the year of his retirement he was put into the commission of the peace, but he did not long survive, dying on the 20th January, 1779, and being interred with great funeral pomp in Westminster Abbey. Such was the actor an episode in whose life, whether actual or imaginary the record sayeth not, forms the subject of the comedy "David Garriek" to be presented at the Opera House on Thursday evening.