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Edmund Kean [1830], King Lear. A tragedy, In Five Acts, by William Shakspeare. Printed from the acting copy, with remarks, biographical and critical, by D.—G. To which are added, description of the costume,—cast of the characters,—entrances and exits,—relative positions of the performers on the stage, and the whole of the stage business, As performed at the Theatres Royal, London. Embellished with a fine engraving, By Mr. White, from a Drawing taken in the Theatre, by Mr R. Cruikshank (John Cumberland [etc.], London) [word count] [S34400]. To look up a word in a dictionary, select the word with your mouse and press 'd' on your keyboard.
Note return to page 1 From 1788 until performances of the play were discontinued due to George III's madness in 1810, John Philip Kemble played Lear using, with only minor alterations, Tate's adaptation: however, when George III's death made the play once more available for revival in 1820, the role fell into the hands of Edmund Kean, who wished to restore Shakespeare's ending. The manager of Drury Lane, Elliston, at first insisted on retaining the Tate adaptation, but in 1823 the two compromised on a text derived from Tate but retaining the tragic ending, producing what was probably the acting version recorded here. Audiences found the spectacle of the diminutive Kean struggling under the weight of Mrs West's Cordelia hard to take seriously, and the production returned to Tate's ending after only three performances.
Note return to page 2 *In the possession of the Editor. D—G.
Edmund Kean [1830], King Lear. A tragedy, In Five Acts, by William Shakspeare. Printed from the acting copy, with remarks, biographical and critical, by D.—G. To which are added, description of the costume,—cast of the characters,—entrances and exits,—relative positions of the performers on the stage, and the whole of the stage business, As performed at the Theatres Royal, London. Embellished with a fine engraving, By Mr. White, from a Drawing taken in the Theatre, by Mr R. Cruikshank (John Cumberland [etc.], London) [word count] [S34400]. |
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