Event Comment: MMiss Morris was a pupil of
Mr Colman's--She was very much approved by the public in the character of
Juliet. On the sixth night of her appearance on the stage she was taken ill, and died before the end of this season. See the Bill for her Benefit (
Hopkins MS Notes). Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 19 May 1762.] [The
Occasional Prologue, by
Colman, is
Larpent MS 288, which introduces Miss Morris as Juliet, and stresses the qualms and fears of a new performer.] Receipts: #227 19s. 6d. (Account Book).
Lloyd's Evening Post, 28-30 Nov.: Sir: The managers of both theatres have of late, in order to put a stop to the Public complaint against a dearth of actors, given trials to
several stage candidates that seemed to have any promising requisite. Such experiments have not proved fruitless. The most brilliant and interesting of which was the young lady's appearance on
Covent Garden Theatre last night, in the character of Juliet. So great was her terror, on presenting herself for the first time before a crowded audience, that, deprived of all her powers, she fell down on the stage in a swoon. The first act in consequence, was all terror on her side, all compassion and anxiety on that of the audience. But having had time between the first and second Acts to recover from her panic, she shone forth in the Balcony Scene the most pleasing promise of a young tragic actress that has been seen for half a century past, and continued so throughout. Her person is genteel, her tone of voice insinuating, variable, and melodious; her recitation is just and sensible; very affecting in the pathetic
parts; condescending, free, and polite are the familiar speeches with the
Nurse. She is happily devoid of all stage whine, and tragedy Cant. The manner she has been rudimented in does great honour to her instructors, who have so judiciously prevented the so excellent actor of this verily a
Shakespeare's Juliet, from being sophisticated by the studied tricks, and false ornamenting of mistaken modern and degenerate art