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 candidates for
theatrical fame which
the managers of both houses have brought forward for some years past. On
the o
ther hand 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 t
his 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."