Event Comment: [Full column in
Daily Advertiser describing
Barry's and
Mrs Macklin's acting techniques.] Barry from
the Theatre in
Dublin, perform'd
the part of
Othello, at
Drury Lane, before a numerous and polite audience; and met with as great Applause as could be express'd.--
General Advertiser, 6 Oct.
Thomas Gray to
Horace Walpole: You have probably been
there since I left you, and consequently have seen
the Mr Barry you desired some account of; yet as I am not certain of t
his and should be glad to know whe
ther we agree about him, I will never
theless tell you what he is, and
the impression he made upon me. He is upwards of six feet in height; wdll and prortionably made, treads well and knows what to do with
his limbs; in short a noble graceful figure. I can say nothing of
his face but that it was all black, with a wide mough and good eyes.
His voice is of a clear and pleasing tone, something like
Delane's, but not so deep-mou
thed, not so like a passing bell. When high strain'd it is apt to crack a little and be hoarse, but in its common pitch, and when it sinks into any softer passion, particularly expressive and touching. In
the first scene, especially when he recounts to
the Senate the progress of
his love and
the means he used to win
Desdemona, he was quite mistaken, and I took a pique against him; instead of a cool narration he flew into a rant of voice and action, as though he were relating
the circumstance of a battle that was fought yesterday. I expected nothing more from him, but was deceiv'd: in
the scenes of rage and jealousy he was seldom inferior to
Quin in
the parts of tenderness and sorrow far above him.
These latter seem to be
his peculiarly;
his action is not very various, but rarely improper, or without dignity, and some of
his attitudes are really fine. He is not perfect to be sure, but I think may make a better player than any now on
the stage in a little while. However, to see a man in one character, and but once, is not sufficient, so I ra
ther ask your opinion by t
his, than give you mine.--
Horace Walpole's Correspondence with Thomas Gray, II, 6-7