"First Impressions of Cushman's Romeo", People's Journal, Vol 2, July 18, 1846

"First Impressions of Cushman's Romeo", People's Journal, Vol 2, July 18, 1846

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876

Actors and Actresses--US American

Macready, William Charles

Gender Norms

Praise

Criticism

This is a review of Charlotte Cushman's performance as Romeo at the Haymarket Theatre in London. The article praises her performance and compares it to that of William Macready. However, her fine qualities as actress are also deemed by the article as "unfeminine".

Credit

Hathi Trust

People's & Howitt's Journal. Of literature, art, and popular progress, vol. 2, July 1846, pp. 118-19.

Willoughby & co.

1846-07-18

Reference

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MISS CUSHMAN’S “ROMEO.” 

I asked a lady, on her return from the Haymarket Theatre one evening, what was her opinion of Miss Cushman's performance of Romeo. The answer I received was, a pause, a light laugh, and —“Oh, Miss Cushman is a very dangerous young man." [...] Judging of her as an individual from her appearance on the stage, I should say that she is irregular, inharmonious, vehement, awkward— thus, in one sense, unfeminine: that she is grand, large-souled, and strong-passioned; a scorner of petty vanity, earnest, unconscious, and full of rich tenderness that lies not on the surface—thus, in another sense, unfeminine. [...] and Romeo, Miss Cushman's Romeo, is of the best, the most noble kind—that which is gracious, loving, strong. Yes, the lady was right—“Miss Cushman is a very dangerous young man."

                                                                J.M.W

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015025949721&view=1up&seq=9 Accessed January 4, 2021

London, England

51.5073219

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