"Miss Cushman's Romeo", Era, June 21, 1846

"Miss Cushman's Romeo", Era, June 21, 1846

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876

Actors and Actresses--US American

Criticism

This article is a detailed review of Charlotte Cushman's performance as Romeo. The critic expresses his dislike for the performance and deems it far from satisfactory. Cushman is criticized for failing to embody the youth and character of Romeo entirely. The article declares that it is impossible to categorize Cushman's performance under either the "judicial" or the "passionate" school. She is described as an "imperfect medium" between these two extremes. She is referred to as an "actress of particular scenes, rather than the representative of an entire character, or the interpreter of a particular feeling". Her performance, the article, states, has its own "peculiar beauties and blemishes". She, for example, could not achieve a proper distinction in her portrayal of Romeo's fleeting, superficial affection for Rosalind and his committed devotion for Juliet. The article concludes by praising Cushman's "melodramatic capabilities", but that as a Shakespearian actress, she is only of the "second class".

Credit

The British Library Newspapers, Gale Digital Collections

Unknown publisher

1846-06-21

Reference

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/BA3202405656/BNCN?u=bayreuth&sid=BNCN&xid=b5e6800b. Accessed January 25, 2021

Gale Primary Sources

London, England

51.5073219

-0.1276474