The actor " Miss Farren, too, who might animate any thing but a soul of lead, and a face of iron, experienced the same fate" (the fate of being paired with a dull actor)
— Colman, George, the younger (1762-1836)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by W. Woodfall. For Messrs. Cadell and Davies
Date
1796
Metaphor
The actor " Miss Farren, too, who might animate any thing but a soul of lead, and a face of iron, experienced the same fate" (the fate of being paired with a dull actor)
Metaphor in Context
The most miserable mummer, that ever disgraced the walls of a Theatre, could not have been a stronger drawback than Mr. Kemble. He was not only dull in himself but the cause of dulness in others. Like the baleful Upas of Java, his pestiferous influence infected all around him.-- When two Actors come forward, to keep up the Shuttlecock of scenick-fiction, if one plays slovenly, the other cannot maintain his game. Poor Bannister Jun. would he speak out (but I have never press'd him, and never shall press him to say a word upon the subject) could bear ample testimony to the truth of this remark. He suffer'd like a man under the cruelty of Mezentius. All alive himself, he was tied to a corpse, which he was fated to drag about with him, scene after scene, which weigh'd him down, and depress'd his vigour. Miss Farren, too, who might animate any thing but a soul of lead, and a face of iron, experienced the same fate.
Categories
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
First performed on March 12, 1796. 6 entries in ESTC (1796, 1798).
See The Iron Chest: A Play; in Three Acts. Written by George Colman, the Younger. With a Preface. (London: Printed by W. Woodfall. For Messrs. Cadell and Davies, 1796).
See The Iron Chest: A Play; in Three Acts. Written by George Colman, the Younger. With a Preface. (London: Printed by W. Woodfall. For Messrs. Cadell and Davies, 1796).
Date of Entry
06/08/2005
