Page 90 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

STAGE-HISTOR Y broriii

strength.' But the public took to Garrick's version at least
kindly enough for Smith to continue it and for Hender-
son to take it up after Garrick's retirement, and for Tate
Wilkinson, denied a sight of the playbook, to make a
version of his own, something on the same lines and very
much worse. The last performance of Garrick's version
in London appears to have been at Drury Lane in
September 1779; but it is heard of at Bath in 1781.
During the era of Garrick at Drury Lane Hamlet was
played pretty regularly at Covent Garden, though not so
often as at the other house because none could compete
with Garrick. At the beginning of the period Ryan was
the Covent Garden Hamlet. Sheridan (wanting light-
ness, but original, and excellent in the graver scenes)
acted it next; and, when Barry followed, Ryan took up
the Ghost. In 1757 Smith appeared there for the first
time (he had, no doubt, by then dropped his youthful
practice of taking offhis hat with a low bow as soon as he
had it from the Ghost's own mouth that it was his
father's spirit); and among others were Ross and, in
1768, Powell. After Quin, Macklin acted the Ghost and
also the Gravedigger (on one night both), or Polonius.
Dunstall was a popular Gravedigger. For Queen there
was Mrs Woffington, Mrs Elmy, and once Mrs Yates.
Sparks went over to Covent Garden to play the King,
and the 'useful but affected' Mrs Vincent did her best
to fill the gap left by Mrs Cibber's Ophelia, with Miss
Macklin and Mrs Mattocks coming later. The play
appears to have been shortened, but not otherwise al-
tered. In (?)James Roberts's picture in the Garrick Club
Barry wears a black Court suit with a pale blue ribbon
(probably meant for the Order of the Elephant) over his
right shoulder and a white wig with hair hanging down
over his shoulders; and Mrs Barry (the scene is the
Closet-scene) is in full dress of the contemporary style
a
(f. 1775), with white wig and many white plumes.
When Garrick had retired, Lacy at Drury Lane and