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Review of a revival at the Haymarket Theatre from The Times

Thursday, January 25, 1877

THE THEATRES (excerpt)

The Pygmalion and Galatea of Mr. Gilbert, which has once again been revived at the Haymarket, in the place of Dan’l Druce, is too well known, and apparently too firmly seated in the public favour, to require any long or elaborate notice at our hands. How much of its original popularity was due to the charm of novelty, or to the excellence of a representation, the memory of which seems still to flourish with unusual vigour, it is not our purpose to inquire, and time will show whether the inherent merits of the play itself or the merits of its present representation are such as still to retain for it its former popularity.

Of the original cast, Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Howe, and Mrs. Chippendale alone remain. Mr. Charles Harcourt and Miss Marion Terry have replaced Mr. and Mrs Kendal as Pygmalion and Galatea, Miss Hodson is now the Cynisca, and Miss Maria Harris the Myrene. To those to whom this “mythological comedy” is now presented for the first time, the acting will appear, we think, satisfactory enough, and where faults are found to exist, some, at least, will perhaps be inclined to appreciate the difficulties which must arise from the attempts to conform to the garb and grace of classical times and languages the sentiments and the bearing of to-day.

Pygmalion and Galatea is, in truth, a classical or mythological comedy in respect only of the names the actors bear and the clothes in which they are clad. The story, save for the one incident of the transformation of the marble statue into the living human figure, has no resemblance to the ancient myth, and is in all other respects but an English comedy of the 19th century. Miss Terry, who has to appear now as a statue, now as a human being, bore herself with much grace in both capacities, and the expressions of innocence, which are, perhaps, less surprising than her frequent flashes of intelligence, which the author has placed in Galatea’s mouth were delivered with a suitable and ingenuous candour. The human Cynisca stands out in refreshing contrast to the “mythological” Galatea, and the contrast in style between Miss Hodson and Miss Terry, which was carefully pointed and observed by the former, was fortunate and happy.

Those of the performers who but returned to a well-known task may rest secure in the favour they have won, and those who came new to the work such failings as there were need not, we think, be in the circumstances too urgently insisted on.


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