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Kay's Originals Vol. 1

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 117 MR. SUTHERLAND’S range of character seems to have been rather extensive, for we find him cast for and playing Stukely in the Gamester, Falkland in the Rivnls, Sciolto in the Fair Penitent, Oroonoko, Old Norval, $c. He made his first appearance on the Edinburgh stage on the evening of Monday the 2lst January 1783, in the character of Oroonoko, being announced as from the Dublin Theatre. “Mr. Sutherland,” says a critique of his performance of this character, “I apprehend, was not well advised when he ventured a first appearance in this ticklish hero. His person ought to have commanded respect, and the lustre of his eye to have shone through his sooty complexion. But his person is not princely, and his eye could not always be distinguished from the rest of his face, but by the white. His attitudes were in general well imagined, but not properly supported. If the eye was attracted by the disposition of the body, the ear was offended by the unmeaniug unexpressive voice. It is lamentable, indeed, when the voice denies its office, and %-ill not convey the feelings of its master ; for I am sensible the gentleman frequently felt the genuine emotions arising from his situation. He is very much in the predicament of the rest as to action ; where it was not much required he was redundant, and where the tempest and whirlwind of passion demanded correspondent agitations of the body, he was unsuccessful. Why should tears be represented by clapping a white handkerchief to the face, or by applying the hand to the eyes! When this performer shall have acquired a proper strength, clearness, and modulation of voice, which are certainly not unattainable, he may do well.” Of Rlr. Sutherland’s appearance in Stukely, the following notice is taken :- “Stukely, upon the whole, was well done, and in some strokes excellent ; but the voice was too low, and the manner and action too pinched, for such a bold-faced villain.’’ Very little is known of MRS. WOODS. She seldom acted, and then only characters of a trifling nature-Elka in Jackson’s Eldred, and Leonora in the Mmrning Bde, for instance. Her husband was for thirty years the leading actor in the Edinburgh Theatre, his admirers-the public-having during that time strenuously opposed every attempt of the manager to supersede him. Mr. Woods retired on the 19th April 1802, purposing to occupy his time by giving instructions in elocution; but disease did not permit him to carry such a scheme into effect, and he died on the 14th December of that year. On the occasion of his benefit, 17th April 1784, was performed “A New Local, Farcical, Musical Interlude (never before acted), called Hnllow Fair,” in which he played “Young Bwt, the drunken buck,” which is curious as not being included in the Biographia DTarnatica.
Volume 8 Page 171
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