Anthony Aston describes Thomas Betterton and Elizabeth Barry

Anthony Aston: A brief supplement to Colley Cibber Esq, his lives of the famous actors and actresses
(London, 1747). Reproduced in Cibber (Lowe ed.), vol. 2, pp. 299-303

 

Mr. Betterton (although a superlative good actor) laboured under an ill figure, being clumsily made, having a great head, a short thick neck, stooped in the shoulders and had fat short arms which he rarely lifted higher than his stomach. His left hand frequently lodged in his breast between his coat and waistcoat, while with his right he prepared his speech. His actions were few, but just. He had little eyes and a broad face, a little pock-fretten, a corpulent body and thick legs with large feet. He was better to meet than to follow, for his aspect was serious, venerable and majestic, in his latter time a little paralytic. His voice was low and grumbling, yet he could tune it by an artful climax which enforced universal attention, even from the fops and orange girls. He was incapable of dancing, even in a country dance, as was Mrs Barry, but their good qualities were more than equal to their deficiencies. […] Mr Betterton was the most extensive actor from Alexander to Sir John Falstaff, but in that last character he wanted the waggery of Estcourt, the drollery of Harper, the sallaaciousness of Jack Evans. […] Powell attempted several of Betterton's parts, as Alexander, Jaffier, etc. but lost his credit, as in Alexander he maintained not the dignity of a king but out-heroded Herod, and in his poisoned mad scene out-raved all probability; while Betterton kept his passion under and showed it most (as flame smokes when most stifled). Betterton, from the time he was dressed to the end of the play kept his mind in the same temperament and adaptness as the present character required. […] I must say of him as Hamlet does of his father: 'He was a man (take him for all in all) I cannot look upon his like again.' His favourite Mrs Barry claims the next in estimation. They were both never pleased than in playing together. Mrs Barry outshone Mrs Bracegirdle in the character of Zara in The Mourning Bride, although Mr Congreve designed Almeria for that favour. and yet this fine creature was not handsome, her mouth opening most on the right side, which she strove to draw the other way and at times composing her face, as if sitting to have her picture drawn. Mrs Barry was middle-sized and had darkish hair, light eyes, dark eye-brows and was indifferently plump. Her face somewhat preceded her action, as the latter did her words, her face ever expressing the passions. Not like the actress of late times who are afraid of putting their faces out of the form of non-meaning, lest they should crack the cerum, white-wash or other cosmetic, trowelled on. Mrs Barry had a manner of drawing out her words which became her, but not Mrs Braidshaw and Mrs Porter. To hear her speak the following speech in The Orphan was a charm: I'm ne'er so well pleased as when I hear thee speak, And listen to the music of thy voice. […] Neither she, nor any o the actors of those times had any tone in their speaking (too much lately in use). In tragedy she was solemn and august, in comedy alert, easy and genteel, pleasant in her face and action, filling the stage with variety of gesture. She was woman to Lady Shelton of Norfolk (my Godmother) when Lord Rochester took her on the stage; where, for some time, they could make nothing of her. She could neither sing nor dance, not in a country dance.

 

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