When, in 1817, Edmund Kean played Eustache de Saint Pierre in the play
of "The Surrender of Calais," he designed to impress the town
powerfully by the help of a wig made after the pattern of Count
Ugolino's. "I'll frighten the audience with it," said he; but, as it
happened, the audience declined to be frightened. On the contrary,
when the actor appeared upon the scene he was only partially
recognised by the spectators. Some persons even inquired: "Who is that
fellow?" None cried: "God bless him!" The wig, in short, was not
appreciated, for all it was of elaborate construction, and stood up,
bristling with its gray hairs like a _chevaux de frise_. The tragedian
very soon gave up the part in disgust.
It is odd to find a stage wig invested with political significance,
viewed almost as a cabinet question, considered as a possible
provocation of hostilities between two great nations; yet something of
this kind happened some fifty years ago. Mr. Bunn, then manager of
Covent Garden Theatre, had adapted to the English stage Monsieur
Scribe's capital comedy of "Bertrand et Raton.
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