“Continental Chit-Chat” (The Court Magazine – Literary Notices)

A performance by Pradel is mentioned, with the note that the author wishes that the improvisatore would attempt to improvise comedy rather than just tragedy.

Performer Name:
Pradel
Performance Venue:
Paris
Performance Date:
1833
Author:
 
Date Written:
1833
Language:
English
Publication Title:
The Court Magazine
Article Title:
Continental Chit-Chat
Page Numbers:
2:iii [in appendix; p. 365 in collected volume]
Additional Info:
 
Publisher:
Edward Bull
Place of Publication:
London
Date Published:
1833

Text:

At the Salle Chantereine, M. E. de Pradel has improvised his four hundred and thirty-seventh tragedy in verse! We shall attend a second recitation; but wish that, for the sake of variety, M. de Pradel would turn his thoughts towards extemporising comedy in prose. We hesitate not to express our opinion that, whatever may be the merit of turning out a tragedy in this way, the accomplishment of a comedy would be found more difficult. Comedy depends upon subtler principles: it requires a ready wit, and an intimate knowledge of the habits, the foibles, and the eccentricities of society; and affords no opportunity for sounding nothingness, or exaggerated sentiments.

Notes:

 

Collected by:
EW