prevailed over traditional French Classicists' idea of great acting. Soon, many French actresses started to imitate her method. Back in London As opportunities to continue her work in Paris dwindled, Smithson returned to London to perform Jane Shore again. The production opened at Covent Garden on 11 May 1829 under unfavorable circumstances. Some audience members, who had read her reviews before she went to Paris, felt reluctant to attend the show. Furthermore, the London press was anxious to prove that their previous reviews of her average acting were accurate. Newspapers such as the Examiner gave the first performance a begrudging review: Her action is easy and graceful though somewhat redundant. Her declamation and studied choice of attitudes show that she has been a careful student in the French school of High tragedy. Her voice from a peculiarity in its intonation has a monotonous effect… However, just seven days after her next performance as Juliet, in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the press, including The Examiner, gave her glowing reviews: Miss Smithson's performance of Juliet, take it as a whole, is by many degrees the best we have seen since the days of Miss O'Neil…She is the best tragic actress now in London. She appeared as Belvidera in Venice Preserved and as Mrs Simpson in Simpson and Co on the Lincoln Circuit at the Peterborough theatre between 27th June and July 2nd 1831. After Covent Garden closed for the summer in 1832, Smithson toured England to minor theatres performing almost exclusively in tragedies. In June 1832, she joined the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, where she had limited success and received criticism about her weight. End of career In 1830, Smithson went back to Paris to set up an English theatre under her own management. She obtained permission to perform at the Theatre-Italien where she performed several unsuccessful plays. A year later, she broke her leg and was forced to put her career on hold until her leg healed. She was now in great debt, yet her mother and sister still depended on her for support. She gave her last performance, as Ophelia, on 15 December 1836, before her health deteriorated. Smithson as a muse Smithson's genuine portrayal of her characters led to her fame and elusiveness. Until her, tragedy was considered primarily a man's realm. Her distinctly genuine, almost grotesque, interpretation of characters made way for subsequent actresses in tragedies. In this way,