The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-24 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S TI!JL TRE.

Last night, in the presence of one of the most brilliant
audiences that ever assembled within the walls of the
Princess's Theatre Mr. Pechter made his first appearance
as Othello. "The event had been anxiously looked for, not
merely on account of the great success that had attended
the representation of Hamlet, but more particularly as
rumour had been busy with her hundred tongues relative
to the "alterations, alditions, and improvements" made in
the text and business of the tragedy. In the little blue
edition of the piece, by Mr. Pechter, printed and most ex-
tensively circulated within the theatre, the alterations cer-
tainly were of the most novel description. All that had
previously been observed in the acting of the tragedy was
thrown aside, and in its place the most minute directions
touching the emotions to be portrayed and the positions to
be observed, were given. 'With respect to many of the
alterations public opinion will, no doubt, be much divided ;
admirers of it most certainly will be found, but
on the other hand those who will still retain the pre-
ference for the old edition will not be few. On the
entrance of Mr. Fechter, in the second scene, he was re-
ceived with the most unbounded applause, which he ac-
knowledged in a very graceful manner, and, evidently with
some emotion, he commenced his great undertaking. His
appearance, or, as it is professionally termed, " make up,"
was in exquisite taste, and in place of the old costume he
wore the scarlet robe of a Venetian general, with the lion
of St. Mark embroidered on his breast, light coloured
Moorish burnows and appointments of the most splendid
description.
In the first:and second acts the part is of a very even na-
ture, pathos being the prevailing sentiment; and the manner
in which the address to the Senate was delivered showed at
once the view Mr. Fechter had taken of the character of
the Moor. It was marked by all that grace for which he
is so remarkable, but, to our thinking, it lacked that tragic
grandeur and sublimity with which other eminent actors
have invested the part. There appeared to be too little of a
soldier in Othello's bear:ng, while as the lover he was every-
thing that could be desired. In the third and two succeed-
ing acts Mr. Fechter achieved his greatest triumph, but
even here, in many places, he seemed to sacrifice
too much to break down the traditional notions of the cha-
racter of the noble Moor. In the scene where Ingo first
commences to pour the poison into Othello's ear, Mr,
Fechter's acting was unourpnagnhlP. His blank look of
horror, and his attempts to shake off the dreadful impres-
sion, were masterpieces of dramatic art ; and when worked
up almost to madness he springs upon lago and demands
proof of his damned insinuations, the audience gave vent to
their feelings by a perfect hurricane of applause, Nothing
could equal in effect the deep, heart-breaking accents in
which the succeeding lines of the scene were given. The
direction to lago to set Emilia on to watch Desdemona was
• magnificent piece of acting, The concluding scene was
also very finely given, but the arrangement of the climax
savoured too much of the French stage to be thoroughly
relished by an English audience.
The lago of Mr. Ryder was a careful and thoroughly
artistic performance ; and Mr, Basil Potter, as Bra-
bant* acquitted himself in a manner that calls
for very high praise. Mr. Jordan's Cassio was
heavy, dull, and very much below the mark; but Mr.
Shore's Roderigo was clever and commendable. Miss C,
Leclercq, as Desdemona, acted in a manner that must have
surprised many, anclnever was applause more liberably be-
stowed or better &tie-fwd.
At the fall of the curtain, and at the end of some of the
acts, Mr. Fechter was vociferously called ; and on his ap-
pearance at the termination of the tragedy, hand-in-hand
with Mr. Ryder, ho received a perfect ovation.

The scenery, specially painted for the occasion, was
equally beautiful, and the dresses magnificent ; in fact,
everything was done in that perfect and complete manner
which so conspicuously marks the management of Mr.
Augustus Harris.