The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-09-22


LEGITIMATE ,JRANA-~AngRicAN Acroas.-Snce
he commep cement of the theatrIc Al seasoa, some
three wee,As ego, The legitimate drama seems to
have re covered frum The starving condition TO
WHICH II was reduced at the close OF the last sea-
con The popularity OF Mr., Forrest has filed The |
b .oadway Theatre, night after night, for iaree
weeks His acting seems TO have Just to1che,, the
night chord OF pablc taste, and the Consequence is
apparent IN oyel flowing houses and cu husiastic
audiences.
Mr.. Forrest is the first American actor who has
succeeded Ia building up home and foreign reps
tation, OF any magnitude. Obliged TO struggle
against the disadvantages Of birth aud education,
hcsese-ves great credit for the perseverance and
energy Ivy which he has attagaed his present emf
ueiit position. In his iulvidoal character, we
believe, he il very praisewerthy.
Il would be curious TO examine intoTke causes
Ct his professional success. HIS style is OF the
Black Hawk school. lTIe revt Is nightly in pas
sson: and in a ,iocS bai to-hand combat, wna'
actor bears his,selt SO doughuiyf He Is fond Of
strong light aed shaie-of combining the widest
contsasts-of staltilpg an audesce into wfapt at
tention-or. perhaps it would be talrer to say, he
does sta,tle 4hem, whether he intends 1t or not.
| His STYLE is not unlike his design OF the cas-
lie on the Hudson. He agsomerates into one
| pau the yrost heterogeneous fancles He wholly
disrega.ds these niccties' Of art which others re-
gard as eseentials; and with vigorous strength of
acting, which makes him masterly in some charac-
| ters, he unt;es an uncouhaess OF manner, which
would shock Charles Kean or Macready. The grea-
ter number of popular Sbaksperian characters are
not WITHIN the scope of his cullar genius Ills good
sense teaches hun seldom 10 attempt Hamlet King
| Lear he has adopted one OF his tavorite parts
| but We think Inludciousy. In some portions OF
the part he is very powerful to others he Is un-
equal His define alton Of the character IS uneven.
Sometimes, for instance, he Stimulates the we iS,
ouavcrng voice of the old man to perfection al
others he gives full play 10 those natural deep
veruous tones which he uses with such effect IN
Sral;acus and Jack Cade. HIS conception Of
| Rlchelieu is rather iauy. lie throws into the
marta bYusgueyie which does not belong 10 IT, The
| Cardinal whom he puts the stage is very dif!e-
reu, from the ar,socratic old court,cr-proud as a
| BE Courcy, and willy as Meilernich-who was,he
terror of the Frenchnobes, and the matchlcss adj
versarv of every oourt in Europe. This however,
IS scarcely surpysine as there are few characters
50 little understood as that of Richehcu. NJ
Forests Oheilo and Macbeth, both of whick he
is fond of personailng, are marred with many be
| n.ishes In ro pats have we seen him to such
advantage as IA Spartacus, Damon, and Jack
,Cadc. IN these, ard slch characters, ne Is truly
epeat. AS for Meamora, tits Keo-dramatlc alb
surdItv. unworthy OF hln and which he should, n,
orce and forever, eschew.
twill be seen, by what we have sand abcve,
that although there is an astonishing revival IF
! what may be called the leeitimae drama, yet, for
the higher and more refined range of 1t, there Is
no demand The only dramatic fitrm of late has
been caused by MIR. FORESTS appearance at the
Broadway Theatre. Mr.. Forrest is soon, how
ever TO have rival IN the field. Mr.. MAcready.
who ranks as OF the most refined and artistic
| dtiineatoIs OF shaksperlan character, Is engaged
| al the Park, and will soon appear. we understand,
on lis boards. in his usual range of parts. What
this Will glvesIise to, we are, at present, unpre-
pared to say There Will be highly interesting
| con,,etiuon between Nacready and Fore st-be
| tween the Broadway and the pdrt We raths r
| think both Will be well lst lined Tnose WHO
| ike etron excitement and great natural power
Will resort TO ,he Broadway; those wno prefer
more aulsi,c and flashed performances, viii pa
! troniae the Park.
| For d.. last year there has been extraordinary
corir.ton IN the theatrical world. Model artists
and msnager!es upset the drama, ancient and
modem. and turned the heads of the community
| Now. however, there seems to b. a better pros
! meet. AT several theatres, music and the ballet
! have taken the place of horses and made figures;
and ever, thing conduces TO the belief that more
refu taste Is beginning 10 prevail. We trds:
there will be DO backs idlng.