The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-02-19

TO his intellectually and chasteness. Bah If hi
lungs would serve him in his attempts, he woul,
make the weIkin ring. Who, moreover, will dem
that with what he could command, he created
much more noise upon the :" court and guard o
safety than all the brawlers implicated in the fray
We come now to the third act-the grand test o
the actors quality in the character of Oello; anc
in reviewing Mr. NJ in this act, the reader is re
qnested to tax his memory (f he was present on the
occasion) that he may bear the writer out in his re
marks, and free him from the charge ofexaggeration
Desdemond, at the request Of OItello, leaves hin
a little to himself" when full of admiration anc
love, he exclams-
ExcsIent wench Perditon catch my soul
But do love thee and when love thee not
Chaos is come again"
These lines proof hat he has no doubt of her
loyalty, but OIL the contrary that she is still his
"soul's JOYS" yet when Iago called his attention
by uttering the words My noble lord,' OthellO
strutted hastily across the entire stage and boldly
confronted him, if he anticipated all his ancient
had 10 deliver in doubt of Desdemona. Whether
the tragedian meant NOT cannot be known, but
certain it was, that he appeared to be jealous before
Iago had given the slightest hint to cause it. IN
deed, he must have intended to express jealousy at
once, without lagos assistance, for when the
words, Beware, my lord, of jealousy fell upon
his ear, he appeared but slightly more moved than
before.
A word or two here to those who in benevoence
to Mr. Ms welfare, and ignorance of his tactics
have commsserated him upon his misfortune in not
having better Iago. Bless your souls gentlemen,
he does not wish better. The one he had is drill
ed In all his points, or rather his system, which
makes an automaton Of every character about him.
Who but Mr.. Ryder, hired and paid for the purpose,
would or could stand, during whole scene, fast
ened TO one particular spot until his legs and the
eyes OF the audience were wearied with the statue
like frigdity of his situation Who but Ole drilled
as MIR. Ryder must have been, could be so well pre-
pared to watch and wait at the expiration of every
other line for whine, groan, or an unmeaning
grunt from his employer before he should proceed
with his own part Who but an actor so schooled
coutd-who but an actor so hired would be penned
IN one spot, while the great man took the entire
scene to himself!
Iago is a character Of quite as much Importance
as Othello particularly in tie third act; and if Mr.
Ryder had been free to exercise his Judgment we
should have had better Iago and perhaps a bet.
ter OtheAlo; for although we are aware that the
great automaton cannot move except he be placed
exactly the wire that TO pull him into action
yet by frustrating his system little we might get
occasionally bit ofrea passion from him. instead of
unmeanng whines, Peevish groans and affeclation
In the speech where OU,ello declares that: eff |
l do prove her haggard," elc,-Mr M. gave |
another proof of what he auould do in the wav of |
noise if he could What lamentabie failure and |
the rush about the stage which accompanied it,
strongly reminded us of poor "Old Barnes
Nearly the whole Of the third act was rendered
with spleen instead of passion, and peeyishness in
lieu of pathos.
Will any one who heard Mr. NJ deliver Ohello's
celebrated farewell the tranquil mind - ETC., say
that he traced the slightest touch of pathos Did |
any sound he emitted betray the broken-hearted
mantle broken soldier, who bids farewell to all
quality, pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious
war;" in which his talents, his ambition and his
very soul had revelled9
When Othelto became satisfied of Desdemono's |
infdelity, we saw, instead of man tortured and |
goaded with the nensest passion the heart of man |
can suffer-one, whose manner would have been
admirably adapted to a violent old woman who |
heard that some naughty boy had killed her favor
tie cat.
In the last scene of the third act, in the speech
referring to the handkerchief (which Ohello declares
IN Egyptian gave to his mother, Mr.. NJ in spite of
rose almost to grandeur Many actors q.
.
what he says. 1t is ruse employed by Othello in
rider to frghten Desdemlona into either confession
" to draw from her some unguarded remark, bv
which he can rely upon her guilt. This is proved .
" Ohello's revertng it in the last scene of the
lay, where he says:
II was handkerchief-an antique token q
NY fathef gave my mother"
Mr.. M. in this, gave the authors meaning and,
plte OF manner, executed it very creditabiy. d
In the fourth act we had very fine specimen of II
IT. NJ 8 temper, which he so frequently INDUCES in
lstead of going with his part. Desdemona was u
mt for by Olheuo, and when she entered he cried
Come hither, chuck -; but as chuck did not st
appen to remember the precise spot on which to IL
and, he again growled forth the same words; and III
they occur but once in the text, we ought GER Ill
nly to be grateful to Mr. NJ for good measure.
The rest of the fourth act was sensiby but ! S.
eaky given, being, as usual with this actor too
UGH interaided with groans and peevish whining -,
In the fifth act he entered Desdemona's cham "
,r with very handsome sword. WHY he brought I'll
is difficult to explain If he intended to say ~
s wife, why not the dagger he wore at his VI
rdle? Perhaps he was aware that presently he co
onld be obliged to have a bout with Iago and vi
at the sword of Spain which he knew was al es
ady in the chamber would afterwards come into 10
QUESTION in another bout with Iago As he had oe
ken of his robes and weapon in his own house
by would it not be likely that he left them in his NJ
d-chamber7 Ifso, why not find the sword there sol
When charging Desdemona with her sins in this lei
'ne, his manner not at all in keeping with ste
intensity of his words the terrible impor- do
nee of his position. He appeared more to he de- me-
ering curtain lecture than to be discoursing
on a subject which involved the death of her he
,uld not have sold for "ano,her world of one ~
tire and perfect chrysote." 1t would certainly -
in keeping with the noble and generous dispo- ;n
ion of Ohelio, to exhibit at least some signs of
rrow-not that he has killed Discrimination he "''
all in honor, but that one s. beautiful and all
cit So sweet that the sense ached at it," should gal
so false to merit death. Mr.. NJ. on the con- lea
ny showed no semblance Of sorrow that she was he