The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-22

Jshn Andrew jackson Neahs, the Trage-


At the Broadway theatre, the drama has been a.
al times sustained In its purest legitimacy under
the spirited Superintendent of Mr.. Marshall, who
has never refused to open the portals Of that tenn
pie of Thepis to native talent though the ex-
pertinent has not always proved profitable to him
SELF At the close of the last season.. MIR. Neshe
was afforded the opportunity of proving to his TEL
lOw-c0untrymen what real merits he possessed as
delineator of Shakspeare's characters OF Othello'
Macbeth, Macduf, and Iago-this latter part, how
ever, a severe hoarseness prevented him from sus
tanning. Never have we seen Mr.. Neafe to greater
advantage than during the brief engagement we
speak Of His style of acting is, for the most part
quiet, addressed to high order of intelligence, and
hence effective. All his fine qualities seemed to
have shone forth in conspicuous perfection; his
clear voice. pure conception, judicious reading, and
audible delivery, rendered him peculiarly distin-
guishable in his portraitures of the several charac
tiers he represented He appears to have studied the
heavenly inspired bard with that intensity which
enables him now, after twelve years experience,
to pourtray that excellence which scars above the
control of ordinary capacities
Throughout the whole range of Shakspeare's
dramas, there is, perhaps, not one which embraces
50 many excellent parts, which requires artistic
talent Of the highest order to render the deneaton
effective, so much as Othello OF Mr.. Nea6es in-
depreciation of the much abused Moor, we can say
that it was impressive without exaggeraton; the
conception was correct and the execution vigorous
yet devoid of rant. His free, gallant, and COM
mandng bearing in the earlier scenes, when in the
full flush Of victory and his heart given up to love-
contrasted finely and naturally with his spirit bro
La do, rboph a haco q To iaala
and was anxousy on the watch for confirmation of
his wrongs. He spoke the passages of the text
with great precision and effect There was a lofti-
ness of style and dignity of delivery observed by
him which were particularly in keeping with the
part and when he spoke in the sofness of love, the
wildness of anger the painfuness of despair or the
hsrror of disgust, he was equally true to his author
and to nature. Many of Mr.. Neaie's points in
Otheo are entirely new, whilst the whole was char
acterized by a thorough understanding of his au-
thor. His address to the Senate was marked by
the colloquial and simple manner of one "lttle
blessed with the set phrase of speech" and he deli
vered it as Ground UNIV arnshed tale" simple
lation Of facts, emphasizing, occasionally, where 1t
required to describe the effect which his narra-
tions had had upon the gentle daughter of Braban-
tio and finally, his single outburst of feeling in the
Words
80 She loved NE for the dangers had passed,
And flowed her that she did pity them
was given with a tenderness of expression which
touched the hearts Of all his auditors. Again, in
the second act, where he meets with Desdemona
and his friends at Cyprus, the whole scene was rem
dered enc Of familiar and happy greeting. The
dismissal of Cassie given with good effect.
There was peculiar solemnty of tone, heart
felt anguish, struggle between his love for the
man and the respect due his Office, Of affection
against duty, all concentrated in the simple pas
sage
cassie. love thee, but never more be officer of mine"
The whole of the great third act was also ad-
mirably performed by Mr. Neafe, and his delivery
of the grand soliloques displayed mind of no
binary powers Of conception, and a pathos which
spoke from the heart and to the heart. Then the
terrific explosion of gathered grief and rage, when
led to believe his Desdemona false, wrought power
fully upon the feelings Of all present His con.ep
ton is evidently the result Of careful study posses,
sing many distinguishing and original traits.
young and comparatively inexperienced actor is apt
to be seduced into the explosion of passion whilst he
disregsrds the minor attributes Of perfection Not
SO with Mr.. Nsafs he unites both with ease, with
out prodigality, or unmeaning gesture, and he has
thus rendered his Otheo a mastery embodim
In reviewing the performance of this artist, we 70
gret that extreme hoarseness rendered it impossible
for him to appear as Iago, which he was announced
FOR on the third night of his recent engagement.
We regret this the more from our knowledge f
what his Iago was some few seasons since, and the
conviction our minds that il could not have fail
ed to gain him fresh laures. His reading of this
difficult part was chaste and correct, having the
bearing OF frank, honest ldier, whose soul was
overlooking with good humor. In the scenes with
Othello, he constantly preserved his habitual res
pect due to his general; yet there cringing,
but easy of frankness and that appearance of
manly courage which pretended honesty Of purpose
always gives. 1t is this bearing only which could
impose upon Othello, and make him exclaim-
"Th.s fellow IS of exceeding honesty"
Such could never be the effect, if lsgo should
wear his heart upon his sleeve, and cause his
"outward action to demonstrate the native act and
figure of his heart" MIR. Neate impaired to the
character Of lago an air Of frankness and buoy
ancy, which were in keeping with the motives the
demi devil Shakespeare drew; and his assumption of
easy bon homme and honesty natural, and devoid
of the appearance 1at II assumed There is
no meio.dramatic effect sought by him in Iago
The public may, therefore, see that they have lost
rich treat in not being able to witness Mr. Ne ie in
that character, during his recent engagement at
the Broadway theatre.
The character Of Macbeth has been rendered, to
some less attractive than other tragedies Of the i'm
mortal Shakespeare. because OF the many appalling
scenes of blood through which he gains the summit
of his i'll attained ambition but truth of character
and passion, the real toucastonc of dram itic
worth, is the unrNaled attribute of Shakspearc's
muse AMI In none of the productions of his inycn-
tive genius il IL more apparent or more inpressively
wrought out than in that of Macbeth The value
of theatrical piece can less BE- determined by
analysis Of it, conduct, than by the ascendant
which it gains over the heart aud oy the s:rok OF
nature which intesporsed throughout it, Am
bition is im planted in tie nature of Macbeth
Thou wouldn't he great;
Art not without ambition but without ..
The Illness should attend it. What q wiul h sy,
That wouldst thou holly; woulds; not play false
And yet vould'st wrongly elm.
The predictions of the witches innamc him With
tho expectation Of crown, and the daring ill-
patience Of his wife determines him "to catch the
nearest way" to il. Ambition, inordnate an law.
less, then becomes the predominant motive OF his