The Nevada journal., 1852-11-12
Mr.. Walters Rcnefit.
HAMLET.

$3.50 81 pACNit'tiNC duuiCutCs W HOIiOT
Mr.. Waller, and to witness his per.
formance of Shakspeare's great char.
acter of Hamlet. 1t is not exaggera-
ton to say that Mr.. Waller is the on
ly man on this side of the continent
who can play Hamlet, and we believe
but one has ever been here that can
compare for moment with him, and
that one Booth, senior. The conduct
of Hamlet under the extraordinary
circumstances in which the author pla-
ces him has excited the warmest crit
icism aoong the most illustrious crit-
les since the Elizabethan era. While
some have held that his madness was
bet show 10 cover the deep designs
he meditated, others see in him but an
overweight imagination, indie cisive
the creature Of circumstances, impel-
led onward to destiny which should
encompass the destruction of the
agents of his fathers death. The
skill with which the author has devel-
oped appearances of madness in a
mind evidently so noble and command
ING. so that men of talent in Witness
ing the performance cannot resist the
impression designedly left on the minds
OF the minor characters in the piece,
shows that high art which stands un,
preached by any other author. Such
a character as Hamlet can be well
played by no one who has not near
approach to the genius of the author.
That which has SO fully foiled the
critic needs most superior talent to
develop in the life like distinctness of
the author. We believe the madness
of Hamlet, with SO much "method in
it," that he penetrated and overthrow
the plans of all pryers into his secrets,
and moulded them to his own pur-
poses, was but assumed to give great
er security to that revenge he cherish
ed. And we thought we detected the
evidences of a similar opinion in the
delineation by Mr.. Waller. Thus in
discoursing with Horatio he dropped
the play of affected madness not only
in words but in action, and was but
the simple, eloquent philosophical man
that he was before the ghost of his fa-
ther made the dread revelation of the
cause of his death.
The Hamlet Of Mr.. Waller is in
deed masterpiece. No rant, no
tameness, now fiery with appropriate
passion, now subdued 10 gentle melan-
choly. The chamber scene was most
characteristic and impressive. But
we shall not attempt to point out beau
ties in the acting of a character where
there were no faults. We have wit
messed the same piece as executed by
Macready, Forrest and Stark, where
a larger stage, beautiful scenery, and
faultless support gave additional ad-
vantage to the delineation, but we have
never so much admired it or listen
ed with SO much qualification, as to
Mr.. Walters personation on Wednes-
day night. We believe if the piece
was repeated again and again, it would
draw full houses. We look upon Mr..
Waller's Hamlet as complete tri-
umph of the dramatic art.
Mrs. Waller's Ophelia was affecting
in the extreme. It was so pure and
delicate that it seemed the slightest
touch might be proclamation. Her mu-
sic was Of almost unearthly sweetness.
If the conception of the author in the
gentle Ophelia was not realized by
Mrs. Waller, then it cannot be. The
drcam-like sensation she produced
seemed rudely broken by the applause
that followed her exit-succeeding to
breathless silence.
Mr. Booth was honored with Mr..
Waller at the close of the piece by
call before the curtain, for his magic
touches in Laertes. We believe we
but share the common sentiment in