The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-23
Broadway Theatre.
MR.. DAVENPORT AS LuoIus JUNrus Bau

MR.. DAVENPORT AS LUCIUs yUNIUs BaUrUs.
The late John Howard Psynss drama, in Eve acts,
"Srutus, or The Fan Of Tarquin," was played ct the
Broadway theatre on Wednesday night, with Mr.. T. L.
Davenport in the principal character The socaed
gsdy Is only attempt at one has kept the stage
account of the historic interest attached to the OF
Brutus but as its performances are becoming
frequent every day, we hope that it, with all ad captain
dun trash Of the school, win soon be laid upon the
shelf Although not without many faults, the play
better acted than it deserved The whole interest Of the
audience centres in Brutus unless its attention called
aside for a moment the weak voice or thin pedal
supports Of Roman citizen excites q smile
En- PEASANT, may say that nothing requires much
care Roman pieces, and nothing gets little. The
iron hand Of rigid stage manager needed at the Broad
way. In Brutus" gentlemen are not easy in the
text others moustaches and similar hairy eccen
trictes unknown to the cris Romanus; Titus appears
in wig which would have been very proper in Charles
the Second" but which very much out Of place in
sBrutus Tarqunia diamonds, and several gentle
men have made the valuable discovery in comparative
anatomy that the Roman youth had white legs That
there s but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous
is fully proved by trivial aur pas by minor actor in
Roman tragedy Mr. Davenports acting in "Brutus" is
the refinement Of the art. II is the elaboration Of
effects, the aggregation of minor beauties which 60
to make up the favorable sensation which is re-
popular voice, know, demands that Brutus shall
be what Shakespeare calls 'robustiouso fellow that
in freeing Rome he shall split the ears of the ground
lingsthat in mourning for Lucreta, he shall attract
the attention Of the house from the sscunnng of the
scene" to his own tremendous vocal gymu Astics and
that in declaring that justice Is satisfied and that Rome
is consequently Free he shall fall from the Judgment
seat his head, turn somerset towards the leader
and reclne In the Of Collatinus the most "ter
rible agony" The late Junus Brutus Booth was the
first actor who successfully combatted this purely ply
steal idea Of Brutus, and Mr. Davenport has well and
worthily followed in his path without initiating him
however. Mr.. Dayenport's delivery Of the speech
over the dead body Of Lucretia ane
piece Of effective, yet quiet, defamation The
lines commencing "say, would ye receive in
structic constructed for the express Of bel
lowing actors but Mr.. Davenport wisely avoided the OPP
portunity to rant. The performance evenly
beautiful that it is difficult to designate point
being finer than another. The first with Titus in
the fourth act very well rendered both by Mr. Da
venport and Mr.. Perry. The last named actor played
Titus with vgor and discretion but his dress and
raj appearance not proper for the part The lines
with Tarquinia miss A. Goughenheim) did not have
their full effect because the lady not only ncompe
tent for the part but imperfect in the words In the
last many would think that there should have been
power displayed. but they forget that Brutus the
Consul endeavoring to combat and conceal the feel
ngs Of Brutus the father Mr. Davenport made several
beautiful points in this scene, and the last lines
were given-not with shout like that coming from
the lungs Of stentor-but In tone and manner ex-
pessye Of the idea intended to be conveyed and of the
state OF the noble Romans mind at the time racked
II by the conflict of parental love and patriotism
the strongest emotions Of his heart Mr.. Davenports
presence the last three acts imposnghs had the
nj tho pulsy arpd with dastv
We consider his performance triumph Of brains
physical requirements. One great feature
which recommends his acting is, that he has unpea
SAINT mannerms and has style entirely original yet
without offensive peculiarites He gives his characters
all the beauty of deneaton which marks the exquisite
chefs deuyes Of the Dusseldorf school, while bis mind
takes wider and holder range in marking out the
groundwork Of his pictures. He may not succeed in
educating all the people up to his style but such
tor Mr. Davenport cannot but do great deal Of good
both to his profession and in the Improvement of public
taste.
The actors at the Broadway theatre generally belong
to another school, and do not intend go INTO close
criticism of the cast of "Brutus There is not much
praise, except the Tullia of Nine Ponsi Her principal
in the temple very effectively rendered Mr.
Ianer@n as Coatinus was an ambitious performance,
rather Forrestan in It's STYLE This actor has fine voice
and several requirements for the STAGE but he needs
cultivation to know how TO use them and moderation to
know when to them and how to govern them Cola
tinus was undoubtedly excitable person, and had
good cause 10 make disturbance; but mis- mind was
agitaed by various passions, while his present repre-
sentativcs generally delineate but one-that of rage
The performance would have been better with more
strict rehesrsas and rigorous supervision in
the matter Of costume, ''making up" &c sc. There
Is really not much for the stock actors to do in Bru
tus" except to look well and speak the lines properly
They inexcusabe If they do not succeed in those
respects.