The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-06

BROADWAY nHArRk- Nh. MD Ha'cs WALLER WI s""
MIS- Waller made their iapI variance at the Broad sy
last night liz the ole Ezs5 ,sn We act tragedy OF Jonr
Webster, cc.emporary Of he In mortal WIN snsks
PEREZ the "Duchess OF Mala' The Nd play has BEEN
considerably undermined ard in some v.neos cot WITT
ruch advantage For example, the attempt 80 aovesaitae
hiegnimase into the legitimate drama oy tue 'sroduc
,ier Of abeaux ant sensation scenes, though l
accordance with the prevailing TASTE Of the day s@ss n"
10 our mind quite successful in keeping WHO ths
sr,rit a tee euhor. However hst may be, IS CERTAIN
ths the Play had brilliant Lac, night and is d,e-
tined 70 ENJOY long run Mr. Waller s tine actor tho
roughly copreteacs the author reads the finest pas
cages Of tho play sell; snc preserves throughout dig
niy a ccpcr which iapse-, evec IN tue highest
dramatic scenes rent The ga ne must SUI for
Mrs. Waller She is evidently 6oished sctceeA Her
uNeranc- is disrct Der attitudes weri studied ard
overwroaght Ech sho AID Mr. Waller called out "
toe close OF every act and appauded enthusiastically
After tho ragoag Mr. Waller responded IA tho Gait
reception he, had WITH wl,cb he said iliussr
ted the idea thai Prophe, sometimes Thought we'll ef
Tne house was wen allied Snd the the sres.ss sshus,ss
wss evDced hiouebcrt the entire performance Ia moi
ernismg the rendering OF the "Ducheas Of Aat. how
ever We think that moro ingenuity might boon dis
played ia The hh act In the present representation 81
the Villains, auc who Villains, but whom
seemed essential 70 xii! off in order 70 perfect the tragic
character OF the play, dispatched hesp and with
celebrity which somewhat dsagrseable 10 witness In
truth the play would ead better with the fourth than te
fifth act with little amendment IN the plot; the impress
boh OF the drama and the would be
pieasurab,e But taking tho piece stands IL do
and sufficiently dramatic TO enchan audience fed
upor sensation and scenic enohantments our
theatre gcers have been for some time past
BURROWS TRKArRE--MR. EDWIN BoorH Nss HUpsoa
KRBy.-Stars and the legitimate drama are again In the
sscendancy at the several city theatres but last night
was any criterion, they will not be as popular az the
contemporaneous drama" which they supersede Just
tho theatrical world novelty, and the pabu
,um upon which has been feeding for the last three
months does not seem 10 have psed 10 the least This
is capital time for young dramatic authors; toleraby
good play upon subject in which the public Interested
could not fail but to make hit and yield large return
10 playwright and manager
Mr. Edwin Booth appeared the boards Of Barton's
theatre last night after months Absence Pescars
in Shells play of the Apostate." before q slim but
aIprecistve audience who called him out twice
and applsuded him heartily throughout. M. Booth
greater promise. liz has tho true fire or genius
which needs but time industry and study TO place s poe
in tho very front rank Of living tragedans Nature
has endowed him richly with fine voice, eye OF won
dcrf exprcssveness and features of great mobility but
with the exception Of his natural genius for the STAGE art
has done but little 70 mature him. His eocusion IL often
faulty his attitudes strained and unnatural and then he
always uneven In particular scenes, however, he
they could be better done Mr. Booth has evidently i'm
proved srce his last appearance IN this city, and bis per
foance last night exhibited more sustained power Than
have heretofore noted in his personations THIS artist
follows implicitly the traditions OF the old school OF act
ing, Of which the elder Kesn tho great exemplar.
THIS may be termed for want Of better ts1m. tho de-
monstrative school, in which passion Is exhibited IN
its merely physical manifestations by contsrtens
a features, startling attitudes and the like. Tho
modern school Of acting, In which Rachael ex
coilcd, Ia that In which passion and feeling L
suggested and implied rather than oppressed tn
ac,ioD. We confess Partially Tor the latter schools
being the most natural and we think that were Mr.
Booth 90 pay attention TO the examples OF the
modern style OF acting, he would be much benefited
thereby.
MIs Hudson Kirby from tho Boston theatres, who has
been engaged 10 play the esdipg female roles with Mr.
Booth did not make very favorable impression Flo
rnda She has nne stage presence and good cesumer
family anu her acting painfully spssrnodca she would
possibly ANe ar stock actress she did not try 70 do
witt, her part, but judged by the performance
OF last night she will not do % leading acuess IN this
metropolis.
is but justice 70 say that Mr. Barrett admirable
Hemeya, and fairly won the applause he recesved
wAIIAcKs TinArRx.-Mr and Mrs James Stark
menced engagement Of Elk nights at this theatre last
evening" playing the principal parts in The Gsmester,"
stupid old play OF the most conventional and unnatural
school conveys morality Mrs Squcers gave the
boys birthstone and trcacc by the table spoonful and
following out old fashioned aopahic plan, kills the
patient before cures him AS for the acting was bet
than could have been reasonably expected from the
nature Of the play. Mr. Stark mas nne manly presence,
and good voice, and a bold, earnest, impsssionef
style Both he and Mrs Stark arc howcver, lacking IN
grace AID polish, and occasionally too violent,
pitching their in loud key for the capacity OF
this horse The performance hgny satisfactory 70
large audience. la better play than The Gsmester
Mr. stark will make sensation He has all the points OF
frat class artist We glad to say that his repertoire
includee modern and moro natural dramas