New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-11
UALLACKS s THEATER.

suffering; ctners remembered whs, he had done for
at by BIS rthLsd taste sid generous Lbecality and
cane carrying msIy pleasant recoleciiors OF the
past; some, and Lo, few, drawn BY affection for
the man. but, whatever be tie mott ~ that gathered
within TIE walls Of Wsllscks Thee,er those brilliant
ctowcs il an ovation a. ke hoaorabs 10 tAe
sv,rs, the recipient and 70 wit. Mr.. Wal acks recep-
tor, he entered in the Venetian jew arh - which
bis old Intellectual isujyi.m had impaired ,cuch OF
rude grace snd besuty may be best pictured in the good
o.d honely phrase: the house rose ST him" Cneer
swept after cheer, and il momeos before the
sudeIce abo,ed It's enthusiasm Mr. Wsl.ack recoy.
cred from bis emoors Sufficiently 70 allow the play -
proceed. For the first few moments the house hung
wh esgerness 10 watcs what change those two year,
tine Rad msie in their fayoritc. The doub, was,
however, but ior moment Thai still clear aud sono
voice. so wonderful in its varity Of csi.nce, ani
tie cre., as proud and spirit almost a. unbrcken az in
youth, tod tia, TBE WallaIk was himself again
There can be no doubt that crowd surgiug and swell.
irg 'rom parquet to ceiirg, by sending thrilling
;pAucrce on the heart Of actor snd rejecting the
electric touch back upon the audience, inspires oen to
higher conception snd mole perfect execution Mr.
Waaok rlsyed certainly rever better than on last
Iight.
Mr.. Wssck did wisely and well to-, both for lis
rast fame and future reputation, to mark his return -
epoch the stage. II the stsee is to b. "a ust
tution fom which instruction ard delight are TO be- OBJ
tanned, Shakespeare must be looked TO as the great
power. For some seasons past his altsrs hsve not
been crowded az Of yore. The reason IS evident
TIE love Of Shskesps1e Is the same. Tine has not
eater up meus Leats or altered tue foundations OF
tier being BIZ, kroYle' 'ge Judgment and ref. ensnt
1
srd made men more exsctirg. Shskespear, commu-
picstes TO minds impressions infinitely more vivid
Il an those communicable By !or or by marble. Bl,
the case is altered when Shskespeares language
is SPOKEN by Mr.. Roscius Robicson, hs
glees sung by NJ. Orpneus Brown, ani his
scenery painted BY Mr. Michael Angelo Jones,
instead of Mr.. Sherwood. There is generally, per-
hsps, one actor WHO, 10y viiture Of genius, love AMI
study, will elevate himself to the hight of the argu-
meut and satisfies the demands of the Imagination, but
tie remaining figures daarfsd ani cara ured, and
the Wis ors of many co,ri.hed hours thus bIutaly
blasted. Tie leo pie called for something higher. 10
F. gland. Charlie Kesn answered to that call, and be-
came the medium between the poet and the people.
Mr. Waack asphes to tbst position here, and who
more worthy The only way 10 restore the genuine
drsma is tlat low indicated by Mr.. Waack We
be d,ne to by able acting and INTEL gent accessories
or we must not sorder that sensual engagements
prove q greater attraction. Ii the DIANA is to be
mantaiotd, actors must adept their small, separate
interests into parts of sytem, exhib study and in
telgerce ard ork together n that unselfsh cOmb
nation and with that cultivated taste which showsthat
they have faith in the art.
Mr.. Wallsck chose, for what we trust we msy call
81, Of iria ud he,t ter no
Merchant of Venice and nothing could DO more
beautifully presented. Every acce.soryiress deco
ration and scenecaned fairly back to the days Of
"the famous city of the sea- We rowed in the gon.
doa. paced the Ralto, looked on the column Of St.
Mark and every spot made almost as pslPa bio a
if VIC had gazed the seat Of departed glory. The
playful prattng ef two lovers a Summers
evening" almost seemed to fall upon our ear ani
Venice to be repeopled with the past. The dresses
and decorations were of some thirty years prior
we believe, to those adapted by Charles Kean;
but that is purely matter Of taste date being fixed
for the action. In those days too, gondoers were not
soneless and the beautiful glees were delivered with
sweetness and effect
Mr.. Waack is one of the few actors of the presen.
age who invests the character Of Sbylook with is
priu tive ShskesIerean dignity. The mingled feeling
of respect and revenge is not lost or moment in
his impersonaiop. Mr. Wslack in AL parts belong
to IL highest school of artists All his persoostions
are peIft Ct pieces Of m0sac but Il in instances
they the glowing current Of life baneath in this
lis individuality contributes to enhance the artistic
charm be throws around his Shylock. HIS sonorous
voice tie magnetism Of his presence, and the grace
funess Of his attitudes cothe Shylock with tha, pecu
liar elasticity which forms ore Of tue predominant
charsoteristcs Of the oriental mind. When Mr.. Wal
lack appears on the stage feel at in the
presence Of Shy lock who is dogged a. heis Obstinate
and when lie walks off at the end of the pay feel
that Shylock il foed, but not too many make hiG,
defeated. lie walks of more angry than Inundated
with the look If Jew deserted by bis good s'ar
for time, but with, under all his anguish,
mental pride unmpared. a. some of the
beautiful traits Of this personstOn we may 10
stance tie splendid burst Of revenge at the
end of the third act when Sbylock halls the new, Of
Antono's ruin with del gut bordering upon frenzy.
The whole of this act is series of tnamphs for Mr.
Walack TIE Jews despair at the eight Of his daugh-
ter, Jessica, is presented in wonderfully hnmorou,
co1tra,t 10 his greater despar at the reckless sqnan
deing Of bis money. But the pictaresqneness of Mr.
Wallecks personaticn reaches its climax in the utter
ence cf tie word "revenge,' which thrills the aud
ence with ave- and realizes the hight Of that intensity
which is the great Hebrew cSaracterst c. Then,
when 81 the new. of Antonios probable failure ths
Jew exclsms TLark Goo Mr.. Wallack's face BE-
cones radiant with JOY AMI his whole being, cumbed
up with emotion displays most powerfully the terrible
passion that racks the Jews soDl. Again. IN the rial
scene, how admirably wa, tne aniInus Of hatrede1-
pressed by the wolf-h esgeress Of the fierce gaze on
his victim, keen bis knife, and deadly az his de-
termination His PLAYING with the blade, deyoUring
the Judge with his eyes while reading the bond-sll