Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-25
A Hish.Art Critique on Edwin FORESTS
''Haniieto

Hamlet"
Some accomplished critic who is too
modest to give his name, sends to New
York paper the following remarkable bit
of criticism on the great tragedian's "Ham-
let"
They is some actors who is lucky, like.
wise sum which is unlucky, and the former
is Edwin Forrist, of Philadelphia. This
man has been fortunate from infancy, and is
counted great ia mouths of wise century ;
but is not the actor which can play "Ham-
ik." Shaks ment to make the Prince of
Denmark philosopher and scholar. For
rist makes him a roarin' hon-seekin' which
he may devour.
In The first part of the first Ack, Mr..
Forrist is heavy on his legs, and reminds
me of Heenan. When he sees the spirit of
his departed Pa, he is at first respectable in
his demeanor; but as the scene goes on, he
gets to spekin from the bottom of his stom-
lick and is like roarin' lion seekin' which
he may deyour.
In Ack two the tragedian Is more like
uHamlik," and reminds one forcibly of poor
Kirby-only he turns his toes. 1t is pleas
ant 10 see him stand by the sweet ''0phely,"
like the fat boy by the woman with long
hair at Barnum's. But then he can't be
quiet long, and soon gets cussin' and
dnu uh6 u
lion seekin which he may devour. .''
In the scene with the players Mr.. ForrisI
is good, and does as well as Kean or Mac
ready or Barney Williams; but when the
part comes when he says: .H.' a
"Why let the strychnine dear 20 weep,
The heart uDgallied play;
And some go on bust while some may sleeP-
So rolls the world away s.'.
I3ust out lain, and hit my frien' such q but il
the stomiok with my elbow, that his watcl
jumped clean out Of his pocket. 1t was fo
all the world. like the roarin' lion seekin
which be may devour.
The actor is not the man which can read
"Hamlik's" soliloquies with as much judg-
ment as Kirby. 0ne would think, to hear
him doing them, that they gave him great
pain in the stomick, and was awful hard to
go. Shsks never wrote them to be spoken
in such agiDy, and if Forrist don't know
this, he ought to stick to "Sparticus" and
"Metomrac," and leave the bird of Avon
alone.
But Its when Forrists 'Hamlik" comes to
die that you see phisikle developement of a
loud and ssgacious charikter. I've seen
horses die several times, and once lost
twenty shilliDgs by having gray mare OF
mine die on her way up hill; but never
saw any thing like Forrist in the last throw.
You can see him from any part of the house,
Tor he dies all over every thing and reminds
a person of an accomplished Zouave in his
last agony. 1t is the death of roarin' lion
seekin' which he may devour.
One word and am done. This great
trsgedian, this popular artik ought to have
heard John Phillip Kemble get of that ad-
dress to the skull:
ga fellow Of intimate vest, Horatio," &C.
Alas poor Yorick 1 knew him we'll
Now, Kimble always sneezed when he
came 10 "Horatio," because he said that in
the day of the bird Of Avon, Ho. o.ra-shee-e o
meant sneeze, and Shaks put the word
there as stage direction. It's so in Coyler's
edition of the great dramytist emended by
Coyler and the bird himself Mr. Forrist
needn't be ashamed to take a hint from the
Kimbles, for they are indefinitely superior
to him.
The actor which would play 'Hamlik" in
intulektual style, should initiate the philoso-
phical OK, rather than the roarin' lion
seekin' which he may devour.