New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-21
MR.. J, WILKES BOOTH.
RICHARD III.

RICHARD III.
The old Wsllack's Tbcater, Broadway ana broome
street 10 now offering tragedy and dramas gen
eraliy. Mr. J. Wilkes Booth, an actor entirely new
to the New.York stage, but whose family name %
Electrically renowned, doing the chief chsrse'erS'
Mr.. J. w. Booth Is the SOD Of the eminent t'agedsn
Of tho past generation, and tho younger brotner
Mr.. Edwin Booth, who has lately been ac'inS 10
England. He bears most striking resemblance "
bis brother. being however Of taller and heavier
build. He has hne impressive iaee which 10 also
distngushablc in its likeness 70 bis celebrated pro-
genitor.
Tire Richards Third Of CHS time are based
on those Of Cooke and the elder Kesn, the frsi
Booth following the traditions aud the seconds going
in the same lines generally. The chief points indeed
seem all stcreotypcd. 20 much is one actor mechsni- |
cally like another in the character; but then, Of
course TIE varieties are great ss those Of physical
differences and grades Of Intellectual apprehension
TIE Cooke-Keau school bad many virtues and many
faults People now deep in the winter Of their dsys
gay that after The Cooke OF their young lustres, they
cannot be satisfied with trsgedsns; and tie reason
chiefly given was the wonderful melody Of his voice,
I
face moreover was magnihcently marked Ill It's out
lines and capabilities. Edmund kean while max
ing great success in this country WAS vehenent!y
criticised, among others, By the celebrated Roeert
Walsh, for HE sectatons aud erors; but still left III
enormous reputation among old pisysoers here. The
,rst Booth, al Epgshmsn, appeared originally IN
London, but tradition states that he was TOO mueb
! Ike Kesn to remain. He came 10 the United States
and acted here eIcluNvely for msny years, hvns
near Baltimore. He children are Anericsn-eofn
His mobility Of face 10 spoken Of az somettns won
deriul And lis exsspera;ons Of passion carried 'he
audience with him. Added to this, IN eye OF I'M
merse power was among biz means
In the performance Of ar. j. Wilkes Booth, we
cannot say we detected anything absolu.siy new
not even the soed buff gaun,e:s, for report says
thai George Frederick Cooke wore very so'ied once
We did not find in Mr.. j. w. Booth wonderfully
yiited voice though must be added he WA SAID to
be laboring under cold. Bat we would remark
that there 10 no, one voice in million which can
stsni the huge araning Of Anglo-American tempesA
Of tragic wrath, when the actor grows purple with
effort, and all tho delicate thames Of the vocal chords
ARE tangled into state Of physical desperation. The
result is that the voice 10 rough, dead aud ghastly IN
nineen,hs Of the scenes Of the performance orthose
demanding the moro subtle, philosophical, endearipg
aud natural traite. there be any exception TO this.
among our most intense tragedaps, we have MOI en-
countsreih.
We think Mr.. j. w. Booth has great natural gi',s
for the stage and an amount OF intellectual breadth
in one 20 young that 10 most remarkable. "eap
pehend that he s all tho better for not having grown
into the boards, 20 to speak, for he lie not smenab!s
70 the charge of pompous dlction and laoonously IN
natural sounds He properly makes Richard III q
rough BRUTE and appears 70 have mastered especially
the rude lsconism which Shakespeare puts in the
,yrapt's month: for he never drswis, but goes on
quickly and convsrsatioually always a. regards tine.
The dction Of the play lie almost, every line, a fresh
Is IL written yesterday, and to player who under
snds the AT Of making talk and action vital, offers
supreme advantages as tragedy.
We canno, speal, Of Dir. j. ". Booth except in b..
Richard Ill: end ths. does no; demand grace Of
gesture or majesty a walk. II argued fnsly for the
perception. o. the young tra8edisn tho, he affected
neither the one nor the other bu, simply the bunch.
back, shambling Richard. Among the peculiarities
Of Mr j. w. Booth which We do not admire is, in
GINNING expressions, tina, of shutting one eye: now
that Il exclusively Miesisn and comic. Another s,
ar occasional speaking through the nose; no. nasal
,wsng but % If be had a cold. Mr. Edwin Booth
does the same thing. A third is q habit wttn con-
,ompaiins Of hal;-clenching his hand and regarding
his finger nails. This is also hsternsl habit; and
we presume is inherited for those things como down
through generations 81 much " form Of body, or
color Of eyes or hair.
M. w. Booth is a head and shoulders above
those who ordinarily Stsemp, Richard III, in intel
lsc.lal breadth and power Of concentration. IL he
would husband his voice little more IN he rsviug
parts, we think the average would be improved.
Bu. At all events he is terribly in esesl rs Richard
Hi, death scene was absolutely !ion-heas.ed. All
the old traditions regarding itof lighting standing
or pros,rats returning TO ,be charge, deslns sTa'-
ing blows, and dying gane-he exhibits with vast
force He was called before tie curtain ~ she gen
ersl app,auss Of full horre.