New-York tribune., 1867-05-23
THE DRAMA.

FRENCH THEATER-MR FAIRcLoUGH.
Mr. Boothroyd Farclough has given, at the French
Theater three presentations of the character
of Hamlet 1t was our fortune last evening, to follow
him through a considerable portion of the tragedy
and we cannot but think-meritOrious though tho
performance was-that MIR. FairclOugh was both I'M
polite and unwise in assuming to play Hdmtf at ,be
outset of his engagement. lmpolitic, because tina
commu1ty ls aScnsonea 10 ,ns hocansa hs has
little natural fitness for the part. His appearance
upon the stage is viyidly suggestive OF Nephsle-
pkeles. His movements and attitude are often
ungTaceful. and many of his gestures are arti-
fetal. Moreover, his voice is scarcely sym-
pathetic. Under these circumstances what need is
there 10 discuss the correctness of his conception
of the characterf All the correctness possible To
human talent cannot atone for the lack of absolute
natural fitness in a dramatic impersonatlon. Inc
divine fire of genius may, indeed, make us forget
superficial defects; but here, too, Mr.. Faircough
seems deficient. His Hamlet is Hazlitts man in ar
NOR None Of the divine passion was perceptiblo
even in those awful that sympathetic
mind can think of without thrill of awe and terror
A convulsive movement sterterous Dreaming ana
O rapid quiyering of the fngers-these were Mr.
FairclOughs tokens of agitation, when HdBtet was
following the recedng figure of his fathers spirit.
He was lacking in delicacy too, IN the prlncey alg
acter His demeanor toward IoloRias was SO rude rs
to be almost coarse. This is from the purpose OF
Shakespeare. Hamlet is bitter only in his moods OF
Madness, and as with OpheIia. at the beginning OF
act third Polonius he always meets in quiet, sad.
half plying mood of tolerant humor; " 10 exposta-
ate what Hamlet is however. would be TO retrayeTsa
tedions field of critical inquiry There no call for
such labor at the moment. Considering Mr.
jndge rase'0"Hn' the Whole ' by the larger part-ws
should describe it as correct Hdmei ac.
cordng to the ancient traditions of the stage IL
involves all the old business and walks in the beaten
track of legend. Mr.. Fairclough did but one thing
that we do not remember to have seen HGme, DO
before. When he said Rest, perturbed splrltD bs
drew upon the ground with the point Of his sword.
tho sign of the cross The audience did not appear
to observe this action. Audiences seldom do notice
however, Mr Farclough became very turbulent. as
he did at various points in the third act his audience
testified its pleasure by the customary 2explicabie
indeed he was called before the curtain But on the
Whole the populace was sluggish. Mr.. Faircough
should have. tried the town, we think with some
either Hdmloi OF Rohseuthe latter of which IS an
nounced for tonight-in York just now; Why
not Mephistopheles, which Mr. falrclo1gh looks asu
he could play perfectly well Or Why not Shake
speares Mare Antony which has no competent repre-
sentative on the local stage, so far as we know Mr.
able at the French Theaer but the scenery and the
Hamlet Putting Mr.; Fairclough aside, there was
last night, The battlementss of Elslnore.
for example, were represented by what APP
g geon, while the more removed spot whereto,
Hamlet was conducted by the paternal ghost turned
out to be the interior of shady grove; Certain on
the performers toe TsIe anS gs Senemsn who
undertook Horao seemed to have but faint idea OF
the meaning of the words they spoke and no idea at
ali of the characters they had assumed TO interpret
Poseacronfs fell 10 the lot of young man who must
have come but lately from the fair green fields OF
Erin the beautiful The fiery Laertes stood forth
in the presence of youth so modest and confidential
that he was fain to communicate his mind ex-
cusively to the performers in the orchestra.
Mr.. Hind PLAYED Pol0nas, q part in which b baS
often iignred elsewhere and which he reresents i'm
almost Strict c9nsonanee with the race of the stage
He is indeed, less sene and sehseless than some Of
the O character that have seen
not rather Shakespeares intention 10 represent i'm
P9'0ntM the kind and tender father, as well as tho
Wise statesMapi GarTulops be is but not aiGol and
and he enacted that very difficult part with much
feeling and discretion.