The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-05-29
ROOth's Hamlet,

There are as many Hamlets, each the ONLY
genuine Prince of Denmark, as there are
pieces of the true cross. Fictitious and MIC
tor1al personages have this in common,-tbe
diversity of opinion in regard to their true
character and motives is in direct ratio to their
greatness. Everybody regards George Francis
Train as compound of the knave and the
simpleton; but while some profound students
OF history give Caesar an apotheosis, others
form an intellectual alliance with Brutus and
MS fellow conspirators and plunge imaginary
daggers to his heart at the foot of Pompey's
statue. And so Hamlet, as the greatest of
dramatic creations, presents a "many-sided-
ness" which of itself is sufficient proof of
the deep study to which the genius of Shaks-
peare has tempted the scholars of the last two
centuries.
Last evening Mr. Edwin Booth gave the cit
izens OF Portland an opportunity to judge
whether he had arrived at closer approxima-
ton to true conception of Hamlet according
to their views, than the other great masters
who have made the subject the study of life
time. None of them certainly have made that
study more exhaustive or more conscientious
than Mr.. Booth Every word of the text
seems to have been subjected to the closest
scrutiny in the light of all the commentaries.
and the whole vast world of Shakspearian
literature. IL follows that whatever may be
the general merit of Booths Hamlet, the char
acter has consistency and perfect symmetry as
rendered by him. The great problem as to the
Danes madness or sanity, which has divided
the literary world into factions as hostlea as the
houses of York and Lancaster, is solved by
Booth in harmony with the views of those who
hold that he retained the full possession of his
reason throughout all the vicisstudes of his
career. Booths Hamlet is a philosopher and
not mailman. His madness is feigned be-
cause he wishes by that means more effectual-
ly to probe the mystery of his fathers death to
the bottom. The nobility of his nature is such
that he shrinks from the act of vengeance to
which his outraged feelings prompt him, and
he waits and watches behind his mask.
How attractive Booth has made his concep-
ton of the character is part of modern dra-
matte history. In spite of the attractions of
the spectacle and the ballet, in spite of strong
current in the direction of the sensational dra-
ma, the grand old masterpiece of Shakespeare
has kept the stage in some of our large cities
more than hundred nights in succession
How justly deserved has been the popularity
OF the actor Portland audience had an oppor-
tunity to judge for the first time last night He
was not received with enthusiasm, but every
word he uttered was listened to with the most
profound attention by the crowded audience.
The famous monologue, the address TO the ac-
tor and other familiar passages were received
with especial favor, but the GOODNESS, we might
almost say the hduteur of the philosophic
prince, and the comparative repose of his man.
ner were not calculated to excite hearty APP
plause.
Mr.. Booth was well supported by Miss Noah
as Opheia, Mr.. G.. r.. Thorne as Laertes, Mr..
Aldrich as Horatio and Mr. Leman as Polo
MAS. The aged counsellor, especially, was
well represented with his strange combination
of wisdom, folly and egotism. The ghost we
must protest against that dreary and monoto-
nous individual having appeared in full glare
of gaslight which dispelled the faintest shade
of illusion and stalked with creating boots
across the stage The want of proper scenery
and other accessories was most painfully APP
parent, and detracted greatly from the interest
of the play. 1t was necessary to resort to
clumsy expedients which only the skill of the
actors could prevent from making the whole |
performance ridiculous Let us have an Opera |
House!
Tonight Mr.. Booth appears as Cardinal |
Richleu and among those who will crowd the |
audience who can by any possibility be pres