The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-08
THEATRICAL.

fashion and intellect. Shakespeare sang to Fifth
avenue, and the glorious orbed Edwin waved the
baton OF the conductor. At the appointed hour,
despite the hostility OF old Jupiter Pluvius who pro-
tested with tears in his eyes against the OF
the legitimate the doors were hung open fgurative-
ly speaking-in reality one had to squeeze through
narrow aperture which gave the ladies only the
choice of brawny policeman or doorkeeper to
embrace. The great fan, worked by steam, slowly
but surely agitated the atmosphere of the house;
the massive scenery, worked by cunning
machinery, SET the wonderful square IN Verona"
MIR. Booth made the usual little speech in beautiful
suit Of Sunday Clothes evidently prepared for the
occasion, the hidden orchestra struck up g Hail
Columbia" to fire the American heart, and then,
amid buzz Of expectation, the grand curtain rose
majesticaly and revealed the most superb effective
scene ever done on an American stage. The open
ing scene, with the loud ALARM the ringing Of bells
and the rush OF fighting Montagues and Capuets
down the frightened street, was the most vivid pic
ture ever presented Of those turbulent days when
Romeo loved, Mercuti0 rallied and Tybat fought
The scenery throughout the piece was equally
grand and impressive, but In none was the
thrilling effect OF the opening combat on the
grand square of Verona equaled. The balcony scene
was gem as perfect as the soul of poet could con-
ceve, but 1t was the face OF nature marred by the
presence OF man. Mr. Booths inability to conceive
the character OF Romeo, still less to play It, was here
most painfully apparent and as Mr.. Booth. after all
was the feature OF the evening" despite the splendid
theatre the Mansard roof the great fan worked by
drop and Miss Mary Mcvickar, we will sake
the liberty to strip or the gauze and illu-
sion which has yelled the central figure
upon which the future Of booths" depends
knows as well as we do, viz:-that he can't play
Romeo The widow Of Garrick, jealous Of her dead
the rising Edmund Kean play Abel Drugger, which
during Garrick's life was left solely to him. The
widow saw and wrote to Kean-"Dear sir, yon can't
play Abel Drugger.n The tragedian equally curt
and frank replied-sDear madam, know It," SO
MIR. Booth who has frankness among other ele-
ments OF genius, win reply 70 the charge that he
knows not Romeo.
Imagine youth OF an exquisite sensibiity, Of
proud, naughty nature, with an imagination trans
cendently vivid and strong, with glowing exuber
ance Of passion which lights up every movement OF
lie; graceful, contemplative, continually nursing in
Joying or sorrowlng In proportion as the passing
image falls short or Is in keeping with this ideal
youth OF intense feeling, burning thought. loving
neart, giving up his whole being to one deep de-
v0uring passion; consumed, eaten with q fire.
imagine all this, for such is Romeo, and see come on
with students stride, saty, bilious self-torment
ing, selfish face, which the brightness OF q large
massive eye cannot relieve from certain express
sion OF mingled meanness and cruelty which those
uncomfortable lndices the mouth ana chin, express
See Mr.. Edwin Booth come on as Romeo. What can
be honestly saidf To picture such youth as Romeo
uOTu Oub VI WOTlu u uTednB anu love, IOr SuCu D
nature as Mr.. Booths were impossible; ana as II
conscious OF this, he seemed ut times abso-
lutely to writhe under the load OF sweet
the divine master crowded him. He has not
q spark Of electrO-magnetlsm about him, and when
is almost funny to see his struggles to throw UPON
his features SOFT radiance Of feeling and the way
their hard copperish surface casts back the sentt-
ment unrefected Ii painfully disenchanting. In
such characters as lag0, where good knowledge OF
stage business and cold, keen, passionless ICY ma
his true sphere. His elOcutOn Is unstudied natural
and attractive. He has keen eye for stage Effects
and without any OF the eneminate notions OF rib
bons and small decacies OF detail which belong to
other artists has large, graceful idea OF cooring
picture, which is essentially artistic and
ar more o the on Ss puSs
forms conception, not wrong one; for great
artists may make . wrong conception 80 complete
great fact in art. Mr.. Booth merely drifts with
pleasant presence and agreeable elocution through
excellent stage business and wonderfully man9uvred
machinery with hackneyed notions, caught or
conveyed, without any regard to the character as
whole. He Is wholly incapable Of expressing passion
and consequently OF playing Romeo; but as ne adj
mits this with charming cand0r and his doing SO
was an act Of courteous galantry to Miss Mcyickar
as we stated two weeks since, we waive, especially
on the last account, tnat keener analysis 10 which
duty directs us and which would determine his DOOM
i demands however great forbearance TO pass light
cony scene with Juliet. Feeling the mpossihnty Of
expressing with his immobile face the eager impa-
OF his heels danced and c.ogged about the stage as
though emulOus OF the saltat0rial fame OF LOtta
The passage Of old Capulets orchard wall was BIT
gymnastc ability OF Mr.. Booth. But we pass these
details over for reasons we have named, and when
Mr.. Booth gives US Richeieu or Hamlet VIII be glad
to sound his praise to the fartherest world. We
cannot expect the Romeo OF that distant day any
more than we can look for the Verona Of to-day to
be the Verona Of Romeo and juliet. Though the
jinglinR spur Of the Austrian hussar no longer
catters on the spot where once the poet sung,
the sculptor carved and the painter dreamed and
noble youths and lovely maidens laughed life low
ingly away, that old Italian city has lapsed into
modern responsibility dull, cold and mediocre. still
pass away and cities that were spots Of light may sit
in darkness; but the sun which makes Italy beam
equally on woman and on man. What is fancy In
colder climates glows into passion there The small
rvalres over pet actresses which touch with spark
ling llvellness fancy balls become revenge with
them; but the comes scorchingiy here sometimes
We have our M0nteccias and Capuets in New York,
the dreams OF many sentimental maidens on Wednes-
Miss SIS Mary Mcvickar, for whom Mr. Booth thus
calamity sacrificed himself we are panied to say, Is
In no way worthy OF the sacrifice Giuletto Capu-
letto Is created by the hand OF Shakspeare-warm,
tender lovely, enthusiastic. She is the impersona-
ton OF love, the love not OF mere sensuality but
sensuality spirtualized by tmagtnatton-such love
abandons Its soul to him loves where the blood Ii
hot, the heart true, the soul refined, scorning all
doubts OF affected modesty revealing In the frankness
Of unfailing trust Every thought raises up 10 US
may venture to say that Miss Mary Mcyickar, how
ever fascinating, Is not delicate geranium rising
from sevres vase. she rs % strong
artistic training, bat Q great deal OF raw
vigor and rude force; and, while she can never
realize the graceful buoyant lovely Juliet OF Shak-
speares creation, we have no doubt would manage
Komeo's business after marriage with considerable
effect The balcony scene was ~ stripped Of poetry
the balcony would be In the Verona OF to-day; but In
passages which require force and strong gusts Of
passion she occasionally arose to electric power.
The Mercutio OF Edwin Adams was the redeeming
and perfect portraiture Of the evening. The frank
gallant bearing finished ease and quick Intelligence
of Mr. Adams fairly adapt TO the character
OF Mcrcutl0 In the scene In front OF the cathedral
where Tybalt aud Mercutio fight and the latter u
slam by a false thrust Mr.. Adams blazed with dra-
AUDIENCE A tumutnoua recall. or the rest Of the