The Portland daily press., 1869-01-02

EDWIN FORREST.-When we consider what
tempestuous night it was, we are only the
more astonished at the size of the audience az
sembled in City Hall to greet Edwin Forrest
as "Othello." 1t is true it was not such house
as was due to a man who possesses such a
worldwide reputation, nor do we believe but
what the hall would have been packed if the
weather had been favorable.
Since our fathers time the taste of the pub
lie in regard to the stage has very much chang
ed The people have become realistic. They
want plays introducing sensational effects,
such as the strapping of man to a railroad
track and getting himself loose just as the train
thunders by. But more than this, they have
demanded that the scenery shall be perfection,
that real mistletoe shall be displayed on Christ
mas Eve in John Peeribingle's kitchen, that
all the accessories of the stage shall delight
the eye. Now we do not find fault with this
laudable desire that everything pertaining to
accuracy and elegance in the production of
play shall be furnished by the managers
What we do find fault with is that acting
should be made subordinate to painting and
costumes.
The tone that is adopted by the great num-
Der of actors and called stage tone, is thing
of the past. We don't believe in it any more
than we do in the old fashioned pulpit tone of
the minister. We desire actors to speak and
act as people in the same circumstances would
do in everyday life. For example, in act III,
scene III, of Othello, after Iago has aroused
the jeylousy of the Moor and exits, Othello so.
hoquizes. When man is soliloquizing, be he
ever so angry, he does not shout and hiss out
off do prove her haggard,
Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings
10 pray at tortune,'
and stamp round the stage as he saws il. but
he speaks, unconsciousy as it were, aloud and
with a suppressed agony and bitterness in the
tone that goes straight to his hearers hearts.
1t is in these conceptions of Shakespeare that
Mr.. Forrest and ourselves differ. There are
| other scenes where we like him very much, as
for instance in the scene where he dsmsses
Cassie from his service, and says, "Never more
be officer of mine" he was very dignified and
very impressive. We think Mr.. Forrest has
mellowed with age. The old tearing of pas
sion to tatters breaks out far less frequently
than of yore. If he would only vary that bass
monotone he uses SO frequently we think it
would add greater effect to the more mportant
scenes. But nevertheless, with all his faults
Forrest is Forrest, and with him will pass
away one OF the glories of the American stage.
A man who gave the actors of this country a
"habtation and name" when he appeared in
| London in 1884
Mr.. Clarke was a very good Iago. In fact it
| is rarely as good an actor appears in Portland
He had fine figure, clear expressive voice, and
showed by his reading of the part that it had
been carefully studied, both as to the meaning
of the text and appropriate gesture. Mr. Brink
as Cassie was very acceptable. Miss Lille
came out quite strong in the scene with Iago
where she reproaches him for having deceived
Othello. Miss Myers made satisfactory Des.
demona. ..s
To the Shaksperian scholars it was treat
to see the great dramatst once more presented
on the stage. Tonight "Jack Cade"