New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-28
THE DRAMA.
nooTu's THEATER.


The most important dramatic representation
g,vsn an NauYor on Monday night was that Of
Othelo at Rootl's Theater, with Mr. EdWlh booth as
Ja0o and Mr. Edwin Adams as the MOOR; ana twas also
the best representation OF shaKespeaIeah pay n' mas
been given here for years WITH reference 10 tue manner
fn which the tragedy Of O1heo mas Deeh Drought OUT
a, Roo,b Tbeater we have already improved the occa
,o q, sreak In point OF scenery, costumes, appoint
nsnt ndcious restoration Of the original text sensible
and helpful stage business and general acting the trag
% has been far better done here than ever before in
America AS a natural consequence, therefore,
th,s noble art effort has prominently occupied the
attention, and literally won the thoughtful
cordial applause Of students Of Shakespeare and true
friends OF the stage and those ingenious journalists no"
cropping up TO the surface, who determined 20 uc
nonnce and Witty everything that is done by EDWIN
Booth have burned their powder utterly IN ValD Nor
earning Mr. Booths OheLo there is, indeed, some Jus'i
fable difference Of opinion among critical students oi
acting In the matter Of personal statepess anu PyS
cal strength Mr. Booth is perhaps, inadequate 70 give
the correct ideal Of shakespeares jealous Moo bu III
all the essential spiritual qualities his Oho is eAceAent
and admirable. Its is nObieness lts manner
Is dignity Its love is profoundly passionate,
holy. and gentle, and the uterance Of that love
"a beautifully expressive of high soul and inefably
tender heart Its tiger rage thrilling It's agony makes
the heartstrlngs rembe From first 10 last ii Is sym
roetrea personatOn OF character distinctly and rightly
apprehended aud Is lit up with the fire Of dramatic
genius We speak Win all requisite careIulDeSs OF
Thought when say that the OthetO Of Mr. Booth will
better repay study than several other Of his popu-
lar impersonations the lover Of acting can dwell
80 detail upon picture OF suffering so deploraDy
Rrievous Yet he physically unsuited to the part
s Performance Of ii is likely to rank as hlSh III
popular regard as his performance Of Idgo In this
which no gave last night for the first time this season.
there is only ono flaw This we mention at the
beginning, and have done with It, Booths Ia9o
does not sufficiently relish OF the soldier Aslue from
this however there defects The actor VINO Wouu
play IagO must have the capacity OF assuming entire
sweet and winning righteousness. His bearing must De
manly frank and free. He must be- in the finest sense
intellectual He must have humor that ranges easily
from light banter sardOnic sarcasm He must wear all
his power lightly and easily He must thoroughly know
nd master his malignant genius-fOra man OF &c
IS he is Eif one Ewas drawn by Shakespeare,
"a knows all qualities, with a learned spirit OF hui
AN dealings" Edwin Booth possesses every one OF
nese 0ualihcatons-and these he displayed last
light His triumphant success in Idgo was
Of snowy, but it was deep and sure
100 was be the moving spirit Of the entire action
he very embodiment deylish intellect magnificent
an in its works of fendsh mischief literal shudder
1 round the house, when he spoke the words, 81 sec
hath O little dashed your spirits" Human sympa-
was never better simulated, and never more out
ged than in the soft speciousnass Of this guefu utter
CO. ALTHOUGH the famous third act indeed Mr. Booth
,tlled poison with all that Woodworking, delicate,
morseless ingenuity which Shakespeare has attributed
% Iaoo-not therein we fully believe, exaggerating in
any particular the possible deprayy Of man. In that
bird act too Mr. Edwin Adams signal triumph as
Jhello With his Ia0o, lately presented, We were not
sed He failed TO grasp the subtle workings OF that
deyilish BRAIN He was never really specious, His
plotting soliloqules did not to work their
way through burdened and tong BRAIN intent on dia
bocal crime but had mostly the effect Of matters done
Z rote. He had JOY in his villany. Pleasure and
did not in his case make the hours seem short
But his OslIo is a true work Of art He looks the char
after sympathizes with its nagnanimy. The large,
warm heart that beats in his bosom all alive with pas
.s.on, responsive TO the passion Of the Moor-hs
love for Desdeond, which his life; his terrific rage
when his guieless nature Is turned awry his awful
agony when he stands alone amid the ruins OF his self
devastated soul. What especially marked and adj
nired IN his acting was the delicate art with which he
marked the nux Of that binding physical renzy-he
outgrowth Of the Moors bsrbaric blood which mounts
into his BRAIN obscures his and makes him the
ready victim Of the subtle lagos honest vany 1t was
not without that Shakespeare chose 10 ypy jea
Ousy In the person OF a Moor. Mr. Adams vOclfer
ously applauded his delivery Of the grand mOpnfu
tonder farewell lines, "oh forever" and certainly
10 spoke them with great pathos. he kept the face
turned upward, however, and 50 lost a point These
words break involunarly from OheO ont Of the deep
heart Of settled despair The face, no less than the
voice shonld convey the awful desoaton OF that tre
zllendous outburst OF grief But we should be I'M
grateful under Of remarkable earnestness and
art TO spy about for defects in this excellent effort
Mr.. Adams does not give perfect OHello: but 1t
"a one OF the best We have SEEM and the actor has IL
to make IL great piece OF acting lie MADE
hit last night. aud the very large audience gave hlm
the beartes response. To the excellent acting OF MI
Mark Smith as BrdbQntO and TO numerous other points
In the acting We have previously referred Miss Nc
Vlckers DcsdeDlonQ is sweet and charming. Her song
Of Willow" again given with exquisite eeng ana
was warmly appauded The curtain fell at halfpast IL
II was most ENJOYABLE OCCASION and was greatly en-
joyed "Othelo with this will DO given every night
for the present.