The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-16


At the head Of dramatic literature stand five
great works, the supreme efforts OF the one great
poet whose genius able to encompass the entire
range of human passions, sympathies, and emotions
Romeo and Juliet OhelO Hamlet, Macbeth, and King
Lear may almost be said to the whole field of
tragedy. At the two ends of the list that embraces
Hamlet as the one masterpiece, perfect and unap-
proachable, of the human intellect, stand Romeo
and JaLet the tragedy OF youth, beauty, and love,
and Lear. the tragedy of senity, madness, and de-
spair The one glowing with the uncontrolled pas
sions of young, fresh and intoxicating love, colored
with the tints OF an Italian sunset: and the other
sombre, dark, and terrible with the shadows OF de-
throned reason, flial lngrattude, and the man-
fold atrocities of barbarOus age. The
characters of all these plays have qualities that
battle representation on the stage but it is Romeo
and Juliet and King Lear that most completely set
the actors art at defiance or the hero and heroine
of the first there are few adequate representatives
before the public, and of liking Lear there is but
one artist who has the courage to attempt the per-
sonation, and to brave the danger OF non-success in
realizing the ideal of the poets conception
1t is useless at this day to attempt to criticize Mr.
Forests faults OF manner; the public know well
what they are and they have been for years the
objects OF assault from those who do not to dis
cuss the qualities that make this artists acting great
despite his mannerisms. 1t is enough 10 place Mr..
Forrest far above all his contemporaries that he
alone has the ability to play "King Lear In a
manner worthy OF the warmest commendation This
is undoubtedly his best personatiOn, and not only
are his faults OF style toned down in 1t until they
scarcely appreciabe, but he actually grasps all that
there is in the part and presents 1t with mastery
combination of decacy and vgOr that is astonishing
when we consider the ruggedness and excessive
energy OF some of his presentations. His ''King
Lear" is quiet piece OF acting, and it Is only In the
upon Goneril," in the first act, that he even
approaches to rant. The lights ana shades OF
''Iearsr character are marked with bold and de-
grandeur
about the whole performance that impresses the
spectator close approximation at least, to the
ideal conception OF the poet The decacy with which
the amable side of "Lears' character is brought
forward is remarkable i'll view OF the vigor and de-
csion OF the outlines, and the profound pathos with
which Mr. Forrest represents 'Iear's" deep-rooted
and tender for Cordelia" Is OF the most ad-
mirabe features OF his personatiOn clear" in the
early scenes OF the play, is only impressive as
weak and imperious old man, too long accustomed
TO habits of rule to submit to contradiction, and too
doatingly fond of his children to survive -rcatment
at their hands. II is not until he goes mad that he
really becomes majestic, and the figure of the old
king out in the storm, with the "Fool" and edgar
the pretended madman for his companion Is of the
most highly wrought dramatic situations that Shake
speare ever imagined. With Mr.. Forrest the gradual
approach OF madness in "Lear is finely marked, al
though there is final climax when his wits appear
TO give way altogether in a moment, and he passes
| from a senility that moves our pity to a majestic
| madness that touches the height OF the sublime.
Mr.. Forests "Iear,' as an acted character, is,
| despite few bemishcs, as near perfection as we
ever expect 10 anything of the kind His taste
in costume, however, belongs TO the pre-Adamite
ages of the drama, ana the straw crown and sword
that he assumes in the fourth act are artistic alb
surdities that perfectly astonishing in an actor
who has the genias TO embody such u character as
"Kng Lear" 1t is in such petty exhibitions Of in
sullerabe bad taste this that Mr.. Forrest lays
himself open to uCntemptuouS criticism, 10y
showing how ridiculous he can be even when mos
sublime.
, Mr. Forests clear must De considered as
, thing 10y Itself and entirely apart from The drama
in which II ought properly 70 be the CHIEF ngure. II
, is great, iD spite Of the efforts OF some mbecilt
adapter" TO ruin one OF the grOndest tragedies eve
: written, !or tha version OF king LsaT that MI