The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-04
B o o T II.
The Opening of His Elegant New Taen
tire in New York Last Evening.

From the ~ Y. Times Of This morning.
Mr. Edwin Booths Theatre, on the southeast
corner of West Twenty third street and SKIN
avenue, was opened to the public last evening,
and was very extensively occupied by the many
headed monster. The establishment IS one OF
the most important ever dedicated to the art
Its exterior grandeur is only equalled by the
beauty and brightness OF its In .eror decora-
tions. 1t lacks. no wever, the spacious freedom
of the Grand Opera House, and Is particularly
deficient in lobby room. Ladies' dresses were
rent and disordered last evening IN way tnat
viii bring q powerful interest To bear against
the theatre. 1t is only under certain conditions
that the sex permits Itself to be crowded.
As a rule, 1t is best not TO step on womans
dress, unless, like poor "Mercuuo" you wish
to be "scratched TO dealhn What would have
become of the attendance last night had an
alarm of fire taken place 1t is dreadful to think
Of. The alarm OF water-and the skies were
plentCo in their gifts COnpested the little
lobby, and made egress almost impossible. MIR,
Booth can remedy this by having additional
wickets, and will, no doubt, do so. Where SO
much has been done, 1t is hardly vain to look
for more. At all eveD's II Is natural to do 40.
The play selected for the opening, as our readers
are well aware, was Romeo dnf Jutet. E,e
the tragedy had commenced Mr.. Booth male
his appearance before the audience, aud spoke
as folloWs:-
before the curtain rises on our play" he
said, 'let me Did you welcome, warm as heart
car make it, to my new theatre. 1t has long
been my desire to build theatre that might be
regarded as worthy OF our great metropolis;
and at last my ambition is realized, and, by the
kind cooperation of my valued friend Mr..
Robertson, am enabled to offer this one. |
should, however, be unworthy OF this success
did now fail to acknowledge the unvarylng
kindness wherewith the public of New
York has eyer cheered me on my pro
fessional pathway. For two years / have
been absent from you; and in that time
| have worked very hard, and endured much
auXety-as was naturally the case, with such
an enterprise as this upon my hauds. But now
1 have rnpU. more | 1ruEt TO pniOV the
sunshine of your favor. When the Winter Gar
den was burned had been announced to play
Romeo; and it has seemed to me ft that
should resume my professional lab)rs before
you precisely at the point where they were so
abruptly ended. For such defects as may be
noticeable in the working OF tho scenery tom 9ht
| solicit your indulgence. Once more / sincerely
thank you for your presence"
He then retired, changed his dress, and the
piece proceeded. OF this everything remains to
be said. The waits which are inevitable on
first nights, although never prolonged to the
point OF exciting inquietude or displeasure, led
the performance into the most advanced still
ness of the night. They who could remain
were doubtless rewarded for their pains. Most
certainly the early acts were the most marvel
lous specimens of stage production ever wit
messed here. The scenery is absolutely
perfect, and the proportions of the stage
enable it m, to be worked dias 10 also Ito to
which could not even be attempted at any other
establishment such for instance as the ban
quoting hall in "CaOuletsr house and the cele-
brated balcony scene. The opening was a sue.
cess worthy of the gravest attention, aud trivial
eeneralities and shimmeriug verbiage are hardly
appropriate for the occasion. We may say
hurriedly that Mr. Edwin Adams seemed to
divide the favor of the audience with Mr. Booth.
He was called out (would that it were always
possiole!) after his death and appeared to
be breathing quite freely. The fighting, be 1t
observed, was furious on all sides. Miss
McVickars outlet" was perhaps marred by
timidlty. Under any circumstances it is a
proper subject for further comment, if not
study. Much credit is due to Mr.. Mark Smith.
"Friar Lawrence" but for the general COM
pleteness OF the stage arrangements. The ne "
ropes and pulleYs, and machinery and me
chanics, led to occasional delay, but never to
disaster The play was perfectly we'll studied,
and followed the text of Shakespeare more
closely than usual.