New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-27
THE DRAMA.
NIBLo's GARDES-MR. FEcHTnR.

n
case will be much the in the other Moth
ing is more hurtful than nudcious admiration For Oh,
own part the Of Mr. Fechter the deeper our
conviction grows that he has been largely oyerraed
Under ordinary circumstances this point would not be
important Nobody minds for instance, the blatant pre-
entions with which, in the summer vacation, Mr. Below
hard great tragedan up from the country 70
asonsh the capital Vegetables usually get market In
that way But this is a different Mr Fechter-with
the prestige OF Paris and London reputation that GER
tanly entitled to respecthas been brough: here with
uncommon pomp and ceremony and presented to this
public as a very great actor. Before he we we're
told in substance, that In seeing Mr.. Fechter act we
should the first time in benighted yes ma
ture the stage That famous mirror TO which Hamlet
makes allusion understood to be In Mr.. Fechters
trunk end hopes that would presently be held up vera
inspired with the utmost profusion. Since the gentle
came, moreover, we have been moro than once IN
formed that nature has been seen; or, IL nos
seen, that the fault is in our blind.
ness and not in the actors art, 1t 10
my business Sir" said DR. johnson, TO furnish argu.
meDts and furnish brains" That Is the attitude
OF Mr. Fechters apostles. Under these circumstances
decent respect for our own stage-and for common
it duty to speak explicitly with respect
to Mr. Fechers professional rank and with respect to
the extraordinary and somewhat exasperatDg claims
that put forward his behalf We have twice seen
and studied his performance OF Ry Bias and last even
ing observed, with careful attention. his performance
Of Legdrdere These IL is true not great characters
and perhaps greatness in actng-by which We the
power that seize upon elements OF In
dviduality and circumstance, blend them into nat
ural, symmetrical embodiment, and light up the
whole harmonious perfection with the radiant magnetic
fire Of genusought not to be expected In their nterpre
tation. But cannot forget that the quality of egg
always discovered soon its shell Is broken and
that through an inadequate medium the actor who
has genius will always convey impression Of It, Look
Mr. Rt,u RIds and dcreW
not only rail to the prodigy that promised, but
we fail actor who rises above the average level
OF our own stage. What we expected-and what
we had q clear right to expect, after Mr.
Dickenss clarionI and the numerous minor buges
was If not O phenomenon, to say the least
OF it unique actor. What do In fact see stout
mddle.aged gentleman. full OF years and dinners.
whose countenance has little mobility Of expression.
whose whole aspect commonplace whose voice. though
delicate in quality is an organ OF the ordinary Sort who
speaks English with French cadence. and, now and
then, with puddingheade cockney drawl, and who
altogether mpresses the mind substantial result OF
the sausages OF phlosophc Germany, betered
by London Stout. This gentleman is seen TO
enact the romantic lover and the dashng
soldier. Sometimes but not always, his
talk Is understood. AS the performance proceeds and
the artist and developed, he Is found to be
earnest ardent intelligent frequently picturesque Ia
gesture and perfectly proficient in stagebuslness-as
over-whch Is still greater praise and Mr. Fechter Is an
artist who deserves praise the exrayagant aud
erring assumptions his behalf are put asiie-he Ia
found have distinct ideal Of the part that he Is play
ing ian ideal which, whether right wrong natural o.
unnatural is o clear image in his own mind, aud To
adhere to this, consistently, from first to last He
gives in brief, coherent, elaborate neatly hnlshed' and
effective specimens OF melo dramatic acting
We have no for faultfndng, and would, In truth,
be glad to credit all the actors the stage with having
the genius OF Kean and the fame OF Napoleon Bonapars
which many Of them by the way, secretly believe
themselves possess But the necessity for fauthDdng
sometimes thrust upon This is the case at present
One would fancy Judging from the extravagant manner
in which Mr. Fechter exOed, that sense, moderation.
accuracy OF detail, proprety Of action and polish OF
stye-all which qualities, though not unmxed with
matter in the way Of Gallo stage trckery Mr.
Fechters acting possesseshad never been seen on our
stage till brought here by this foreign performer Yes
this public has seen Joseph Jefferson Edwin Booth
William Warren, William Rufus Blake Lester Wallack
John f. Owens Edwin L. Davenport, James w. Wallaok
John Gilbert, Mrs. Lander and Mrs Bowers-tO namo
but few who sustain the dignity OF our theater Com
parson, of course, criticism, and the sagacous
D0gbeTry has told that comparisons arc odorous"
The particular merit Of Mr.. Fechters R,iy Bias or
Legardere is no be measured by comparison Of
those performances with Mr.. JeersOns Rip Van Winkte.
than the particular merit OF a statue by Crawford is to
be measured by comparison Of that work with land.
scape by lnness. But when We are told that Dir.
Fechter as a dramatic artist, "O'er.tops the skyey
head OF old Olympus" 1t is perfectly fair,
and in opinion absolutely essential to remember that
Olympus has few other occupants little way higher up
the mountain. That being done. at liberty TO
cOgnze with all rational applause the distinct aad posi-
tive merits Of Mr. Fechters acting to which auson has
been already incidentally made. He clever deneator
character because he takes identity and keeps He
can represent with truth and force the operation OF VIC.
lent, active, demonstratye emotion. He has broad.
well trained, and thoroughly available mastery OF the
mechanism Of acting that 49, he can exaggerate With
Skill and is perfectly proficient in the use OF stage
effects That seems US, Is the OF his mers For
the rest-he makes an ardent temperament stand in
the place OF genius aud his method OF acting fro
quently sacrifices nature to theatrical trckery His Ak.
block and headsman business in the final scene Of Ruy
Bias" may be mentioned a conspicuous type OF this
kind OF mechanism 1t is very effective as artihce ts
utterly false nature. Yet all Mr. Fechters much
Wanted originality consists precisely that sort OF
stuff This We infer from what have read Of him. no
less than from what have The English accounts
OF his Hamlet 0heio and IGgo made particular mention
of admirable features OF what-to our taste
would DO simply clap.trap Pathos Mr.. Fechter
expresses by rolling up his eyeballs till the whites Oh
them alone visible, dropping his lower jaw dsioting
his counenance, and whining in dissgreeable manner
Briefy-we search Mr.. Fechter's acting in vain for
single ray OF genius-for thrill OF that magnetic
power which and eeyates the immortal part OIL
Hence,-comparing what he is repued to be with
what in our eyes he actually s-we are compelled 70
conclude, said at tho outset, that he has been
greatly overrated. Such things can and do happen
Many a player more to the imaGinations OF gym
pathetic critics than he would To willing to adm"
These critics, sitting at play" often see. IN the
representation that passes before Them qualities OF eh
celencc that have no existence except IN their own
minds With those qualities they Invest their heros per
sonations, which, therefore, when reproduced on tne
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