New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-29
THE DRAMA.
MISS GYMS LADY MACBETH.


beth" 1t was not propitous, however, toward the a.
sembng Of very large audience TO hear the TRACED,
read Nevertheless small band OF hardy ekcrs after
poetic nouTishmeDt found its way TO Subway Halt and
to these adventurous friends Of the Muse Miss Glyn-
making her second professional appearance In NegY York
read the greater part Of Shakespeare nlg We and
turbulent tragedy. The effort was followed tn inter
est and received with favor The auditory was not 20
select the occasion Of Miss Gyms first reading
There Were no Shakespeare, and there was some an
plause. once, mdccd-at tho end Of tie Iccp-ga ding
sccnc-the pleasure and appreciation OF Niss
Gyms hearers broke hrta into enthusiasm.
To our taste, though her reading Of "Antony and
Cleopatra is decidedly preferable 10 her reading OF
Macbeth" 1t not better in form, Of c0urs because
on equal intelligence animated both Interpretations
and because both nodded and finished in the sans
Characteristic But il loftcr In coaet ption
and more distinct and agreeable In color. II We NAV
trust the portrayals OF Maobe and Lddy HGcbA thai,
Miss Glyn suggested. last night her ideal Of thess
characters cannot be high, and certainly is not
trdc to Shakespeare. The difficulty in the way Of
positive Judgment 10 that cannot trgst i'm
plcitly to n reading adequate indication Of what
the readers acting would be. Miss GYMS theory o.
playrading assumes that the reader should aenptt 70
peTsOnatc only Of the characters IN the piece With
out especially aiming to mark the Identity Of the others
either by changes Of tone or by any cxpedents possible
under the circumstances. So at all events we are a.
sureG; and there much IN her reading 81 Macbeth
last evening. which gave iteonirmation In many TO
specs thou her practice and her theory were distinctly
TO be az variance She the witches and
did IL exceedingly wetLe gem OF her whole entertain
ment being her rendering Of the cauldrOn scene tbs
fourth act. she endeayOred, also, 20 in1iyiIualho
Maebth. Mded,tg, BdnquO. ind Rosse though without
succeeding In citherc But IL was upon LAZY Macbeth
ana Macbeth that she bestowed her concentrated force
and probably the rue way ascertain the precise yaus
OF her art consider the ideals Of these charace
that she contriyed to convey. That Of MGc5oG
wrong altogether. She made him mt
tan 49, whereas, in fact, he Is one OF tho
grandest human beings in Shakespeare. We
chiefly judge by the scene after the banquet Here
Macbeth in Shakespeare. is utterly broken down, and Is
saved by his wifes tender love- No that know
Of has more OF the patbos Of desoation. Miss Gyns
MaeLek however, at this point, looked Ike bully and
talked like mean yrant. Other points might he men
toned, Of kindred character conveying the same les
son. But this is of those cases in which straw
tells how the wind blows. When Rstori. Lody Nao-
beth, threw away the letter, after reading
It. the Thoughtful observer of her Lady
Macbeth had surely seen enough. To fail at
points is TO fail fatally When Miss Glyn made Nae
t, speech Duncan In his grave ETC., hard cold.
rcsOlutc, and ferociOus-as she did last night-shs
showed an utter misapprehension OF the nature
she had assumed to reveal Shakespeare, lie well
sured will always bear the highest Interpretation that
you can put upon him. With Lady jfdetes nature shs
remotely indicated more intimate acquaintance. Boz
she did not read the part TO mako US wish to
her act it, She would. probably, be intensely strong
Lady Macbeth, full Of physical force and Wild
energy But it il not likely that she would embody that
strong spirit OF deadly fascination that gtierDg
pound Of intellect, passion, and womany sweetness
which alone could control such mind and body Mac
beth's, and which Shakespeare has drawn In most
graphic colors-to those who have the imaginative N
sight requisite TO just appreciation Of his works Miss
Gyms Lady Macbc in the third act had fine tins and
in the slecpwahing scene, which acted the
did so much that greatly desired her DO
But she was eocuonary in the murder scencby which
we mean that her reading full OF wOrdy Effects
pauses flaws and startsand thereby size deprived II Of
truthfuness and the neodful horror reading Of the
letter was efectiye-though it hay be doubted whether
in acting there effect To be produced by tho
reading Of this It had been read before However,
the point is not important Perhaps the same re-
mark might be made on the whole subject III
Miss Glyn were to act,-and she is, apparently an 40
tress OF power and resource,-wo might arrive a.
more definite and satisfactory conclusions a. 70 her
talents and achievements. Readings matter by whom
given amount but very LITTLE. They are but thin sub
stiutes for positive and Wen appointed art Andt tho
country may be said 10 be literally pOpulous with read
ers-many of whom quite as interesting as Miss Gyn
But this lady seems capable OF greater things and she
ought to have the opportunity OF doing them The favor
that she met with last evening showed distinctly enough
that she has the power Of arousing the popular hcar
Whether her art works would at all times satisfy tDc
student OF poesy may be doubted. The doubt Is harm
less Matters OF this kind always arouse din rences Ok
opinion and promote discussion which is intellectually
profitable. We do not think Miss Clyn great shake
spcarean interpreter but think she would play so
cessul engagement at New-York thcaer aud We IuSs
she will yet give the community On opportunity 20 sec
her under circumstances that VII give fes scope 70 her
powers and her culture.
wALLACKS THEATER.