New-York tribune., 1870-01-06
THE DRAMA.
HAMLET AT BOOTHS THEATER.

1t Is scarcely necessary 10 5IdJe JHdt u SlCd'
concourse Of people witnessed the representation OF
Hamlet last evening" in Booths Theater. SO much
will very correctly be taken granted The audience
was not only numerous but brilliant in point OF in
teect and TASTE Many OF the ceyerest men ana women
in NewYork society there present. The w.t. the
poet artist the critic the journalist the farceur the
paterfamilias-al were represented and beauty and
fashion mingled and glttered in the brilliant crowd IL
may as well be taken for granted, also' that TINS
multitude Of spectators the sublimest tragedy
OF Shakespeare put upon the stage in perfectly superb
manner "Hamlet" has never before had such stage
setting. The pictures magnificent. There are
twelve OF them; and it Is, by the way, remarkable
fact indicative OF the precision OF Shakespeares art
that play SO massive as Hamlet can be presented
within so small a compass Of To describe all the
scenery that thus would be to Oil columns-whch
neither time space Will now permit. Great
splendor Of effect was, IN particular, layished
on tho third act The play scene was
very beautiful, in Its vastness' It's thorough
finish OF detail and its ornate decoration But the state
illness ana the cniII, - che b~t'.o"'0Ht
made them the most impressive The dictates OF
a vivid imagination, rightly apprehended aud thoroughly
Needed have been obeyed in the composition OF these
scenes as also that of the somber ohurchyard picture
in which the tragedy terminates Noting these beauties
by the way and noting also that the costumes employed
we're rich, varied, and striking, pass at
once to Hecuba. Mr. Booth can never have
acted Hamlet than he actedHu oni this OCCASION
The quick vital, intense sympathy that prevailed be-
tween audience ana actor seemed to move him to the
free deep OF hts nature-a nature closely
akin that Of Hamlet and therefore, which finds
in the haunted Prince the most congenial medium for
ample expression Hamlet" every reader knows, Is
the topic for endless discussion AS often as 1t recurs II
punges everybody into the coudand Of poesy and the
more than Cretan OF metaphysics. How often IL
has ured us into the mist OF dreams, habitual
reader Of this column will need to be told. On
the present occasion, however, we shall refrain
from diving Let say at once, though that the Hamlet
OF Mr. Booth seems, in thought, To be the literal
Hamlet OF Shakespeare. 1t is prncely gentleman,
qustely sensitive in temperament and delicate in man
ner whose fond and faithful heart has broken by
alicon and grief; whose imagination has been DER
fraug and whose has been daZed by communion
with the spiritual world; whose organization
strung the highest pitch. is tremulous hyeaf to
every breath Of feeling and Of circumstance; whose
sadeyed wisdom the futty OF everything EARTH
whose miudoppressed by all sufficient motive and neces
sty for action, yet saturated with the of human
nothinguess-s perplexed In the extreme " and whose
soul. carrying mortal life the wearest Of burdens
gropes darkly towards Immortality. These generalza
tions think combine to indicate tho character OF Ham
le Shakespeare has drawn it, That character shines
out in and color Of life, from the acting OF Mr.
Booth hoDe out last evening Upon the method Of
the actlng--upOn tho statuesque element, that is
aud the facial expression, and the use OF ges
ture, and the stage business-we might
pleasantly
must for that. The thing that most concerns us
here ia the informing charm OF this noble work Of
the beautiful spirit that anmates and dgnes the whole
representations spirit, that s which blends the hearth
est feeling nyeliesJ imagination, the oftiest mag
nanlmty, and the most sweet and gentle refinement
weaving them together with mperceptible art and
throwing over them all mysterious halo Of romance
aud pathos To realize and reproduce that spirit in act
ing Hamlet Is TO be greatly successful. II was
clear from Mr.. Booths performance, last night
that he has bestowed extraordinary pains on
the elaboration OF minute details. In his
ghost scene-wherein he greatest I'm mood show
ing perfectly well the awful terror of noble nature af
frghted by supernatural visitationths hOroughness
of finish was especially evident and admirable But the
warm glow OF inspiration blaZed through all the "out-
ward h0urshes" OF method, making feelin mind and
heart that the actor had caught and reflected the spirit
OF the poet With the audience Mr.. Booths
extremely briantor all sorts OF reasons, OF course,
aside from the merit of his acting since, to most per-
sons, rs this world goes, the spiritual significance and
intellectual grandeur Of Hamlet mysterious tho
fate Of the lost peiad. Equayla sealed book Is the
tremendous concentration of mind that H noedfu 10 the
representative OF this character Mr. Booth called
at tho end Of each OF the four acts in which Hamlet
appears, His new stage business, tooof which there
was great dealwas recognized with equal readiness
and warmth Of appreciation. The killing OF the King.
| IN tho last soene, especially thrilling 10 the
| the lhouse moro animated picture-thrilled with
I dosolation Of doom-has never been seen ON any
stage Many resorations OF the original text well
| aud wisely made throughout the piece. Mr.. Booths
Hamlet. We are glad 20 add was well sustained The
Ghost has not been played wen within recollec
top, "a Il last night played by Mr. Waller The hne
aud solemn dignity OF the character and the awful halo
of mystery surrounding IT, expressed IN the most
| Impressive manner, aud tho text read with
fsrvid meaning and simple beauty Mr. Hamilton was
S ans s az, ss Gs guilty %sS S,s Gt 70 S
psrt-for CiGsoiius Ia ncither \ low knaye nor a
clustering runian. Miss Blanche lie Bar played QpheliG
In such way So 10 evlnco extraordinary thought and
care and with true and winnng sweetness Mr. Peters,
boins ILL., ala not appear "a tho First Grave Digger. Hs
absence 10 much 20 be regretted hut wilt not now
dwell In further detail ON the general Performance. 1t
was MARKED by delightful care aud thoroughposs
snd MT Booths p.esbnt revival Of Hamlet" may IN