The New York herald., 1871-10-24
would renew all old friendships and make many
MISS CUSHMAN AS MEG MERRILIEs AT
BOOTHS.


When Miss Cushman reappeared on the American
stage as Queen Katharine, after q heightened alb
sence, the public and the critics were pleasantly
surprised to notice with what gentleness
time had dealt with powers which had
been the wonder Of past generation. The
character OF Queen Katharine was supposed
to have been chosen for the actress rentee because
It called for less physical exerton than other and
more popular roles In which Miss Cushman's reputa-
tion had been made. Whether she felt misgvings
Of her own pOwer-or rather, force-or that she
deliberately chose the most trying part to challenge
adverse criticism, 1t is certain that Queen Katha-
rine bold and original was the conception OF the
character showed traces Of the advance OF age
which are entirely absent from the representations
OF Lady Macbeth and Meg Merrilies. The apruptness
which sometimes characterizes Miss Cushman's act.
Ing wasless In keeping with the popular idea OF Queen
Katharine, gentle, sensible woman, than with our
notions about the bold and unscrupulous Lady Mac
beth, or the wild gypsy Meg MerriIies In
fact the quality which peeps out from
time to time In Miss Cushman's acting 10 a ten
dency to pronounced action which sometimes
ia open to suspicion Of vulgarism. This defect
was most noticeable IN her Queen Katharine, soft
ened In Lady Macbeth, and finally disappears In
Meg Merriles; for here the masculine vigor which
vulgarized in Katharine became an absolute quality
melted naturally into the character. Whatever
fears begOtten by the nrst appearance OF MISS
Cushman had faded before the freshness and force OF
ner Lady Macbeth, and were finally put to flight
playing ali H. the ne weird power which twenty years
ago was wont to charm and app8ll. Age, which in
I in Meg Merres proved @ rather W an advantage The The
actress represented 80 vividly the weird nag that
S9s u ras and saw the old
the story Of ''Guy Mannering' Is undoubtedly ex-
ceedingY interesting, put IN preparing !! for the
the first act sort OF dull prelude while the whole
interest OF the play centres in the latter acts. Open
auy dfsSs It's u an is
s " ss sa s0'' in 1 ne sSs
camp. Indeed, IL It were not ior the
n we could the iof Of
the opening scenes. 1t would be great improve.
ment II the first act were compressed into one good
scene aud the superfuOuS chOrusing enurely left
manner OF It's rendering making its retention de.
on stage in all the weird force OF her genius the
attention Is rivetted and until the scene di0ps
cannot take our thoughts rom the drama pass.
to the story but 1t Is essentially to the intense
dramatic power OF @ Inc actress tnat we owe It's 50
as he sits IN the gypsy camp displayed all Miss Cush
mans power, and so intense representation Of the
mingled feelings OF JOY hope and SURPRISE struggling
with the memories Of wrongs done ana sunered, we
nave never seen. Her acting in this scene was
fecs revealed a depth of passion which
froze the very soul. Both elocutlon and action
were perfect, and gave evidence OF mature study,
II some OF the abrupt force which belonged to the
earlier representations Of the character was absent
finished action, strong and appropriate, advantage
OuslY replaced It, Her interview with D)mInie
Sampson and her promise TO revisit the Glen Of
Spirits, were allowed to return good scope for emo
tOnal acting, which was seized upon and turned to
splendid account. But 1t was ia the closing scene
where she meets her death that she reassembled
oil her powers, and acted with force that
could not be expected from her years:
but Miss Cushman seems to defy the enyions
obstacles that TO lesser spirIs would be nsar-
mOuntable.
or the other personages we have not much to say.
The piece affords scarcely any scope to the sec
Ondary characters. MIR. ID. G. Anderson made very
good Dominic sampson, entering completely into the
an ungrateful part but succeeded In making the
most OF It. His acting was natural, and
his rendering OF the character dgnided. We re-
gret we cannot say much for the ladies. We should
like very much to be complimentary, but truth
won't permit us. This same excuse may be made
secondary male personages-want OF scope in their
roles. Miss Bella Pateman was somewhat lively.
spe4fea sPa aeat d ADDRR9s terick. and we are dc.
and eschewed rant. We scarcely recognized
Lsn when lie presented himself ana must c0mpi-
ment him on the change for the better which was
visible in his depOrtmenL lie had not much to do,
but he acted that little nationally, and II he Will
only maintain the Improvement in more important
parts he may hope to nave his good points rec0g-
nized and appreciated. The scenery, as usual ut
this house. was excellent, but the appointments
were very poor and badly studied. We regret to
notice that the attendance was rather thin.