The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-31
THEATRICAL DOINCS OF THE WEEK.

The merry music OF the sleigh bells outside has
proved formidable rival the past week for the
allurements within the theatres, and has thrown
slightly saddened shade over the handsome eounte-
nances of Messrs Treasurcrs Thomas Barden, Joseph
Booth and Jacques Zimmerman. and even dimmed
the bright intelligence OF Bowdtch's face. Still,
the beautiful snow, like all 0tner beautiful things,
must fade away, and then we shall see brighter
looks and a gadder air around the box offices.
There is an unsnowy time coming
OF course at such period II Is impossible for any
manager TO fairly test the attractions OF any piece,
SO they quietly Iepose upon their present spears
until the sleigh bells are silent holding dmly in the
distance visions OF fresh delights. When the charms
or "Oursn have faded-when Is that to bel for at
present 1t seems not to have parted with shade OF
It's attractive b0om--Mr Lester Wallack promises
to appear as Evelyn, IN Money! one OF his best
characters. At Days one almost regrets the
great success OF saratoga because it
has the fault which Alexander had 10
Diogenes. Of standing between him and the Sun, and
keeps from us the delightful presence Of Miss Agnes
Ethel, so full OF exquisite grace OF spiritual beauty
and that indefnabe something so rare to find on
the stage, which can only be conveyed by the one
simple word-lady.
The Holland benefits have come TO q close, and the
result has surpassed all expectation. From every
portion OF the country responses have como, and
tho only leading members of the profession who
have failed to contribute to object which involves
the honor Of the profession to which they
belong are Mr.. Edwin Forrest, Miss Charlotte Cush.
man and Miss Laura Keene. 1t ID possible that out
of the large fortune they have acquired in the pro.
fession they are devisng some peculiar means OF
their own OF sharing at once In tribute to kind,
good old man and resenting an insult which, indi-
recty, was offered as much to them as to Holland,
and In that hope for while we rest
The great sensation Of the week was the appear
ance OF Mr.. Charles Fechter and MISS Leclercq for
the Holland benefit ut the French theatre, OH
Wednesday Not even The icy GOODNESS Of the theatre
on that extremely cold night could chill
the enthusiasm Of the audience, The favor which
Fechter met with at the hands Of the Boston poets
is accounted Tor by the remarkable refinement OF his
expression. II is this remarkable. fneness OF fibre
that Its picturesque contrast the burly form OF
the man took the asthetical mind OF Cambridge ty
storm. Graceful like son OF France and sturdy
like child Of Albion, Fechter is species OF ethno-
logical puzzle. ana leaves the audience In doubt
as to whether he Is Teuton Celt or an
AnglO-SaXon or all combined In one. His
accent and eocutlon SAVIOR rather or the
German, while hts features are OF the Gallo
type, and his firm, resolute gait Is thoroughly Eng.
lsh. AS representative OF the iustrIous French
man lie would be most In his element his 6ne pro-
file, his grave dignity and quiet elegance all blend.
ing to endow him with admirable qualifications for
personating Louis the Fourteenth, Lafayette,
MOliere or Bossuet Indeed, there Is something in
his expression which vaguely reminds one OF the
great French pulpit orator, and which bears some
resemblance to Henry Ward Beecher, though the
Brooklyn pastors features are much less finely
chiselled.
The picture galleries at Versailles are full OF
those classical French heads instinct with culture
polish, elegance, q Ia Fechter, with racy nosirs,
clearly cut, gentle features. and fine, passionate
eyes. Miss Kate Field has informed the world by
what chronological and psychological comb nations
Fechter came to be the owner OF such head, and
the wonder Is that with this dlStNgue appearance
aud fastidous makeup he should have proved SO
acceptable in the London theatres. But he Is full OF
that mel0dramattc clan which electriles the par
quet and thrills women OF low as well as lgh
degree, and the fact OF his superiority In refinement
over the common run OF English actors has Its due
effect upon uncultivated audiences.
MIR. techter Is growing old-much too old for
Claude Menotto HIS personality IS united TO the
part But though he does not look the gardeners
boy he looks the continental patrcian every inch.
This makes the play more NATURAL and leaves no
room for surprise that Pauline should Iau in love
| with The man as wei as the Prince. An ordinary
| peasant boy would hardly have used the nowery
| language which Bulwer puts INTO his mouth unless
| tnat Ingenious playwright had supposed that a
clod's mind had become Migrant with poesy be-
forget-me-nots. 1t Is perhaps fortunate for
the consistency OF the plot that fechter Instead Of
pens actually prnce ana noe pnse
as peasant The foreign idiom OF Fechter never ever
ceases to jar upon the ear His utterance Is at
times much too rapid. It Is not at all necessary for
the display OF passion that the actor should gusn
out his sentences as If his mouth were cataract
Nor when he breaks INTO rant Is necessary TO make
each cap the climax OF his thunder. The great
masters or the Theatre Franeas knew how to por-
sublime concentration Of calm aud without undue
raising OF the voice and gestculation. We fancy
that Fechter would rather follow them for models
than the lower English school, but the difficulty OF
Cropping with foreign idlom lures him
INTO ue ulcissca' HVu OF excessive Demon,
actress we have seen here-iady-like, womanly, full
OF powers and genteness, with an elocuton remark
able for soltness of voice and dstinctness OF ntona
ton, and with q myady presence, instinct with
elegance and culture. She renders Pauline to per-
lection; not the silly Pauline OF Bulwers creation,
but stately, womanly Pauline, whose splendid act
ing strips this maudlin r0'e OF much Of Its sickly
In direct contrast to the school OF Fechter will fol-
low at TINS theatre Mr.. Edwin Forrest, that splendid
specimen Of the coarse vigor and startling plct,
untaught and unframed wildness some thirty
years ago. Though . govt and toll toll, have de-
have not quenched utterly the old fire, aud there
are hundreds who viii be glad to renew the remem
1 brance OF the tunes when Tammany, after meet
| ing used TO tnrn out n,dSse to gloat over the
| MetamOra or Jack Cade oil Forrest.
dreds to see once more on wednesday evening
| their Old fayorife, Laura keene, and to note what
changes. after 50 long an absence, time had made
| Expectation was on tlptOe before she came on the
| scene, and when she entered on the stage she ran
| risk OF meeting the fate OF the Roman virgin
at the Tarpelan gale, and being crushed under the
| load Of admlring offerings A lew moments served
| to show that Miss Keene retains oil tnat light and
| refined grace and delicate sensbillty which always
characterized ner performances aid giided them
| with certain bright but very thin radiance. The
| piece was % dead failure in London, and is one OF
| the worst Mr.. BoucicauIt ever wrote. MISS Keene
always eager TO contribute at any personal sacrifice
| to the amusement OF the town, has INDUCED
IA n dvQr fIeau ufo
1 extracts from the letters OF Mr.. and Mrs. DION
| Boucicault, In which that charming couple, who
are remarkable for playing into each others hands
with the most skliful grace appear to have both dis
covered, as If by fash OF electricity, that Laura
was the lady for the part. II mad you In my eye,n
I writes Dion. Il said to Dion you were the
| woman,n writes Agnes. We should like 10 know
| to how many Dion whispered a similar natlering
tale. Miss Keene was always fond or these
false, kitten-like tricks. But New York has changed
since her day. Age. which brings the phllosophlc