New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-23
TIE DRAMA.
pooTH's THEATER-JULIUS CESAR.
MR.. }. b. BOOTH AS CAssIUs.

Al
ne Of eager spectators attended the representation
tresl feature was observed with close interest
- .arefll thought. MFR. j. b. Booth received
I'm he first upon the stage, with cordial az
so. and subsequently, at intervals during his per
,.-rarce this applause family repeated. The
demonstration OF approval in other words was OF the
,tpc order and remarkably mild. To most OF tho
ctstors Mt J. b. Booths C0SSiWS proved dsappont-
ut Il certainly proved so 10 The character-very
,.,y drawn in ShakCspcare-is intellectual. selfcon-
,,,red stately. powerful and beautifully refined The
rnretation Of t was dun, hdgetty, undgnifed, weak
and comuonplaco At H. st the actor appeared 70 be III
a Ease In a perturbation Of self-conscousness and
,,udiry This was chiefly manifest IN his Gesticula-
,,n. which copious TO excess and mostly
,,ruorlous with the mental excitement, thought end
,,ruscs OF the scene IL also evident in his fire.
gept tcxtual errors lie marrod the first line Of the
o.rtsaying will you NOT 20 aud the order Of the
.urse i"-and this initial bunder he supplemented with
,snv more Ct graver import and consequence, These
ht have resulted from the agitation naturally incident
20 first appearance unfamiliar stage. They con-
pnued to occur, however long after this sort Of dis
oualtiug exacerbation bad. apparently subsided-s9
that the text was good deal maugled, from beginning
toeDd
Defect OF memory can he rcmcdied and TOO great
stress, there fore should not be laid upon IT, MI j. D.
Booth had acted CGssiIS for long time nnd PROB
sy had faCd-s old actors. IA such cases often do-to
recover the words Of the part Is to the pur-
POS. that while frequently ont of the text he was alto
stther ont Of tho character He could not look Ike
Cqsas being stout thick, heavy person, with on un-
usually large head one phrase in the text was changed
With svie1 70 cover that dIscrepancy-C0Sdr refer
.tr, 10 CasauS Cs "hale" and not As spare"
I'm. even this astue device proved abOrve. Had there
,- sv touch O! the noble strain OF genius IN Mr.. J. Z.
,,.ts ,npersonat on, observer, indeed would have
,-A for or even noticed his inappropriate physical
hnk External b!epishes dwinde into nothinSness. II
only work Of art, developing naturally from within, IS
animated BY that quick spirit which gives immortal
lie UuAaTply not trace OF that spirit appeared In
,ns performance % this actor He once identified
himself with Cassitls he never once exerted the
aVor Of o personal sympathy, or the charm OF WIN
r.ae tompcraucnt: he was simply mechanical player
fflinr in somewhat nUstercd way, an obvious pro-
,e~ioral duty--and magical atmosphere OF EMOTION
therefore hid the defects Of the portrayal or ured atten
zion away from them II was easily possible 10 follow
The effort with cool and quiet observance. II was
uericcty impossible not TO perceive that Mt j. b.
Boih delivered such Of the words he could remember
~ a weak, worn voice, OF unsympatheue quauty 'na'
he often failed 70 convey certain clear though decae
shades Of meaning In those words that MS deSI VI Cu'
aus uneveBly and awkwardy Swallowed FORTH contem-
plated him q very ordinary sort Of uorta ana 'ha''
80 fa from being merged in the character, he was quite
styaraBce with it-and dubious OF his own pur-
noses The weakness and the incerutude were especially
conspicuous IN OF the assassination OF Cesar
and they made Il The cOmmonness OF the denoted
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES al along the periormance-was
particularly manifest inthe scene OF tho QUARREL and
hi. element. to mind was the fatal error Of the
whole work
II ever character exhibited In dramatic 40
ton-oue that ought TO eukindle the proud vgor Of
Ro5la mind ana arouse the fiery energy OF magnetic
tn- tina OF the great cOnspirator for the recovery
o. Roman freedom. NUt because ho is a conspuator,
tu because he IS great mani Behind his every word
4Ftdt 1lQ1i fv
and noble purpose. liz may intellectual ascetic
bis nature NAV have BEEN to extent, embiteredl
BY disappointed ambition and by that most saddening
u an studies tic study of the qualities ana deeds OF
men hut hcis moral and political enthusiast and aroyal
sserer OF intellectual liberty and the innate dignity Of
ihe human individual. He may be eDviOus Of Caesar:
cre IT, clearly enough, love lost between them but
profcJnd and Glorousy intoerant hatred OF tyranny
be Of his Re ngs and tho Spring his conduct
Ne per- AIDES this play wiz perneaye vitality, as tho
uIgut pervades me blue dome Of heaven. be Is the
moving and%Ontrolug impulse OF its plot, BrHtus Is
g-iud" Broader. lOyeher more exalted and more PIC
r1e: but also IN certain seuse he passive In de-
rur B7gtushis ideal geutleman and the best he ever
dreShakes peare has made q vivisecton Of heart aud
traiu a wonderfully keen ana deeply pathetic EXPOSE
lion i Internal conflicts Brus is quick TO suffer- but
ov 20 act and when he does act 1t Is with reluctance
most rs hesitaut and mOuIuful the reluctance OF
Fqn Looking upon the world with the wide, ntuitiye
and making allowance and finding excuse for all II
vsry difficult for this wise imaginative ana gentle crea'
rc 10 strike the fatal blow which yet ne believes 70 De
necessary aud right Many concurrent forces drive hin
20 the pitch OF action but, from the hour when Cesar
falls beneath his dagger down to the CHASTITY day when
end, the work Ides u March begun his mind is
darby OyershadOwed with sense OF impending DOOM
a. kotu bis spiritual perception Of Natures own mex
yrabe watchfuness aud punishment Of the shedder OF
human blood This nature and experience eau TOT e4'
..ys poet zeal sensibhy in the deineation The repre-
,,t.,,r ., t, must chiefly win our love by his per-
,on. ouality With Cass1 Iiiv conquest Is Of admra
uoB rather than affection, and this Is u">----' y
means obviously alert, and most decidedly
bustI.ng and aggressive, CaSsiits must De oeauti-
'ury refined IN his frosty age and intellectual
s1atsuOn: but beyond this, he is directly
IeCable-because he Il fountain Of action His dis
turbug force is felt by al persons around him Even
Cgsor admits that he should fear C0Ssus II he could
Tear anybody. His tremendous viii, and his intense.
PASSIONATE purpose the manysded and equpoised
mind Of Br,,r@ and give II heat end direction All
tng. in brief bend to HE inyeterate vtaty-and this
e the pIOpul-ive spnit Of the LAY.
A. actor Who this part and does NOT develop
7d. Inherent power cannot think he said to give II
sdequate Interpretation Such an actor VIII not AM
mste; he will deaden: and this is what MI j. Is Boom
doe- in hi, performance OF CGSs,u. The roots ct bis
acne are not IN perception and emotion but IN the tech
rcal business OF the pay-bO0R u was the custom OF
Booth he acted this part to stride over
The dcady body Of CGsav-and the movement was cleo
'tcs The inheritor o. ms name performs tie same
s'tiie-but the movement j. iesden THIS mint points al
what conceive 20 be the lre,ise artistic rank andnet
Mr. j. B Booth. He IS al experienced and perfectly
competent stage srti2cer II II possible TO Imagine cir
cum,iauces under which he would play CdsS'as
'noothly: he might perfectly cornslit the words
snd more definitely ascertain and fix their meaning;
but o. il very difficult % imagine circumstances
ru,sr Nj c, ne y-ofld iIprezs observing mind