Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-10-18
FALSTAFF.
Another "Fat Jack" in the Field-DeBar
Must Look TO his Laurels.
Charles Fisher to Revive s. PalstafT" at
Days, New HOrk-Will he
be Successful

From the New York Herald OF SundayJ
Both in England and in this country
there is a frequent demand for the re-
vival Of fShakespesrean drama, especially
the light and sparkling comedies in such
remarkable contrast to the grandeur and
majesty of the great dramatist's trage-
dies. Just now We find the English
press in ecstacies over Mr.. Sullivan's
"Benedickn in Much ado about Moth
ing, and asking why the English public
cannot witness the " Sir John Falstaffn
Of The Merry Wees Of Windsor a little
oftener. The same inquiry applies to
New York. Since the death of the great
actor, Hackett, this country has not had
a "Falstaffn on the stage, though we
have had "ROmeos,u "Hamletsn and
'0thellos' in abundance. The reason
may be found, perhaps, in the want of
American interest in the historical plays,
but this could apply only to the " FaI-
staff" Of King Henry the FOlTtk.n
We can only look, then, to the
alleged inferiority Of the part in
The Merry WiUes as an explanation
of the fact, though we are unwilling to
admit the one creation as in any way
inferior to the other, the Shakespere8n
scholars and critics to the contrary not
withstanding. The two characters,
though the same in inception and out
line, are wholly dissimilar, and that is
all. We prefer for The Merry W3Ues Of
WildsOr q " Falstafp Of the Eliza
bethian era, and not of the earlier age,
when " Prince Hal Z" was a roaring and
registering youth. This, we conceive, is
what Mr.. DAILY intends giving US in pre-
senting Mr.. Charles Fisher in the part,
and this viii certainly be most aceepta-
bic to the majority of theater-gOers.
Dramatic progress in the last ten years
has been very great, but it has been in
the direction of stage-dressing and
scenic decoration rather than in dra-
matte art. At this day no artist, how
ever great, can be acceptable without
the accessories Of the cOstumer, the
painter and the carpenter. The
getting up Of a piece must be
perfect, for a clumsy actor OF feeble
actress is more tolerable than a blunder
in dress or a hitch in the machinery. II
is in this direction that Mr.. Dalv partic-
ulariy excels, and we may exit q
Garten Inn that would please the soul
Of old John Willitts, and pictures of
Windsor that would satisfy ''Sir John
himself Without these there is no act
ing that he can supply that will be sat
isfactOry. With these the question
whether we shall have new "Falstaffn
is already half answered. In regard TO
Mr.. Fishers assumption Of the part we
have nothing to say in advance, but it
is for him an opportunity seldom offered
to an actor Of his distinction. He takes
possession Of an unoccupied field, and
he can hold il against all corners If he is
equal to the task he essays. OF ali
stage loves the ridiculous passion Of
"Falstaff" stands out the boldest. There
is no mistaking him for one Of the
feebler heroes of Mr.. Albery, Mr.. Byron
or Mr.. Gilbert. Shakespeare's hand
touched him ahd he sprang into q sec
ond life as complete and inspiring as
when he was boasting and drinking with
the dissOlute companions Of the Prince
of Wales of much earlier age. The
second character is to Us more interest
ing than the first, for We have in the
latter creation the "Ealstaff' of the his
torical play acting his part in the COM
edy. Comedy is best suited to the spirit |
Of this generation, and had not Shakes /
peare's tragedies been so much 4
greater than the tragedies Of all |
other dramatists, they could not |
have held place so much superior to his |
comedies. Unlike the former, the latter |
are not without their rivals on the Eng
lish stage, and SO it has become the fash |
ion 70 make Shakespeare the representa-
tive Of only the grandeT passions, and
yield a more frequent, if not a higher
place TO the comedy characters Of Sheri- /
dan and Goldsmith. These cOnsidera-
tons make the production Of The MeTTy
WiUcS Of Windsor at the Fifth Avenue
Theater an event of some significance,
and its success will, we hope, pave the
way for q more permanent reign Of
comedy characters. In
the last few years the principal attempts
at presenting Shakespeare's comedies
were in the production of 4 Midsummer
Nights Dream, at the Olympic, and
Mrs. ScOtt-SiddOns's occasional appear
ance as "ROsalind," 4" in rs You Like r.
The success Of the fairy piece, both here
and in Boston, is sufficient evidence that
the comedies cannot fail when presented
with the necessary completeness in stage
properties and effects. The acting,
though il is desirable that it should be
as nearly faultless as possible, is, after
all, only a secondary consideration, ac-
cOrding % modern taste. ObtrusiYe
bungling would not be tolerated any
where; but where there are appreciation
and skill enough to blend the artistic
and mechanical effects into one harmO-
nious whole nothing more is demanded.
A suffering Hamlet, % a lackadaisical
'Othello," OF a feeble Romeo" would
not satisfy any audience, nor would
mere burlesque Of the part Of 90 Sir John
= STAFF be more satisfactory; bUt with
ne bOasting old villain well done, and
the perter characters fairly represented,
The Merry Wees Of Windsor must be
successful. In reproducing this play we
shall demand Of Mr.. DAILY new " Fall
staff" and fair opportunity for the re-
vival Of Shakespeare's comedies.