, 1873-03-09
REVIEW OF ADJUSTMENTS.


Tho third week Of Edwin Booths engagement
at McVickor's Theatre has Witnessed success
sion OF crowded houses, the average attendance
boing in excess Of the two preceding weeks. Il
an artistic senge, as we'll, the week, upon IT,
whole, WIS the most successful OF the engage
ment thus fur. Three performances were giyel
Of Dulwer's grand historical play Of Richelieu,
Ar. Booth assuming the title-role, which is re-
garded IS one Of the very best among his List O.
representations. Certainly none other moro IN
mlstakably evinces conscientious intcl1igen
study, and consistent and well-dafined conccp
tion- Great pleasure was afforded large audience!
! on two occasions By A1r. Booths dashing, brill
| lant handling Of the comedy role of Benedick il
Much Ado About Nothing" in which Mr. Mo
slckar's appearance as Dogbe,7.y was not the
least among the features OF unusual excellence,
On Friday md Saturday evenings " "Maobeth y
Was given. It would have boon as we'll for the
general record OF the Booth season to have
omitted these two performances, for they were
far below the average. Mr. Booths Macbeth is
not one Of his most creditable achievements,
and there would seem to bo no imperative reason
why lie should undertake the part at all, for lie
has not succeeded in imparting to it that degree
Of scholarly fnish which characterizos the
larger portion of his other representations Ills
reAdlng iB monotonous from tho absonco
Of light and shade. It is declamatory md
elocutionary from first to last. The soliloquy
commencing, " If it we're DONE" DC, he deliy-
c1s as it were set speech, which ho is private
ly practising for sono public occasion, and not
at all in the deliberate, thoughtful, musing mnn-
nor in which men talk to themselves whom alone.
The fault Of staginess is noticed almost without
exccption,-an expedient, tho resort to which is
apt to denote inability to 'sgot through" part
in any other way. Tho effect Of the imaginary
vision OF the "air-drawn dagger" was much
marred by the pre1ininaries to the climax
the stealthy, careful inspection Of every nook
md corner OF the stage, as it to make sure that
nobody should be eavesdropping when he got
ready to- see the dagger and talk about
it.. Other. actors, Of lesser noto than
Mr.. Booth, have given this scene
much better. A notable point of dramatic in
tenaity and strong effect VAS reached in the
banquet scene, in which, with commondable
taste, the bodily appearance OF tho muoh-mur-
dered BanQuo is omitted, and the horrid spectre,
which is supposed to be seen By nobody but
Macbeth, Is not eeon at al, save in the latter's
guilty conscience and highly wrought imagipa~
tion. Tho emotion of terrible fear and fright is
Booth in face, action, and voice. 1t was by far
the best feature Of rendition which, ns
whole, must be act down as an extremely faulty
piece OF acting Mr. Booths support in
" Macbeth" was decidedly inferior. The
Lady Macbeth OF A1iss Champion wss
3 1abored stiltcd undertaking, almost ut
terly devoid OF creditable qualities. It is
this lady that Chicago theatre
kns+ -:.:l .~4 70
beth Of extraordinary power: The comparison is
and the weaker effort IS placed under
q ten-fo1d disadvantage. Excepting l1r. O'Nein,
as MacduD, upon whom the lions share Of the
applause and admiration WAS bestowed, and
whose summons before the curtain was by far
the heartiest of the evening, the cast was weak
and execrably so in the representa-
Ives Of Malcolm, Duncan, and Bdnquo, respect
valy Messra. Power, Pendleton, and Barron
An agreeable relief to the extreme 1nefficiency
vas the Ross Of Mr.. Roscoe, and Mr. Bar1y's
humorous rendering of the drunken porter's
'cene..
This week is to bo devoted to "Hanlet,"
which will DO produced with especial regard for
and completeness in scenery, cos
umes, and appointments. It 1s hardly necessary
o say that Mr. Booths Hdn1lek is one of his |
most famous characters. The cast includes 31r. |
lcVicker as First G,,zuedi0ger, Mr.. ONciu as |
L0ertes, Mr. flanagan ais Potoni,1s, Mias Cramp- |
on as Queen Gertrude, and Mrs. Myers as Ophelia
1t the Saturday matinee E[r. Booth will appear |
or the Inst time as Don Caesar de Bazoz.. Next
feek, Julius CBsar," with Mr.. Booth, SUCCESS
lively, in the three lending characters, Cassius
B7ttus, and Antony.
HooLEY's oPERA-HoUsE.
Some time ago it was stated in these columns |
hat Mr.. Hooley, in his determination to spare
teithor expense nor enterprise in his efforts to |
eserye the hearty appreciation and support OF
ious dramatic artists OF high reputation and
p1o-emincnt ability. This wcek tho
romise is to be fulfilled by the first appear
nee, as regular members of tho company, OF
liss Phillis Glover, beautiful and accom-
quaro Theatre, New York, and who viii be- re-
lombored as having played 3 successful star
ngagement in this city something less than 9
ear ago; Miss Sidney. Cowell, otherwlso known
! Polly Eccles, than whom more decided IA
pom the Chicago stage, and who makes her first
or for many months and MIR. J. ". Morris
i'd Miss Hattie Roche. These important addi-
ons fairly entitlo Hooley's Opera House to the
tie OF q Chicago's Fnth-AYcnue Theatre" So
ne stock company has never been organized
this city. The superb comedy, False
hamo, will bo given for the last time to-mor-
w night, and on Tuesday evening Barley
ampbell's fine society drama, Peril or, Love
Long Branch" will be produced with the fol-
wing splendid cast Of characters:
.u1a Hayden. Niles Phllns Glover
IS. Tnseu. Mrs Clara F. Maeder
arrah. Miss Hattie Roche
lex Rothley John ". Blaisdel
dph Hayden. James ". Norris
'rd I'd Hagsr. James G. radget
Y: Bs!ley. John Dillon