New-York tribune., 1874-05-05
THE DRAMA AND MUSIC.
THE DRAMA.


noor,,,. rur,rpR-MR MCCULLOUGH AS sPARTACUs
Mr.. John Mccullough came before the public
last night in Booths Theaer and acted Sparfae The
crowd that saw him hronged all parts of the house, re-
oeived him with kindness; watched him with an eager
interest that soon deepened into fcryent sympathy
yielded little by little, 10 the spell OF rare anu S"o0
earnestness and. by such vociferous plsudts as arc
seldom heard called him five times before the cur"'
and crowned him with all the honors OF popular
admiration There cacque. There was no ficti-
tous applause. There no Horticultural demonstra-
ton There was no trckery Of management to mar the
planness OF simple intellectual appeal to knowledge,
TASTE and emotion That the actor had triumph WIN
the peope will therefore be inferred and must
In justice be accorded. That he deserved
this sand much moro than this - VIC are
deeply convinced 1t Is long since what may be called
new actor has impressed profoundly as we were
impressed last night by Mr. Mccullough. alike In Thought
and emotion Those who expected to repetition OF
the success OF Mr. Forrest in The Gladiator we're dis
appointed. Mr.. Mccullough does not resemble
Mr. Forrest at ALL He has neither tne
muscular force the physical resources nor the gor
Gus of melodious voice that made MT Forresa
remarkable and exceptional man. 1t may be added
that he Is not capable OF that state Of animal exataon
which, Judged by ts effects upon mankind, amounted in
Mr. Forrest to almost the highest order OF dramatic
genius He cannot, in other words, be taken up
and swept away, by the tempestuous fury OF MS
own pbysca excitement-whereof the contagioh Snaii
appal nfame and madden the nerves OF MS hearers
It may be added too, that he has none OF Mr ForestS
mannerisms He does not spend halanhour In saying
the word boy that bis auditors may spend another
half.an-hour in applaudng him for saying it. He does
not use his tist as trphammer and his chest as an
anvil And be neither snorts howls The departure
that he exempfes from the physical standard OF his
renowned exemplar In the part OF SP~dc"S
involves, Of course, sacrhce OF enectsi
and we are bound to say that certain OF these
effects cannot be sparedand that the Gladiator OF Mr
Forrest with all its faults was preferable TO any otner
that can now be presented But the departure Is rght
for Mr. MCCULLOUGH and he displays his Judgment no
less than his DO wer IN making prominent the poetic side
OF the character 1t will bear this construction Tor IL ID
compounded Of knowledge wisdom virtue heroic Sa'o'
and feminine tenderness. The basis Of Mr. McCuoughs
acting is first Of all splendid physique, In perfect
health and to that he adds temperament In spoh-
tane)us sympathy with simplicity ana goou-
ness. His defects are In an occasio'ai
hardness Of voice. certain inexblity OF facial express
sion, and at times repression OF ieeHhe-as IL 'ho
artist the character and the character hau ho
fully possessed the artist His merits are many
snlendid pose and carriage OF the body perfect intel
ligence sense OF symmetry that acts spontaneously,
and that nevertheless touching tenderness of feeling,
a grandeur of repose upon the hight Of manlness, an
imaginative exaltaton, and a refined taste may be
named at once attributes Of his personation last
night He carried Spartdcs through at fully the hight
of the OF Shakespeare The test that an intel
lectual man meets and bears who does ths-wth such
past, under the shadow of such remnisceDee OF
INST renown-is immeasuraDly severe. There must be
great art powers and great integrity OF mind
and heart III the parsonage who can accom-
plish brilliant success under such an ordeal
The Pharsaus OF Mr.. Sheridan was excellent, and the
acting in general was careful and efficient: and spar
tacus" has had much done for 1t in the way OF
scenery as was done in this revival Parts Of the 70
nous Julius Cesar" scenery were employed, and the
brush Mr.. Glessing provided fine view OF Roman
Amphheater. In the crowded state OF these columns
we must dismiss the whole topic with briefer remarks
than we could wish Let u.s. however, record the enthu
sastc reception OF very important event
ACADEMY OF MUsIC-MIsS CUsHMAN.
The fourth of Miss Cushman's readings was
given last night at the Academy The parQuette and
balcony were well filed In the selections from Romeo
and juliet Miss Cushman made brilliant hit with
MereutiO and the Nurse. and with Dickenss " Mrs
Meeks" she aroused the happiest merriment. There
much applause.