New-York tribune., 1875-10-12
MR.. IRvING1S MACBETH.
HIS SUCCESS IN A NEW ROLE.


-Ioypov. Sept. 81" Macbeth" was produced on
SATURDAY. at the Lyccum Theater before an audience
which moro than filed the house, and which ap-
pIauded tle play from hIsi to last. Whoever dis
scntd kent his dissent for the time to himself, and
II il merely recording an evident and audible fact
70 say that the first night triumph for the
MANAGER. Mrs. Bateman. and Tor the two leadihg
actors Mr. Henry Irving and Miss l'ateman. 10
much Is true independently Of any criticism one
NAV bave to make on Mr.. lrviug's conception OF
HscLrik, or on MisS Baemaus perscnaticn Of his
wife. The house enthusiastic. The curtain
went down nj the end Of every act TO Wild applause
Nr Irving and Miss Bateman were repeatedly called
cs,t and at the end Mr. Irving announced in behalf
of Mrs. Batcman that the play would he given every
evening till further notice: and was cheered for
that also
The event is one that has lovg been eagerly eX-
,cc,od. AIR. Ir.ing,s 200 nights in Hcmld had
proved that there was still au audience for Shake
speare There has always been division OF opir-
ION on parts of that performance bar II Ia long since
anybody could pretend to deny that II possessed eN-
traordinary merits Mr. Iryings detractors. it never
oui,e sloacet were obliged 10 fall back on ihe pre-
dicton that his in this part did not prove
him cauabie of acting other ShskesPeanan charac-
tcrs His Appearance in Macbeth had an equal
interest therefore. for friends and foes allkc' IN
the fortunes of the byccum Iheater, also the pun
liz had an interest, and very deep ono. Here it
was that under the management OF the
Inncnt.d Mr.. Batprnan. vigorous and con-
timed effort was made to lift the drama above the
Ieyl N which il had sunk with such succrss taat II
was impossible not to think of him on saturday
night and not to regret his loss. Mrs. Pateman has
wrought in the same field with not less energy and
intelligence. Under her management, Math"tiT Is
nut on the stage with care and completeness
worthy of all praise. The scenery IA elaborate ana
.nlepdd. tbe costumes not less 50. For these there
is next 10 no authority When Charles kean
brought out Macbeth" at the PrinccSS's Ihcaier
IN 1853 ne was reduced to borrowing mate
rails from those nations to which Sf"tiHhu
was opposed in il was possible 20 DIS
cover how the Danes and Norwcgians of the llth
century dressed. and Nh. Kcan copied them. The
scots Of the period did not publish fashion plates
At The Iycemn great attention has been pad to all
these matters. MacJeh has FIVE or SIX changes OF
dress, all picturesque. The witch scenes are - well
done as 10 be impressive. not ludicTOus, n usually
happens Best of all, the tragedy as acted is
Shakespeare and not DayonaBts Al. the
interpolaod scenes omitted. and with
them most of Locks music and all the
singing, which even kean retained, and winch
turned tragedy into mo!0lrama. Shakespeare Is
treated with loyalty rare. Or IL may be said tiie-
ce,onted, on the English stage. remember bH NV"
,.zccptions-hc OMISSION of the second scene Of act
l. which is absolutely necessary to tell tlc story OF
VacJciLs victory with due effect upon the audi
enoe. and the transfer Of the sleer-wakng scene
from the beginning of the fifth act to ,hc end Of
oct A. This latter is obviously concession 10 the
scene painter with considerable injury 10 the scene
slf and to the effect of the fifth act Other scenes
and passages are omitted 10 shorten tho play but as
u rule with Judgment. Something must be cut, Tor
the entire PLAY is longer than modern audience
will sit through Everything has been Gore III the
mounting Of thc piece that could be iiheraly and
inlicionsly and logtimately done 70 attract the
public There remains the question how 1t Is actcd.
The keynote to Miss Bateman's Mrs. Grove Ladg
Hocbch was struck at her entrance to read the
letter Ii was not to be sensational. II marked
throughout by an entire freedom from TestieNsie>S
IN man, rf the scenes nothing could be better than
tbe stately compoSure with which we-known pas
saQy-s were delivered. The letter read a. Gar
rick is said to have taken immense pains to make
Nrs. PritchaCd read il, naturally. Thence until
Macbeth enters she stood almost notion
less: q treatment which gave Startling
emphasis la her greeting 10 her husband, whom she
springs forward 10 meet. raising her voice as She
cries. Great CLAIMS! worthy Cawdor" aud ciaSplng
him i'm her aIms-thc whole genuine outbnrNt oi
jov and affection. This reappcarcd from time to
lit.e lay an infusion of tenderness. Miss Bateman's
severe restraint Of manner makes her an admire bic
colleague to Mr. Irving, who is seldom
quite still. Mr,. SiddonS thought LAZY Mae
bak ought 10 bs fair aud feminine; that
nothing but a combination of delicate gTaces
and charms could have captiN ated ndcbeh. Miss
BateInans view j. not avcTsc from tins. She Is
wOmauly where she has a chance 10 be- aud her
vgor at times most remarkable is still the yigor OF
a woman, not of The uuscNed demon which Lazy
Vaobeil appeals 10 the spirits 10 make her. Where
she is savage. 60 quote Ar-. SiddOus again she is
savage by ambition, not by nature. When her hus-
bard needs 10 ~ wrought up TO crime ii i, not, OF
coulse, 10y coquctly that ii can DO done
There was most TeSolute IeiOcit!
in her way OF telling him she would
haze dashed tine brains OF her smiling babe had
slle sworn as he has done; with touching hint of
real tenderness for the babe the moment before
There can be no doubt this real truthluiness to ma
ture told On tie house If There was a point where
simplicity of method was carried 100 far II Naa IN
the sleep-walhing scene. which hght be- the better
for greater freedom.
OfMr. Irvings Moclc,b il may be said At once that
if you are prepared 10 accept his conception OF Tue
character the rendering is brilliant aud effective.
But that raises the question whether an actor may
substitute for the received idea of leading chalac
Ter i'm Shakespeare a conception of ms own essen
tialy different from the received conception.
SliakesIeares -JacJciA, have all known him in
the cosot il heroic. May Mr Irving make him un-
heroic, He is man capable indeed of reelection
and subject 10 horrible Imaginings, but a man who
acts when the moment COmcS. Is he to be repre-
suted as always 10 occupied with spcculaiionS and
harasscd by doubts that his acts not to he the
product of his own velitonH lie is tortured by re-
Ill, 81 t..l,ts s,.fb bia