New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-31
A st. Louis Amateur.

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time, and walked about the streets, must
have seen Berry Mitchell. Any citizen who
talks of the great bridge will point out
Berry. He is young man whose love for
the stage has caused him to spend hand
some fortuAe. Whenever the young bloods
of St. Louis feel like dramatic spree, tn "
engage Berry to act, and he always plays
to crowded houses; the officers taking par
ticular care that no eggs, vegetables or
other rude stage offerings get struggled in
past the doorksepers. Berry played OMello
ON recent night, and the Globe Of the fol-
lowing morning thus refers to his perform
ance:
Berry, as the enrsptured lover, gazing
over the head of Pauline, and describing
the beauties of his home en- the shores Of
Lake Como to an invisible female in the
wings, was ludicruus; Berry, as Hamlet,
with an manageable pair of legs and a
sword that would get between them, was
more ridiculous; but Berry, as he appeared
last night at the Temple, as the enraged
and jealous Moor, was the most ridiculous
of al. Nobody paid any attention to the
first scene. Had the Iago possessed the
talent of Booth, he would have been IN
hSououf ouu hD bVohCE was Jub Sec
ond scene set, where it was known
Otheljo would appear, than the audience
quieted to give the Moor reception. There
was an awkward pause, but finally he came
on with Iago and his attendants. The re-
ception he met with was extraordinary.
Cheers. cat-calls, pounding the floor, clap.
ping of hands and the blowing of pocket
bugles made noise that is indescribable
After about ten minutes it subsidized, and
the performance proceeded. Berry was at
tired in loose blue dress, reaching nearly
to his feet. A red shawl over his shoulders
a turban upon his head, and zebra" shoes
number elevens. His face and hands were
black as the ace of spades, and his manner
denoted utter dependency. 1t was the
love-sick Claude done in ebony.
Every New Orleans amateur should know
Mr.. Mitchell. He can often be seen at the
Southern Hotel, pacing meditatively up and
down the hall, or standing about the doors
of theatres. He is as tall as Governor War.
moth, economically built, and has an intel
ligent face. His hair is quite long, and he
carries moustache. He wears always q
swallow tail coat, and generally high
round-topped Alpine hat, which makes his
street costume partly full dress and partly
legs to give him good standing in society
but the substance is too long drawn out
which misfortune leaves him in rather a
stilted position. Berry labors under the
impression that he is an actor, and it must
be said in his favor that he is good actor
in his own estimation.
During fair week Mr.. Charles Pope was
playing round of tragedy at his Olympic
Theatre. For some reason or other Berry
had been placed by the treasurer of the
Olympic on the list of those who pay to &c
in. This the occasional tragedian regarded
as the result of professional jealousy on the
part of Mr.. Pope. Berry contidentially told
| stranger at the Southern that he had been
importuned to play leading business in sup
port of Mr.. Pope. "No," said he, Il would
not do it. Pope is a scrub actor. His act
ing tortures me, and will not act with
him." Few artists are so conscientious a.
Berry. He plays not for gold, but for the
love of the legitimate, and to promote the
beautiful and good in dramatic art. AND
it should be said for st. Louis that he is moi
without honor in his own country, though
he is without much profit. People there
look up to him, for he stands higher thar
most men. He is close student of Shakes
peare, and sees meanings in the text which
the great bard and old time students did
not see. Berry is the most prominent anna
teur in this country, and in his way hat
afforded q world of Nmusement