New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-10-26
THE DRAMA.
FIFTH AYINtE THEATEI-EDwIS BOOTH As
HAMLET

FIFTH AYINtE THEATER- EDWIN BOOTH As
HAMLET
When Edwin Booth came upon the stage of
the Fifth Avenue Thaater lat night-that house being
crowded with OF the most refined and brilliant audi
enccs gathered wthinIs Was-a tumult OF
joyous applause forth eyer9 part of the tbeaer
declined towards silence. time after time max
ing place ring with echoes of the public pleasure and
a. long before this IiOsc 90 welcome died away and
the performance OF Hamlet" suffered 20 proceed
Seldom theater have seen such manifestations OF
sincere admiration After his hrst exit from tie sceue
also the actor was recalled and at each falling Of the
eurtaiu-sctting aside Ophrii0s act-he was two
or three times summoned before IT, This very
pleasant 20 witness and it was Witnessed
without surprise Mr.. Booth long wen his place IN
che sneconats respect of this people and NeIork Is
likely ever 10 forget what il owes 70 th' illant
genius aud earnest. supplemented gentleman 40 has
done much make her stage iustriOus The debt Is
paid warmly that II paid with the heart.
Mr.. B;Oihs Hamlet ia poetic. The person whom he
represents ancient Dane, fair blueeyed, yellow
haired. stout. and Emphatic. but ia the dark. sad
dreamy mysterious hero OF The actor does not
20 back Of the tragedy quest OF historical realism but
dealing with ideal subject treats 1t IN an ideal man
ner far possible from the plane Of actual
life. Readers OF the play of Hamlet are aware that in
teres IN the Prince Of Denmark is not, TO any con
siderable extent inspired by the circumstances that sur
round him. depends upon the quality OF the man
h- interior spirit aud the fragrance of his character
There element In Hamlet loss elusive than beauti
ful, which hfts the mind a sublime hight, fills
The heart with naneess grief. and haunts
tbs soul like the remembered music Of a
gentle voice that will speak II might be
called sorrowful grandeur. sad majesty, ineffahle
mournilncss griefstrcEcn isolation, or patient spirit
ua anguish Whatever called, the name would probably
be inadequate but The power OF the attribute itself can
TAIL be felt H0Halef fascnates by ms person
ality and succeed in presenting him
who does not possess IN himself this peculiar
quality OF fascination. II Is something that
cannot he drawn from the library, poured rom the
nagon bought in the shops The lack Of II has left
many sousss and tedious Haalcs cumber the stage
and VeX mankind Edwin Booth possesses it-and that
Is the first Of his IN the character
Mr.. Booths HGDiicf IL likewise spiritual. Herein the
actor msifests the highest quality that
eharScterize acting, but-as IL Ia perfectly
adequate ntnittve knowledge Of the shakespesrean
eepton IL Is not enough IN the presentation OF this
part That actor should make known the fact that
Ha"efs soul is haunted By supernatural powers: he
must also make IT felt that Hamlet possas soul such
- 1t Is possible for supernatural powers 10 haunt.
10 Shakespeare pages IL be- that-at the be-
ginning. and before his mind has shocked and
settled by the awful appartiOn OF his fathers spirit in
-Hamte Is man darky prone 20 somber thought
upon the nothngnss Of this world and the solemn mys
''nes OF The world beyond the grave: snd this mental