The New York herald., 1876-11-21
ADJUSTMENTS.
WIN BOOTH AT -HE LYcEuM THEATRE

EDWIN BOOTH AT ~HE LYcEUM THEATRE
In vain did the rain and the ticket spectators
spire against Mr. Booth last night Umbrellas. Mr..
Mcylcker and the appreciation the New York public
has for true dramatic art were his protectors The
house filed with of the audiences OF the
season and ''Hamctr enthusiastically appiaudcd
from the beginning to the end At the close OF every
act Mr. Booth was called before the curtain, and he
deserved that honor
In our opinion Mr. Booth is altogether best
Hamlet on the stage Other artists surpass him in
certain qualities, but equals him IN the reaza-
tion OF the character He is. however the most IN
certain of all Hamlets ON night lie Will be
perb; the next night he may be purely automatic We
believe 1t is OF the OF genius that cannot
Always do its best, but must sometimes DO content
with It's average Last night Mr. Booth acted with
moro energy than remember him displayed
IN many years He has recovered the full use OF his
left arm, which injured last year by accident
yet "that's not much.n He seemed 10 surrender his
soul TO Hamlet ana the spirit OF the character was
expressed with truth and beauty. Mr.. Booth has
been criticised formerly and not without reason
for his mechanical acting but there hardly
trace or mechanism last night Tue study and
thought he has given 10 this most difficult OF
NIL OF shakespearc's plays. "ths that bring the
phosophc mind. have had their due effect. II there
a fault IL too much energy. Like Lord Byron
upon expression" A few years ago his Hamlet
notable Tor its senteness; but now while has lost
no tender FEELING for ophclia magnanmous
generosity toward the Queen and the King,
u has acquired strong passion which never ceases
rom the iirst revelation OF tho crime by the Gnost 10
he moment when the wrong is punished aud the right
Menged. we do not agree with all OF Mr.
Booth Booth readings, nor DO We entirely IA.
he sweep and breadth OF his methods and his palpable
rontempt for that petty pcdantic eiocution which
would subordinate the passion OF tragic situation TO
10 the mere delivery OF sentence. We were dsap.
pointed when he began the famous passage II have Of
late, but wherefore know not lost all my mrth, &c,
but rs the nature developed the real poetry
revealed. II not the art OF the reader, but The
passion OF the man. The imagination Of tue play was
more closely blerded with its purpose last night than
10 any other pcrsonaton OF Hamlet that We
ememosr. a Mr Booth was especially hna in the sGo.
iuies That which closes the second act, Now am
done, was an outburst of power which had no break.
,u, like Niagara. poured us iuli flood
u passion, sweeping all before 1t TO
he end The quality CT continuity Is
virtue which he has at last commanded, yet even
his IS sometimes carried too far Among the changes
81 business noted the transfer OF the ADVICE
me players and The speech TO Horao IN the third ACT
10 irst order 10 allow the carcpcrs,o to
make arrangements for the mimic play. This
awkward bu, Mr. Booth advice to the first player
ana compliments Horatio much in tho
manner and tone. The OF the third
superb, and especially the scene with the
Queen. The Hamlet OF Mr. Booth is well known but
he changes its style we'll worthy OF the notice OF
shakspcrean scholars.
The support OF Mr. Booth was fair Mr. Mines
Levick played the King, viainous part, which the
manager usually gives TO the worst villain of the ccm
pany In all experience OF the stage
remember King who
lhy OF even tina. slight respect which is
rendered 10 triumphant But Mr.. Levck
created the character. He read the scliloquy, 30
any offence is rank; 1t smells TO hcaven with much
ceiling and force that although the sua-
non was inappropriate Tor applause, IL
not restrained. It revealed that guilty
conscien.c OF the King. while It the liked
determination OF Hamlet catch, thus tho agony
pi Claudus gave new effect 10 the entrance OF Hamlet
apon his useless prayers the mercy OF the offended
heaven The Ghost iairly played by Mr.
Fredcric Robinson, who, however, needs more weight
10 give the real raj effect Mr. NJ Wicker
sapal First Gravedigger. and displayed genuine
bumor IN the dry, quaint discussion with Hamlet Mr.
frank Pierce deserved the thanks OF the audience
act making Polonius "a bunoon, but the per-
lormancc was deficient In humor We were much
pleased with aud poeties
pf the Ophca OF Miss Claia jennings and the Queen
Of Mss jennie Carroll satisfactory. The scenery
did work well in all cases, but appropriate
and successful The revival OF .'Hamletn was Alto
gether br lliant