The Portland daily press., 1876-05-16
sYU1iuR GRsar.

To see Julius Caesar" as given by the Jar
rett and Palmer company at the Museum last
evening is an event in ones dramatic expert
ence not to be forgotten The splendid and
stately tragedy received an Interpretation at
| the hands of those chiefly concerned in pre-
senting it thoroughly satisfactory. The audi
| ence missed of course the magnificent stage
| setting, the army of trained auxiliaries, the
| opulence of color, the splendor of pageantry
which marked the production of the play in
New York, and which made it the most bril-
liant and imposing theatrical spectacle ever
put on the American stage. The limitations of
the Museum stage as to size and scenic and
mechanical effects put out of all question an
attempt TO repeat that dazzling pageant, and
no one expected to see it. 1t must be confess
ed that the management as regards these mat
tiers were more prodgal in promise than per-
Torrance. Yet the scenic display was fine,
and the more striking scenes were not unwor-
thily given. In several the effect was impress
sive and the pictures conveyed noble present
ments of the old city and civilization. Yet had
the theatre been as bare as in Elizabethan
times the admirable acting would have COM
PEELED the audience 10 forget any lack of scenic
effect The great artists who sustained the
characters of the Roman leaders stood in no
need of accompanying bravery or accessories
of gorgeous color and perfected detail. The
entire absence of these might perhaps have
beer benefit as removing from the spectator
any temptation to disregard the intellectual at
tributes of the performance in admiration of
lavish scenic display and profusion of pagan
try.
A cast of more fitness and excellence could
not have been constructed had the manage
ment the whole large group of American play.
ers to choose from. The four leading actors
gave nobly conceived and wildly and realis-
tcally executed portraitures of those eminent
citizens of the last days of the Roman Com
monwealth who fought and intrigued for its
control. No quality of the tragedy was lost,
every requirement was amply complied with,
and those lofty and daring spirits, the noble
Romans whom the genius of the great dramat-
list has presented as no other modern genius
could, were fittingly and adequately PERSONAL
ed. The distribution of the principal roles is
so judicious, the three parts of Brutus, Cassius
and Antony are so balanced in respect to
prominence, that it is difficult for the spectator,
especially if the play has been seen but once, to
give exclusive palm to either of the three great
actors who assume them. Each seems so fitted
by natural bent of temperament and gifts of
person for the character he enacts and appar-
entity so untitled for the others that there ap-
pears to be little ground Of comparison; and
only full and detailed criticism, such as the
hastily writing critic has neither time nor in
clination to give, would furnish sufficient data
to the reader to form a conclusion. Mr.. Da-
venport's "Brutus' was a noble and stately
Characterization, an entirely sufficient iuterpre-
tation of the lofty spirit who led the Ro-
man Patricians in their revolt against the
Dictator Mr. Bangs as "Antony" was striking
and effective, and his elocution as he delivered
the famous Grafton over the dead body of C@-
sar was fitted to produce the effect traditional
ly ascribed to that moving and polite address.
But Mr.. Barretts "Cassius' produced the
most marked impression on the house. He
had the very front and semblance Of the con-
spirator for liberty, and the representation
was infused with the ardent yet subtle spirit,
and weighted with the lofty dignity which we
associate with the stern Roman, while in the
closing scene it was nobly pathetic.
While Mr.. Levick did not perhaps fully con-
yey "Ca sar," that consummate flower of Ro.
man manhood aud culture, he gave worthy
and dignifed rendit ton, and tie few lines he
had to read were delivered with force and feel
ing. The subordinate parts were, in the main,
we'll distributed, and the large and brilliant au-
dence had reason to be delighted also noble
presentation of the noble tragedy.