Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-08-21
Y. wHITMORE.
Publisher and Proprietor.
"sARDANAPALuS.0
ITS Representation at Booths Thea
ter, New York,

tefS new Hork,
The following is from the New
York Herald's criticism of the
representation of "Sardanapalus
recently:
'Gt was the Black Crook or the
White Fawn, woven together with
fragments of Byron's rhetoric. In
stead of ZamieP coming every now
and then out of the stage with a
bound and uttering some warning
or malediction, we had Mr.. Bangs
as 'Sardanapalus.' 'ZamiePs' duty
was to occupy the stage while the
lights were arranged and the ballet
girls tucked in their scanty drapery.
Mr.. Bangs serves a similar Office.
He il, of course, a much better
actor than the gentleman who
played Zamiel,' and is allowed some
defamation and wears robes Of
many tints, gemmed and embroi-
dered. He has a sword instead of
a wand, which is more be6tting a
great tragedian, but his principal
office in this reconstructed 'Sarda-
napalus, is to fill up the waits be-
tween the marching and dancing,
and form a central figure in the
tableauN All of this he does with
great ability. His wig is wonder
quite q Lohengrin' wig-that
will take well in photographs. His
legs are beauties in their blue silk
encasements, while his gems look
as if they would pay the national
debt. If we dwell upon these points
in the programme Of Mr.. Bangs, to
the exclusion of the intellectual as
pect of the character of the Assy-
rian King, it is because they are
really the only points that made
any impression on the audience.
The play was a spectacle, and Mr..
Bangs was q new ZamieP to the re-
yised Black Crook.
"In point of legs and agility, upon
which the success of Sardanapalus
will rest, Mr.. Bangs was far out
stripped by Signor Ernesto Mas
caOno. a tFaUedian from the Italian
theaters. On the Feform stage, as
illustrated by the enterprisiug
manager, tragedians like Mascagno
will perform an important part.
This able deIineator Of Byron has a
good face, a pleasant manner and a
quick eye. His main force was in
his legs, which were eneaSed in
brown, and gave him a somber look
cutie in contrast with the splendors
of the Assyrjan court. AS a
Jumper and q skipper and toe
spinner Signor Mascagno won all
the honors, There was one fine
tragic burst when standing on his
toes he pirouetted acEoss the stage
and jumped at least four feet in
the air, which drew forth thunders
Of applause from the admirers of
Byron's immortal genius. 1t is
unfair on the part Of Messr8. JAR
rett g. Palmer to give Signor Mas
cagno all the opportunities. Mr..
Bangs showed that he kpew how
to Jump in Marc Antony and Mr.
Collieg has certainly much promise
in the same direction. 1t is, there
fore, Unjust to native talent that
really good actors like Bangs, Col
lier, Weaver and others should be
showed aside for a foreigner. 1t
is due to SignOf Mascagno to say
that he made the most Of his op-
portqnities. He covered more
ground in less time than any actor
we have seen for many a day. He
was assisted by Mile Malvina Bar
toletti, an actress from Paris, en-
gagged especially to illustrate the
genius OF Byron, Mile Bartoletti
If we may say it without offense
showed unusual tragic power
with her limbs. We should like TO
describe her costume, but there
was hardly enough to describe. She
entered into Che spirit of Byron's
work with unasual agility and
grace. When she was swung up in
The air by Mascagno and was bent
into an angle and whirled around
the admirers of Byron's noble po-
etry fairly rose in their seats and
howled Salyini in OthellO. Booth