The New York herald., 1876-12-16
THE MELANCHOLY DANE.
MAKING PooLE's TEAvEsTY OF s'HAMLxT" A
SERIOUS PLAy-sHAKsspEAEE's ''HAMLnT"

NAMING PooLES TRAvEsTY OF "HAMLKT' A
SERIOUS PLAy-sHAKgspEAEE's "HAMLKT"
FUNNY IL COMPARISON.
snguary serious performance of a travesty or
sHamlct took place at the Union League Theatre last
night-a performance unique in itself and all its
roundngs that It viii be long remembered by all who
assisted in It, The audience one OF the most
intelligent cultivated assembled in place OF
amusement IN this city. The all gentle
men OF education ard refinement. Tho namc OF ono OF
the leading universities OF the country associated
with the occasion. and with exceptions the
formers were all graduates of the unver-
sity Sweet charity, too, the excuse.
n not the motive Tor the performances, and
the stage was invoked for the benefit OF
the church. The tickets OF admission read, s'Yac
College Dramatic Association will givc burlesque
representation OF Hamlet tor the benefit of the dis
pensary OF the Church OF the holy Trinity" II was
evident that people who went 10 The play wore
the patrons of tins The li,,le theatre
iu The ladies and gentlemen in the stalls were cx-
ceptonaly well dressed and had paid exceptionally
high price tor their places. There was an orchestra,
too, amateur il is true but exceptionally good OF s
kind The scenes shifted like real scenes in q real
theatre and people dressed Ia imitation OF something
or somebody madc their cxts and their entrances as II
they really players actual playhouse. But
here everything similar to anything over seen
before ceased ennrcly Nothing incongru-
be imagined Shakcspeare's "Harler'
Is generally considered somewhat serious
production and oven Mr.. Fechtor fails make alto
gether funny, but for downright lugubrousness
shakespeare's production Is to be compared with
Poolc's Who Poole is only very bold and reckless
would have tho courage to inquire, but Pooies
ravcsty might well be mistaken Tor the original work
into which Shakespeare or Bacon or somebody en-.
deavored to inusc little sweetness and light II was
Pooc's travcsty upon which the scholars OF YALE In
way honorable to their alma mater. expended their
strength and their genius last night II not 10 bc
doubted that President Porter and tho rest OF the
faculty will heartily thank them for this evidence OF
their devotion to their university. II charity
performance and Is OF the reach OF criticism,
fact winch can scarcely iail to give pam 10 tho
learned pundts OF ale who taught these young fellows
how be very serious for tho amusement of tho rest
Of the world Fortunately the reporter was not cx-
eludcd from tho entertainment. and he can relate as
history what II is forbidden to the critic TO discuss
The play opened with the state apartment IN the pal
ace OF The KING al Esinore. and Polonius aertes and
the rest OF tue courtcTs entered us II thoy were
party oil cgged at the Sailors Snug Aar
Dor ming In 10 dinner The King and Queen followed,
and their motions deliciously illustrated those tri-
angular beauties never fully appreciated by any ex-
Cept the students OF geometry. 30 many right angles
they made with their arms and legs and hips we're
never seen before on the blackboard. Then Hamlet
came There never was such icroc Gus fellow Ho
raved aud tore his hair His eyes may never
again their natural expression and his
mouth completely twisted out Of all
shape that II he looks into the glass
this morning he won't know his own face. Every
thing done Just Edwin Booth wouldn't have
done IT, it not done as anybody else could
have doneit. Yet 1t was like Booth Humpty Dumpty
Fox used to tell story the ciect that when Booth
HIM play the burlcsquc OF Hamlet the tragedian
Eas uncertain as TO his own identity that he was
compelled 10 got somebody TO tread on his sorcst
10 make out whether not 1t was he who playing
H. Ii Booth had the burlcsquc last night which
hc only prevented seeing by Is previous engage
mcnt OF his own he would have iclt like bong
trampled upon all And the gentle Oph.lia-she
was charming creature II she did not make hole
In the 'iats" in her 'rCnt scenes u was was not
from want OF elbow action. But the ghost-he will DO
remembered forever and day. lie jolly
GOOD fellow, that PLAIN 10 be seon, but he
had not practised walking backward, and
\ little too Inaterialized for the narrowncss
Of the first But historians like Gibbon
and Macaulay could enter into the minutcst par
nculars OF the they related, anu II is equally
impossible in the present case. In consequence It
must suffice TO say that some oil the audience mad
mistaken idea OF the character OF tho performance
Some people nagined that the evening was 10 be
Of olhty, and surprised to the play scri
The mistake natural perhaps, but they had
one hearty laugh when the ghost announced u
keep good hours in hell AT the same timo trcmor
went the house If His Satanic Majestys do
minions ought never to be spoken OF outside OF the
pulpit, and the question will doubtless be referred
the Faculty OF Yale. that u may be satisfactorily
determined whether tho Alumni OF the university may
use the word IN serious play BY Poole outragcousy
burlesQucd by Shakespeare.