The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-25
THE COUNT AS RICHARD Ill.
A MEMORABLE PERFORMfNCE IN THE
OLD BOWERY 7IEITRE.
Tie Musty aud tnverncus Auditorium OF the
Iistortc Temple Crowded In Every Part
by Remarkably Wen-Entertrincd People.


by Remarkably eii-Entertnined People.
Tho cavcmous Old Bowcry Theatre was
in an unwon,od condition last over ns-tull Of
! people. from the front row Of orchestra chairs
to the back seat in Tic top gallery. Not less than
! $500 men and boys were crowded into the
| auditorium, and about twenty women. This
overwhelming propondcranec Of tho male sex
| gave the assembly peculiarly sombrc aspect.
and the few women here aud th,rc seemed
| ovcrawed and timoroua. In George. the Count
! Joannes. was the attraction strong enough to
relieve tho Old Bowery 81 is usual lonesome
ness. He drew to the historic building not only
! tIc ordinary irrqucnters but hundreds OF men
who donot often sock amuscmcnt in ,hut neigh
! borhood. judges, lawyers, journalists. actors.
aad merchants. many Of whose names are
familiar 10 the public. touched elbows with per
sons Of low degree A more diversified audi
oncc was never gathered, nor one more bent on
fun.
| Tho entertainment was begun with farce. TO
! which not much attention was paid by cithcr
I the audience or the players but when The cur
t.,in rolled mp on ihs first seaue ~ Richard
! Ill; or tle Battle OF Eosworth fio.d. there
| was instant silence. and all eyes wcr' fixed on
/ the vast barren stage. Although the regular
| stock company oi the house had been strength
enod by recruits 20 respectable standard Of
I
outraecorsly treated. the audience was plainly
| impatient for a sight of The Uncrushcd Ira
| gcdian. a. tho hills called the Count When
| he did stand at the footllehts. u great shout
went up. He stood affaby smiling. bowing
| with courtiy grace, AMI covering hs heart
| with onr hand and then the other. until
| tho .aprlhu-" and laughter slowly sub
slded The PLAY, pfofresscd M so%y no,
| bccauso - frequent and proiractci nterrnp-
tons. ,hchd,d UL Is character not often
| coWi"nal inSianre. ,Ihe p,nrie ma come To
laugh and ihey laughed at RCharfs illusions
| TO Lddy 1 me. at the rrstnrcs with whirh he
| added meaning tO the lines. AT MS tripping on
his sword. AT his nearly tipping oyer when he
knelt. and sometimes ut nothing. They laughed
| merressy too. NJ Miss ivonia Fairbanks the
Counts pupil. who played An,e with consider
able skill. hut whose amu'ruri~n WAYS were
doubles. aggravated 10y the ordeal 10 which she
Throulhout the fret threc acts u the tragedy
the Count preserved pln'dity If t"mper
| Sometimes he spoke right along when shouting
| and laughter drowned his voice. and Tor long
| passages 90 Shakrspearc lie might have sulisti-
| tutrd q. Washington Culll~'s obituary verses
| or have moved hls lips without speaking nj all
ior IN the tumult not "A sound OF his voice could
| p" heard. A. other times b." stopp"l short in
| bis portrayal. mad" Hlp''linx gestures Co his
| tormrutur~. aud waited until thrr" wt~ "a 'au
| Gra !uali iln p'nuIc tir.l of their sport. and
~" fourth atpas= 'd of without any bad breach
Al t1o:lO o'ro the curtain WIS raised for the
| last nN. BY that tim" every rt ot standing room
Ms h.iri' many i'nnE"i7 M Mi'.N hi eutIr,t M Mia,r
| Inc slirt ui uli7'hl'i was r"NiNci and II ,.und
al un-Npetrd n"t"meut ON the stage. Up to
tnls Inlhi an l.e a., p.Ii'tm'r7 lh,h III ,hr sHpIotuhg
very w.ll but Harry \. Ellis. the lending man
Of the regular company. and the Hrhnond oi
,e e''Wns sunds orEan l h ius ans
aser said that no such thing had bcen planned.
nv nv tlin. , ,i' Ari,,Ts , 1, ~ 49,. o,n ~ ~ -
W" ,lnl serious Support. u inny nay" p.eh
t.l- own llra -, n a",lut 10 tH N,lrr, ~ oi lh"
% l 4, Ms I'm =, nto~a NM p 1" %
,,. -, NJ ,io'
!, ,rJ t.r IN ,T'iis Hg,,''r ms ~. ~ - n
iraa ,iouai Lowry knd II sin.e ea.t i,
s,r,irnI anil nis GESTURES .rn ,l.l,rt iii.
E,3a5I In ihe early rsrt ot mi. mn a.
chara.,"ri.'Ir- o. n',niioncl. S6me 81 tho aui-
tors. unarprc .iatIve Of that siyle * a.tinr.
U hor.ol lis oe,nnisir,.ni ,lniniv se,,nei a.
H., IN ',l 'i'S i"r lev, s,.c 'apl tnan NH N
.n .,uy,' ty ,N,,t,..r,t,nr H., ,,nnn,r n,'
thntTo tlreaiy = cx.it.l n.rrim"nt T0r Lnr.
l".o1" Itt~o1i wns an inst0nt sn'r.ss. and
uproarious laughter ,hat Was brlwe-n thtm.
THIS lea M 10 the s.,nr IN which R'olonitrou-
.i.nr win IN. nrv - {, a., ru. nnnthar hors.--
lind n" ywouni.w Tn Count rns. from "A
soia AK s'1Gssr@di 9W1rd YER the i%9.st,s 9n;
nj fhnt in,tnnt there was silence in the hous..
c, y,,s IA" ont IN bs ' wT,tb striaimg
| fCr,"rI 49, M u,,ii,iinp his sword towarI the
,.r sar. b si "WG"',err yNu re e
s,i,,ni, - y',i .,, mean oonir,tpt H. owt,rl .
y 3f ".ns hin's'lf mo,il , H., ,,t,r,.s
and unst,r.s. I,ii WHAT he snid durinr IN. n.xt
minute noioAy could hear ior iha laughter
There wore cries too SUN rs 90 i'r en-,
"TWVh'1 n Nn' Nh, .or,o @ i'''''" ou' u '''' anu
IN. ,nrmoii Of haile which r.okos tho clos
nir,1r. .stnI,...- W,,l anem.nt. i, hriunr- m
the aiidltorium. The martini music H. wiirI
tis n,','sin,, arn,i,s nier,hnl en- rnd or thr
Il