New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-30
THE DRAMA-WUS
R. JEFFERSON AS RIP VAN wINKLE.

MR. JEFFERSON AS RIP VAN WINKLE.
It would not be easy to depict III words the
content, joy, and admiration which shone IN ne lace"
OF the great mo'age that last night We'oWe" '
jefferson, as RiD Van W.nkI To the stage OF bO""i
Theatre i. would be sill dlicnlt to express IL
precise terms those blended charms OF poetic PERSONALITY
and lictous art which prevade acting OF
an which cJDaIu the secret OF It's strong
hold upon tie public mind. The faces of Inc sp'c'aos
upon tins a. upon many previous occasions "ehoeu
pure happiness; and this is result when - never pro
cured exec IT through the Of high ana heauhW
marnetism The spirit OF NJ. JofoiSons persohaD"h-
iust ~ ooient now rs 1t was, and nnlShch
wllh even a exquisite nicety OF dean tnau
has been usull-s indicated III thls reMaIA'
lie possesses the rare and perfect 4acu'y'
ns red By the mood OF genius which can cause smiles
to fash and tears dow the instant Fortunate
I'm this faculty AMI conditon-fortunat that Is, IN per
sonalty and trained powerho is almost equally iortu
nate in having found in tie dram9 OF KIP Nal "hMe'
an ample medium OF expression. adequate ~ wei ~ TIC
possibilities as 10 the needs OF MS nature
Through this medium the actor macs himseH
known not Only he Is, hut rs he can he "heh lie
f. ronsngured by the tire and torce his iinssns
ton and thus lifted out Of the actual into the ideal
world. This being the case, we can understand why
Mr. Jeff rson continues TO act RIP Van HHfe anu why
the public both OF the ocean, continues 10 receive
II with ai.ctionate admiration II is known thAt thtre
WAS time, many years aga. when Nj Jefferson Uhs
tnind being then first wtched with TINS SUD
tech used 20 act RIP Van Hmkie Ia his own
private room, for his own pleasure aud ut;'rance'
and with hope OF bilc Opport imty IL Is ieileh-
bered that no excelrd IN the character nearly t"tH!
wears since. From deep impulse with strong pur-
pose by bold and delicate Of art. slowly steadily,
wisely he has built up and broadened 1t out TIL AT last
he has entirely succeeded in making the one
part lake the place OF many ana become
| almost a complete epitOme OF representative M
man experience. 1t is 10 the actor, and not
! to the play wright-tO tho poets perception "
the awful and thrilling fact chat in all the supreme mo-
mepts Of life human being must be a.0ne-that We owe
the arrangement Of the beautiful sprtscene III inns
drama the voice OF the and LIS iorlorn COURAGE
ana wsf humor the silence OF tho ghosts, the seGue
! tra:Ion from common liz. the icy loneliness
| of the border land OF death. II was STROKE
Of genius that devised this scene; ana Mt
Jefferson acting it last night lie has often acted IL
beiore-wlth quick and tremulous spiritual apprehen-
SION W IA intense feeling with the TepOSo Of nerves that
ara strained to Their utmost tension by contact win
supcrnattra surroundings, with sadlysweet humr ana
with simple rustic graccdsllayed toe highest power
that Imagination can bring 10 bear upon the methods o
dramatic art by his wonderful acting in this scene
that eleven years ago, first in this Journal estimated
tho great genus of Jefferson, and presaged the
splendld rcnJwn that he has since achieved lie wac
poetic and spiritual then ne is more SD now He showed
then worry clearly, the power TO traush'ure common
lie to interpret than copy nature 10 use facts
AS synbOs-valuable not for what they are. hut Tor
what they mean-and 10 make ideals actual
His Pip Van Wiakle-which. rs we long ago pointed
out neither that Of tho legend nor OF Irving nor 81 MT
Boucicault Of any previous actor Of the pas-is
grown outof these natural qualities, charms and
that or comment denotes until IL - round mas
sve spontaneous certain and flushed No element OF ii
is left ia neglect out OF proportion. IL contains y0uth
and age fol.c and sadness humor and pahOs, simple
ty ana honest guile home sentiment aud forest sent
mrnt love friendship comfort and health lonely want
ana helpless and Ge5p'sed decrepitGd- the natural
and the supernatural the actual snd the IDEAL and 1t Is
sbaped in perfectly symmetr.cal form, end wrapt, |
from st t. last the atmosphere Of pure romance In
a very long experience and close and continuous OBJ
serv9ncs of the stage not remember % have seen
work OF dramatic art which leaves the sympathetic
mind 40 plea 5urabiy excited and entirely |
satisfied Nor does the fact that the pay
OF =" Rim Van Wnkle" Is often almost puerile IN
text ls defcrmed by the incident OF the marriage Of
Derrick and Grclen and is quite needicssy and even
iniuriously Overreishtcd with the mechanical element
Of inebrey. detract from either the actors triumph or
the pnhss enjoyment In fable the piece fortunate;
in structure it is generally GOOD in development by
action it is oxcallent and as 10 ito auts-Mr Jcfor
sons acting turns them all to favor, and oblivion. IN
last nights representation ne had the cooperative and Of
Mr. Davige as Nick Vedder, Mr.. Hardenburgn Derrick
Miss Constance Hambln as Gretchen. and Miss Min
impression, but she lacks feeling, aud sho is
sclf-consciOus. The general performances were Nil
good and tho piece set suitable scenery and
rlnoothly worked Mr. Harvey DJdworth directed the
band and furnished appropriate music. Booths Theatre
has not looked cheerful for long time il did last
night Perhaps Mr. DAILY IL the Moses who is to load it
INTO The promised land.