New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-08
THE DRAMA.
EDWIN BOOTH AS RICHARD III. .


Few men now living could so stir the pub
lie heart--wita such afecronatc joy and such tnmni
tuous enthusiasm !-as it was stirred last night AT
Booths Theatre Ghcn Edwin Booth retnteTed upon that
stage. Tlc public plaudits-spont lneons, VcclIcrous
and unequivocal-burst forth upon his first entrance
and for a long time held him IN waiting suspense
Often "a his perforruanc. Of Richard III. progressed
they were vchcmeDty renewed Often he was ca'led ne
fore the clan. At the close Of the representation TIE
house resounded with delighted crics-to which MI
Booth had 10 respond in brief specc-and long "'cr
he had finally disappeared the great audience fingered III
il, l..agr From first to last his return 10 thS captM
was festival Of victory. However opinions may inner
as to the expcdcncy Of his effort TO present shakes
pcare's R;caard as Shakespeare drew him. ma now
socycr unequal orst certain points arlns III power MS
lnaon may have been found there conld be no douht
OF his hold upon The affections Of this community Norman
ever had more ROYAL welcome than Ne" York a,' night
extended 10 Edwin Booth. There could b. no doubt
ueithcr0 those who closely followed the subtle strong
and splendid de'ineation which he gayc-of MS
undiinui he'd fcrvor OF genius and his steady growth
in art The G})stcr that he presented ON this
occasion was not popular craving Tor con
tiuuai fireworks would have that fcli usurper,
a creature Of perpetual explosions end dctonatlon lie
had on the contrary, many stretches Of level character
and stale; he possible human being 'edl2ea-
ana he was naturally developed under the pressure oil
circumstance. The great moments were thus tIf""h
art process than the old one. which, in this
character. strives TO make all The moments great,
and commpaly eliminates in scarlet and haiins eNag
geratiOn The performance mean 70 say was iuli OF
delicate lights shades and had deep, inferior daI-
ity When Nlr Booth PLAYED Richard according to Glib
Der, lie made him finer tam Cb5'rs text warrants
because he got the light from shakespeare
to iiumine that version. Now that he acts
him according 70 shakespeare he becomes consistent, and
h able 20 trace ia all tlc ie lines OF intellectual Wi
illness and Of humanity which belong TO TIE picture
His uttcrance Of the awful rem0rsc speech with which
Rc6Qrd wakes from hi last sleep tremendous in lis
power ana terrible IN depth OF woe. Had he done
nothing else, this wOud Fave stamped tho WoIh ~ an
effort Of dramatic genius OF the hsnes order His clec
triea! passion in the council scene, however to hc
added III The cate CORY OF notable and splendid tnnph~
# thought, feeling and execution and the stage has
seldom anoried such picture as lis action ana climax
nave or ated. lie has aIway, been almost udicron'IH
f,ljctous in the drawing OF Richards hypocrisy
as in the bit about Lac mothers blessing
ana the scene with die Mayor ana ci'iz,us; 80 that lis
make me Die good cid man. and his " cal him
again have become historic for dcvIish craft. Eat hc
reached fir lofiicr alttuc oi free Een.us-vhen h.
depicted H!cnali whitening uuicrAf mothers catet anu
Later on the night before The battle, moody and
IN a fai-of way, away Of IN iupcniinE doom. We
have sccn hin play Rich,FI when ne Wa stronger
than he was last ni. all Che a;ccrpa ana soruicr
scenes Oh action he never laid bare tlc heart OF this
ncnddiven tortured, acoEizcd, aud suffering wretch
with an equal degree oi truth and OF harrow
III. emotion Tnc serious defect, o: the performance
S.,c cIt1n lttcnefs in the moment Of i- iui' uli-
zion Of Qreu UGr0orcfg uVcc'lvc and tud! loss ui
EichaTd's sldonic scittuoccr. aal sc.rar. 'ccous.
defiant seem alike OF God and - tuc line aaoHt
the Lords anoin,d" Bat tlI, great piece q act
ing-rcatci than ,hia Lrue record wc can q; al atty
say and il was greatly received. NcNt 90 Mr. Booths
RIchqyd and worthy stand vi;L IT, Def Is place hrs