The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-09
AMUSEM ENTS.
"nrcHAnp IN" IN COFFEE Colon.


Tho vitiating influence OF . man like him who re-
Gently for two or weeks murdered Shakespeare
nightly amid tho rbaldry and ruGlansm Of Now York
can bo measured by u performance which took place
Ut Lyric Hall last night There the tragedy OF
"Ricbard Ill., was played by . piebald company
OF walters and whitewashers In a manner that was
overwhelmingly fonnv whom It was not oppressiveiy
dreary. II was, seems, speculation on the part Of
. white man. ana We are happy to think that IL could
NOT have been financially successful, for in spite OF
the laughter tho performances provoked, could not
help plying tho poor, earnest fellows, with
,hcir great black eyes rolling In unuttora5ie
misery, thcy shambcd on aud of the
stage Tho attcu lance ihreofourins coiorsd and
right stylish people. and dressed In brsh, coors they
were, too FOR tho most part they very solemn
and dccorouS but tmes tho condition OF things on
tho stage was SO udicrous that the dusky faces would
be III up with the CLEAN OF ivcrics, wnile a loud
"ooahI ooah ~ rolled melodiously through tho hail.
The white p.rton Of ,he audience either yawn-
,pg or IN convuls,ons. Mr.. Benjamin J. Ford, who
played Richard. rs q tall chestnut muiatto with a
very long head and ciose-croppod xool, shambling
eat loose hung arms he wants good many Of
his front teeth. The scenery very primltvs and
gave some idea Of the difficulties that the actors Of
shakespeare time wrsstled With lis voice IN ord
nary moments appears to come IN large part through
his nose aod when no becomes, AZ he frequently does
torn with passion, It seems 70 roll and gurglc
and growi at itself IN his throat before
coming forth In sustained bsllowings KING
Henry vi tfor Mr. Booths new version
was not atrempird) was a shade lighter and very
dreary fellow inoecd, and when Richard skcwercd him
was well served 10 have the chestnut richard.
while the cafe lat Henry was taunting MN. pace
up aud oown slap his sword-hilt ana snofc with
rage anu say "Hti han was one OF the
nrst inklbgs OF the iun IN store. Now,
Henry was u far-sizod man, bat when they
brought three foot lump OF something blnck by
way OF his corpse stre,cher In the next scene,
colored lady IA front said soto roce, "I.or Almighty,
how he am shrunk up" Lady Anne, quadroon.
who also played tho Duchess OF York by simply pat
ting white horsenair wig, Was a very vixcnish
creature, and came worry ncar putting tho sword
IN Richards eye. Buckingham was dark coffee
coored Nuban, whose remarks co ud not DO precisely
understood, but his great trouble was tendency TO
smile compaccntly when he had said anything par
tculariy poIysyllabic Then huge rod cash APP
pearcd In his nc lace and set OF white teeth about
nine inches across gitterod for an instant with
Irresistible elect We we're promising ourselves
treat when no would como on In the fourth
act but In his stead and IN his clothes osme another
hissrton three slatcs nearer white We were nos
hswcvsr, altogether robbed OF him Tor no turned up
as Richmond 10 tho last act with ghosily coat
OF white powder over his conscscoior, when pro-
dueed very queer effect II We could dcscrbc
the poor little princes tho little Duke oil YORK was
really cicvsrl and show Hsny Clay celsred Pfince