The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-13

One 81 Mr. Edwin Booths objects in Wis
ting New York at this time. let US for the mo.
mcnt believe. was 10 show us that the public
docs not object TO pay q dollar and a half 10 20
10 tie theatre when it is offered worthy per-
formancc. AT the matinee offered yesterday at
Booths Theatre there was villa, is commonly
called Jam Not only were all the seats oscu-
pied. eyn those in the skyward gallery. but
ladies stood W aions the aislcs and clustered
eagerly about the space at the doors. Such an
assomblagc is calculated to gladden. the heart
OF the player
The entertainment offered was Shakes pearos
Henry Nlll.' in which Mr.. Booth. for the
first time hero. played the part of Cardinal lioi-
seq. Why Mr.. Booth should have selected the
least dramatic uf Shakespeare's historical trag-
cdics 10 open his metropolitan season II Is
dim ult 10 say. H. would probably for an an
swcr refer us 10 the vast nsscmblnrns which
these plays haNc summoned. But with all re-
spct 20 Mr.. Booth NJ a manager II dis re
ton and an actor u sagacity. this answer
Is not satisfactory 90 the person who has sat in
mont on several nights and heard the opinions
~ the assembling" freely Expressed in the lob
Richard ILL.," nor Henry VIII" are entirely
satisfactory plays 70 n promiscuous audience.
and. Of .hc two. Henry III is the least wor
thy OF Shakespeare. II not only violates the
truth Of history. hut il does it in such a way as
TO violate poetic beauty. 1t is not symmetricalas
nearly all the rest OF Shakespcarc's plays-cth-
zeal yitality-and its action is scattered and
tagging.
Gcrvinus, tho German critic. SAYS: In no
other has Shakespeare accumulated so much
paeeantry, pomp and ceremony. No other play
seems SO loosely Pited in its various parts !;
none so wholly wanting in n fundamental idea
connecting the individual parts"
Another distinguished critic advanced the
idea that Shakespeare had intended 10 write n
second part TO his Henry VIII" and that this
was a mere prologue.
Even In It's acting condition ts beauty OF
characterization and the poetic splcndor Of it,
lines do not make up for that suspense and
Crisis which we expect in tragedy. II cannot be-
said that turdindi WOls.y is one Mr.. Booths
best roles. II If a careful. serious rendition of
what MIR. Booth conc'tVes g. be the character
but It fails To NOV" the spectator and leaves but
transient impression. Tho cast was not a
happy one. Mrs. Waller excepted the people
ing t. their high positions. Tho HENRI of Mr.
Frank Pierce WIS singulary devoid Of the
suavity and repose Of a royal parsonage and
the. Ihtke ~ Bucktt0ldm failed 10 be pathetic
Mrs. Waller alone IL entitled 10 praise for her
excellent support Of Mr. Booth in this under
taking. Her great scene before the court was
finely done. and II she fell short ~ Charlotte
to you ! speak T. she nevertheless presented
such picture Of womanly agony aud royal in
dignation rs she made her exit that the house
broke out III genuine and enthusiastic APP
The thcatric side Of the entertainment was
SNOWY and protNse The scenery and dresses
werc bright and heilting such pageant and
Rerformed-liandel's" Angels Ever Bright ana
Fair" introduced into the last act with hapry
effect being especially Effective. ON Monday
night MI Booth plays Ric'rri again.