New-York tribune., 1879-01-14
MR.. IRVING AS HAMLET.
THE EFFORTS OF LIFE.

LONDON. Dec. s. Ut Is to TINS mat the eflOrtS
of my whole life have tended, said Mr. Irving, last
nightn the brief speech he made upon being called
before the curtain. TO thls7-tO whati Not
solely it may be answered, 10 the acting Of Ham
let it has not been acted by anybody else in this
generation, but to the production Of it with some
approach 10 complete and adequate representation
of the whole play 10 a suitable theatre under Nr. IT.
wings own management That take II, - what Nr
Irving meant and upon that he has fairly earned tde
congratulations which were offered him by such m
an audience as seldom OF never of late wears has
semblcd In a London playhouse. Il hope TO DO
nothing" added Mr.. irving, which shall not elevate
my art and'-the climax il odd. but very English-
" increase the comfort of my audience The natu-
raj pride OF the manager burst ont not unpleasanty
III that last phrase. Mr. Irving himself for the
first time IN position to give effect 10 his a.pira-
tlOns. The delicately printed playbill which we
were all allowed to peruse without charge-a notable
ami excellent innovation-desc him sole lessee
and manager. Ii was in that capacity we'll as IN his
more familiar character of leading actor that so
many deputies of the literary. the artistic, the
dramatic world gathered 10 offer him fresh well
come Before ne uttered a word of his part, hc had
dOne much to earn his applause lie La, re-
decorated the house which of la.e years had grown
dmgy. He gave Us comfortable seats IN place of
the uncomfortable ones clean stults, bright paint
uev gliding new carpets, new curtains, and an
atmosphere which comes much nearer to being
fresh than it once did. lie has abolished
fees, not only for programmes, hu- for cloak
rooms and everything else, and the stranger
NAV now visit this theatre, rs he may
two or three others IN Loudon-and two Or three
only-wlthout having blackmau levied ON Inn at
every turn. Besides all this. Mr. Irving n.s re-
modelled the stage arran Eemeuts, and has brought
out Hamlet with scenery. dresses and general
appointments Of such prndor 20 eclipse the best
efforts Of theiate Mr.. BateWan. ! hesitate 20 otter
gues- at the cost Of these improvements. but
II must certainly be rcckoned by tens Of thousands
Better than all. he has trained and drilled
company II actors to perform this play
Himself and one other excepted, there - no
one of them who has the least claim 10
genius. or even TO remarkable dramatic ability
There has been no English school IN which trst-r2'e
actors OF tragedy could be educlteu The material
az bis hands was seu.idllY commonplace. some
Of il was distinctly Inferior: some OF it even ludc
rously unfit tor the work. and vulgar Such per
former as Mr.. >winbournc IS q dead-welgl. upon "a
managers hands. Mr.. Irving tooA INN for want Of
a better no doubt. In old times ne played the
Kinc-a character which gave tull scope 70 his
believing powers. Mr. Irving turned HIM ont
of that. and made HOratio " hlu-a singular
instance of judgment for, though Horatio ranks
higher dramatically than ClaudiU., it : part in
which the more offensive pecuiilrItes of Mr.
Swinbourue may be kept under. There are Others
which need not dwell upon. Sir Irving has
moulded these imperfect and dscordant capacities
INTO one harmonious and sufficient whole; making
a good company out Of poor artists; which
take to be proof OF very rare ahd high
order of cultured skill. Something or rhe
same kind had bcca done Jctr', in a less
difficult way. At the Prince of Wales Theatre,
and. TO some extent at the Court Theatre also. But
Mr.. Irying's tasl, vas Of more rugged sort
l. ha been sad in recent tim IS thar The Lvcauw
Company. under Mrs. Blteman'- management. had
deterioratcd because Mr. Irving world bear no rival
near he throne. Tho retirement of Mr. Forrester ?.
whose Iago had divided The pIaudir- of the house
with Mr. irving OthelO. and who hat quilted the
theatre not long after was mentioned as an IN
stance. But Mr. Forester reaprears a. one OF
Mr.. lrying's company Oh the first occasion when
fuIl power Is IN Mr. !rvings hands more decisive
refutatIon OF the cilumuy is supplied by the en-
gaLeInrnt of Miss Ellen Terry. Miss Terry. one of
distinguished family of sisters. has band Of al
mirer> SIR to max" any theatre where she appears
echo with their approval Of her individual efforts
Mr.. Irving never would have engaged her II h" had
meant 10 moaouolzr admiration. lf-vhich 7 an
far from bcli"v.uQ-any such weakness had ever ba-
SCI hl while Dee was actor only ir has disappeared
m his ambition as manager Nothing ia last nights
performance was more remarkable or more adj
mirabe than the results or AIs personal ing and
supervision; implying, as II DID, surrender Of
everything Ike personal vanity, and a recognition
Of the dramatic value 20 he found N the average
and equal excellence OF the rendering ot Hamlet
as a great play rather than a pay with one great
part.
OF Nr. Iryiug5 yersonaton of the ffiHS| = Dem
mrrE have sad much before now, and have hrt.e
to alter OF add. l; bears marks OF fresh
study: II Is at tunes more powerful than ever.
bur r j. also at times elabora,r without being
more finished. ON the whole, never saw him more
considerations. more intellectua' or more artistic.
There were traces of fatigue last night duo" no
doubt 10 the tires. OF unwonted labors and re,pou
-iDlIti.-. They were moi visible IN the great
scenes for which he judiciously cconomzrd hls
strength. II had Mr lryInc's ear should almost
be inclined to advise Am to susp nd further study
Of his part or 1t any rate to give less thoHght 10
the details Of IT, and 20 reflect on the broad
outlines and essential traits Of the charac-
ter h. depicts so well. He hlS been study
ing and even editing the text Of which
he Ia, pm lshed an acting version. study o.. that
sort may ba carr ri too far Mr. lryiugs Ham
Jet is already TOO crowded with effects. There are
passage, ~ wIca jhe impression leg. on t-' ~P'cti-
tor is an impression Of cyci-consC.oGs aud super
subtle ingenuity of Interpretation. Let him study
simplicity: above all things. let him beware OF
indicating in act Oh or eiocutIOn the processes OF
t.ou-ht by which he has arrived at a partlcu-
Jar construction OF a doubtful sentence. Let Inn
remember aat nothing more fatal 10 art than
pride in art and tha; the surcst sign Oh lrca'enee
is tAc parade OF purely technical power A'aiWays'
he va, most perfect IN those passages oi the pay
when belong To tie domain OF comedy. IN the
scenes with Poloaias. with Lo,orGH.- and Gul-
g,r.te,p and with the PLAYERS. Mr.. lrving's