The New York herald., 1879-10-03
ADJUSTMENTS.
STANDARD TnEATRE-"uAMLEr. "


Hamlct' is essentially u creation under poets
llcense--an ideal hero rather that material being
He is totally different in thought. word aud action
from tho world about him aud must DO treated
poeticaly-as tho result OF authors dreamy
fancy. Ho is not fashioned from any coumon mould.
or endowed. under tho inhcxibe rules OF nature
with determined conditions of mind and body. 1t
is intended that the true of his character
shall be underlined by the text but lott open to
question In some details. and that no shall simply
charm by his princcly graccs aud demand sympathy
by reason OF his almost majestic SORROW which in its
intensity ovcrshadows his young life and clouds his
mental qualities. To faithfully portray these varied
qualities and to give proper expression to those
peculiar phases OF being to enlist the of
an audience requires in tho actor not alone ntel-
gence of conception and consistency OF execution
but something There must bc in tho actor a
certain degree OF personal charm OF manner aud
presence. Excellence OF nnexion aud pro-
priety of gesture will not suffice to convey
an adequate picture Of Hamlet; there must be "a
namclcss quality OF fascination in the actor himself
'difcult to define. but easily recognizable TO add
poeical fragrance to the whole and convey by It's
presence rather than by the force the lines tho
Impression that Hamlet should effect.
Mr. Bandmann does not adequately possess these
necessary qualitiea He is an actor or great merit
and OF long experience; lac has intimate acQuaiDt-
with the stage and ull Its capabilities aud with
his art aud all its but he fails him.
self thorough Justice in the part Of Hamlet for
two reasons. uamlot3 SORROW under Mr..
Danrnsnn's treatment. dcgcnoratos into moro
than weak scutimentality and fails to elicit
sympathy. In his attention TO minor details aud au
endeavor 10 originate new business no neglects to
MI out and strengthen and round his conception of
tho character q whole. SO excellent artist can
do nothing badly; but. untitled by nature for tho
part OF the ''mclancholy Dane" his weak
points arc peculiarly observable in tho char
actcr. His performance IL an uneven one,
his tender passages being notably weak and his
stronger lines showing him to disproportionate
vantage. His reception OF tho news from Horatio
that the King has boon seen on tho ramparts, and
his determination to follow tho Ghost admir-
able and most forciblo pieces of work In tho first
act, while his interview with and open
ing lines addressed to tho murdered King most
disappointing efforts. Again, the delivery of tho
closing lines of the second net, ''rhc plays tho
thing &c., electrical In Its effect the audi
cnco, and his scono with the Queen. whom Polonus
is killed. could scarcely have been better. There
were thus weak and strong points throughout the
play, aud opinion to the oxcellonce OF tho whole
must be q qualified ono. In accordance with this
statement.
With both lines and scenes Mr.. Bandmann takes
many liberties. Important and telling sentences
that arc as familiar household words" aro cut
from the text aud parts Of scenossuch AZ tho con-
clusion of the oratory sconc. where Hamlet dis
covers the King Ia prayer-aro seriously mutilatcd.
Much new business Is introduced some of which
is telling though in Questionable taste. There IL
some clever scenic trckcry In connection with tho
coming and going of tho Ghost and tho arrangement