New-York tribune., 1879-01-29
VI SIC AND the DRAMA.
MR.. EDGAR A. KING LEAR.

r,.r ,,,,..a red 10 M We been based peculiar
aud restricted sense upon the ue which describes 'hc
broken monarch poor, ndrn, weak ana 'e'l'''"
is man" The quality which he thus especially en-
rhas zed was he pe0usness Of the ruined kins coH"'
ton. ana 1t can With truth Oe said that at Tie m'meut
NJ ss recognition Of CorJsilo the actor really merged
himself into 'le identity Of this agon'zed la''eF anu
heart-brokc, man Bat II WAS only for moment III
every other essential situation OF the taEeHF ne p"'
,iu-oua. 10 tne expression OF hs own design II was
easy 10 see that he had studied the character WIN
same iuunavc perception, and with devoted zeal;
,,d If should be staied-in due recognition
of bis ability, sincerity, and achieve vtmeni-tuat
e sustained nis view aud Seubiance 81 Lear at an even
altitude From the BEG nninS to the end ms pIacUoa'
,pal.iy r.se- the performance ont of the range Of
amateur acting and ranks il with the ordinary STOCK
Lars Of the Mr. Edgar Ike many other lolerah-e
avers " no eau act this great part ia mediocre ana
indifferent manner. more IN his mint aud. perhaps
souethus more in his feelings. than u l. within the
srope @! h.s nature Dramatically TO express H''
rrobany could give an intelligent statement OF most
of the clements that compose h"'3 A'frS character
aud of some of the passions aad agonies that are
aroused m that Tremendous heart, under the cruel ana
affecting experiences by which 1t J. scourSed ana sha.
tered But II = thing to know. and ano'her lhLG
90 express. II knowledge OF the suQrct c'uu
make a great actor either Henry Hudson or Grant
White might act Eing L|nr.-aud instantly Tor augt
we know stand beside Garuck and Macready. Nj
Edrar aDpars 10 know IN considerable measure now
the part should acted; and az that point Mr. Edgar
stops Even this knowledge, however, is denoted mol
b. LiS actual proceedings, but bJ what may be caleu
,,rd-rrons IN bis deueaton. The elevated posturlu
the dignity, the occasional witness, the LOVING ana
loyablc manner to Cortri,a and the daz"d aIn'ess'
va1derlpg ircrrtItcde. during the tempest sccue ma'
be named as hints ana "c0se drnotrwtnis oi H-hl
interior perception and purpose. But all the Whhe'
to look only upon his execu ion-upon what was
actually done.-was to hc stopped by dead wall In
the frantic passage and IN the still more tehpt-t-
uous abluI.;ion Vi all human ties ana al domestic Sc
crrit~-.hat aWfU climax which rounds Itself Win
"Oh Fool. / shall mad. this actor, practically
arose 10 about tue strength OF al oXtjfd Ad""
Wiefcr'1H. or an ucensed UGsip' Waller. Neither
his emotional nature his Of action, nor hs
quality aud scope Of voce were al all adequate 10 THESE
vast and tecluiu- moments Of human asony. The aa-
tlre which here-aud. indeed all thr way through-was
ir-adated by ID, lghning that pierced ana liumlhed
H. ont OF Shakcspeae's play, stood revealed not a.
pa-,ionate uut cOutemplauEe; not rs Iulld ana
terrible but a. composed, seeentred and even pleS
rnatc The action puny AMI tie voice was iteot-
more than one lno indeed being spoken IN tones that
were quite audible II there reason to think that
Mr. Edgar can adorn the stage with great en-
bodinent Ler might be serviceable TO indicate MS
negligence n the treatment OF the teXt-his misplace
usut OF emphasis his misUronuncatioHs, and ms dIe-
tasteful n,,1Ucrism Into her w0pb carry stcrihy,
t. surely NOT a sensible reading yet this the reading
given by Mr. Edgar. There no danger that an body
would suppose that the reference Vas iLrndei Tor the
organs Of sligesiion. To scream forth "inioet her
bso,fg and To- roar scrve ministers" IS to add 10
ront Of rauus these entirely persrlcuous Ihra-es
Rather i, rot correctly pronounced " rUther.' nor
scarcely scarcely" sit set" TuIs. however, j.
Nj Fd,ar- way; and the spectator Il made 10 quake
ratbcr than svmpatbiZe when this Lc1r calls our ma
fool,~ r.l sight" ma daughter" and 90 the
end o. th, whole chapter Of the po-sc>sye pronoIn
These p.u,,sle-.-a passing hint 10 winch sffices,
,.s, l fuor. important under other circrr- auces
hrl m. ph,cf consideration now Il mat which bears
,ro, -r trcg question of the new actors capacity
No gy ,r work in the dramatic art could possibly Dc
es.svs,i tiip tuat which Mr.. Edgar has ,ercnrly
rndctsl.u To succeed Hing Lctr-to ,taud on that
s-orrr-.-.nt midnight plain, and embody that
stupandlu. image OF natural mf'e5rl, oud ierl
the thror- of that breaking hcaIt, and display
the SLOW dissolution Of that magnificent mind wbici,
even a. 10 crunbes, broken into golden fragments Ot
wisdom ana airung silver rays OF incfable human ten
cue,- ptr ana l0ve-is 20 burceon on the very suin
a. of dramatic art and TO realize well nigh The utmost
ta, man .au conceive OF Heavens gt, enshrinrd 10
tr form 90 man. such IN achievement does not burst
suddenly upon the world: such human being rarely
llun.ne. the sphere Of human experience. Mr Ed-dr
IS rvf,- from being this celestial umIuary. He has
Aoo ever acquitted imsef with credit III most
oyerwhe ming emergency; and that snouid content au
ambition wlrh though absolutely hopeless Is doubt
a. sincere a.. il Is honorable The Broadway /.
Theatre Wis crowded with the actors friends, !
and they poured out thelr plaudit' with indiscrln-
mate al, econ and cOpiOus Hberality. Mr. Joseph /
Wheelock easily captured the professional honors
% this revival Of King Lear by his correct. !
sympaih~tic welLhaanced and effective u'rformaHce
q EdgGr Marie Go-dou declaImed OfdeiidS /
lines au icy manner and with face and manner Of
steel Ir Hart Conway posturrd almost Tx Halle
gun, T3o though he certainly suDr some 0f the
music with much sweetness. This latter character
OpaiHuve. vsfu ruefuy bright aid tenderly sad
might engage the genius ~ jefferson for IFS ade
quate portrayal It il nearly always ruined upon the |
stage NJ Ldgar will next essay Otheio. The drama
o' EuOch Aren is in preparation; 10 he produced
With NJ Wueeiock in the chief character kIng Lear
Ia, produced with several good sets Of
the picture OF night and tempest the moor GEAR
Stoueh, being notably Imaginative. TIE storm is |
particularly well handled The text Of shakespeare Is |
followed IN tls representation, and not hat Of Tate.
MR.. DARCIE'S CONCERT
Nj john Darcie gave a concert last even !
Ing ~ >tcmWay Hall. which enlisted the ser