New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-03
THE DRAMA-NUSIC.

MR. BANDMANNS REVIVAL OF HAMLET.
The fltIlity OF an cndcavOr 20 make Ham,
let" theme for dramatic variations need not be urged
upon the attention OF thoughtful persons Is natural
to think that those who 10 deal with of the
greatest poetic creations Of the human mind will place
the stress first ~ ali. upon its substance ana Will be
quite content with "A treatment that u simply
appropriate The scenery Tor Hamlet" should
be stately and impressive: II may. indeed.
be magnificent but Il should not BE- fau'as-
tic In the revival OF " Hamlet" which
was made last night NJ the STANDARD rheatre-and
made il Is not doubted in a scieuons -pirlt-there
was - much pretenslon comminslsd with so much
childish trvalty that, truly, the critical observer Il at
"A loss whether TO dismiss II with frown OF "a smile.
Tho appeal that It made was-wi,h. Of course. cue
auac .onto the eye. and TO the ~ stiangcness.
Hamlet" IN other words, was tricked our spec
tacle and variegated with experimental treatment.
No auditor hOwsCever DESTROYS OF liking MIS-
mind upon the tragedy, and OF rising into a
high mood OF sympathy with the noble inter.
pretaiion Of IT, could fail see, therefore. that
his attention desiredespecia y ana pecaarly.-to
attributes Of novelty in the exhibition Mr. Bandmann'
il was quite clear believes himself engaged in present
inc Harriet in new dress, and with what are cur
rently denoted all the modern improvements.
IL Is delusivc conviction, aud II has led
10 "A display which Is Of very dubious proprety
IL would take many words aud mucn space to describe
in detail the scenic accessories and the various In.
novations real and alleged, with which the
great tragedy represented rapid commen-
tary upon salient features Is all that
he undertaken 49, aud all that Is necessary.
There was no novelty the Of the whole stage for
the picture OF Platform fore the Castle This has
he,n done here ever the old days OF the Winter
Garden when Edwin Booth first accomplished It, But
II was expedieLt 10 this piece with snow
scene The whitened battlemerts OF EIsinore sparkcd
beneath the cold GUNNER Of two stars. and
hen the morn. IN russell mantle clad" walked DER
Eastern hills NilluOt denied
that the picture abstrae:y considered. beautiful;
but IL certainly lett confused idea or the
climate OF Denmark. The season OF the year IN
Hamlet j., Ia fact. bur obscu-ey indicated. There
are flowers giowIng in the period Of thu fourth act,
and EortnIras the march with his troops-bo.h
incidents OF Summer weather. ." II Is very cold" ON
the atform at midnight IN the first act hut cold mid
nights are not impossible, even In midsummer.
beside the sea The time covered BY Hamlet"
Is about ten weeks. and the season tnat best
suits with II II Autumn. There many objections 10
placing IL IN Winter 4 good. hut Old mechanical
achievement effected the change from this picture 10 tho
room ia the castle and kindred process made the clauge
from the fourth 10 the ifth-which HGnL>rs
great scenes with the GhoSi. Fool Was introduced
without rhyme or reason. aud tri1ng RESTORATION
the entrance OF POoRius ana the courers-was effected
la the third act. The Ghost this act. made
emerge from HIS portraits Was done twenty
years ago. IN Acknowledgment through pillar. and
then pass Tout at the portal" Many lines
spoken that usually omitted. The dead body ~
Oyheia was brought on. end Of the fourth TO
make tableau. and the graveyard scene Was made a
most elaborate and animated picture Of Catholic
funeral, In medieval umcs-thls latter effect.
since ODhelia should be buried with d" manned
rites" being radically wrong. Tue scene.
however. made lovely paccant. In tho
closet scene there were hiesze portraits Of Ca.oias
and his ancestors. and an oruory was shown 10
tachcd to tho Queens apartments. Mr. Band
mann himself Ornamenied his performance
OF Hamlet with various touches Of ingenious
stagehuslness The expected dcbat OF Mss
Amayuc OpAel,a did occur, but that tender .nd
lovely part MAS personalcd b. Mrs. BIndmaun. in a
mood Of exquisite and proprcty ANA VITA perfect
skill THIS Is subty intelligent In all thai she
does and her rennement is constant delight HoI
mad the gem OF the night
Mr. Bandmanu's Hame. Is extraordinary work; yet
that cannot be accepted without serious reser
walton. IIe has had the part In MS repertory since
Ontoher. ls63-when. at Nblos Garden In this city, he