New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-21
MUSIC AND THE DRI.NA.
BARRETT IN YoRICRs LOVE.

BARfEll IN DOhlJhs Low II.
Lawrence Barretps temperance here was made
last night, at the Park Theatre, and most kindly
public welcome old him that he had not been for
gotten His audience was numerous and Brilliant
and it gave him plaudits and called him before the
curtain and 10 gave him close attention and honest
admir- aton-which was entirely deserved. Mr.. Bar
rett has acted wisely in stepping little way ASIDE
from the beaten track and bringing to the pubic
notice dramatic subject comparatively fresh. Inc
community is tired of the everlasting Hamlets and
Richeiieus. and the press is weary OF land
scape-gardening over those ancient fields. No
body ought to be asked, at Christmas
time what he thinks about Hamlet, or whose
Hamlet he thinks about. The elder Booth got SO
sick Of acting Richard the Third that he once said nc
wished Shakespeare had died before ever he wrote
that play ; and we have more than once had a sim.
liar feeling i'm being Obliged to discuss the much.
toofrequent and ever-des0late Prince of Denmark.
Mr. Barrett to be sure, does not offer in the place %
that hearseke person an individual OF Jocos,
pattern yet iOrick, in which character he appeared
last night. is almost a new man, and therefore, ai
a stranger peculiarly deserving of the cordial wei
come that ne got.
This public made a slight acquaintance with the
play in which he figures, SIX years ago at Days
Theatre. Ii IS a modern work, and comes from the
Spanish. The version that Mr. Daiy produced was
was confused in its elimination, beside being made
absurd by.the presentation of Shakespeare, who
prowIed around in a turnover collar, and was called
The Mlstern The version used by Mr.. Barrett
IL from the pen Of Mr.. William ID. HOwells the
novelist and, although dramatic writing Is not the
strong point of this author. this piece Is found alert
IN movement toerably compact in mechanism
sharp and clear in outline, cumulative in interest,"
and powerful in its general etfect-and. Of course,
its dialogue is written with due consideration OF fit
ness 10 the characters and with beautiful proprietY
Altogether il is an exceedingly strong play. Dir.
Howes-,ome of whose introduced blank verse IS
very elegant and fne-.ydently has not tired 10
stand IN front OF his original The dramatic arrow
is shot from a new bow. but it is the arrow
aud il HITS the mark.
In the mechanism OF the plot of Y0ricks Love"
there is "A resemblance to the drama of "Narcs,e"
Everything is made to tend toward the production.
upon the mimic stage, of that 700 much re-
semDes a sad and lameutable experience on the
stage OF life. Y0rict the comedian of the Globe
Theatre, is married to flice who does not love
him, but vino loves his fosIerson. EdmNnd and il IN
turn beloved BY him. YOrck. through his anbi-
ton to act a leading part piece that happens TO
deal with loving husband, faithless wife, and an
ungratefu ward. -otfends WdltOR, the leading man
of the company. to whom the love OF Alice and Ld-
giuad is known; and HaIi0R. thereupon, c0ntuye5
the exposure of this secret, at the climax Of the
dramatic representation in which I0rjck has pro-
fesssorally supplanted him. The tragic tone could
no. well be more aft. icring than it is in these crcum-
stances and this cimax-supposng the element of
adultery to be involved. The pathos of 1t is of
course, heightened, by hanging upon ambition.
love and anguish-in man who seems fore
doomed to failure and wretchedness, notwith-
standing his sweet goodness and fine nobIl-
ity--the rags and gewgaws of motley,
lie has the pride of Alexander and the soul of Tass
and he is a Jester and his wife betrays him, and
his son breaks .s heart. THIS is the drama OF
romance, despair. terror and awful retribution
The defects of the work arc obvious The piece
being of one sombre tone is too long. The pumpkin
porters, ancient Gregory and Dorothy are super
huous ingredients. The confession of the lovers
to Master HdycOOd is too like litany. Iorick, fol
a miserable man, talks too much all the way through.
The despair and remorse of Edmund and Alice are
out Of all proportion to their fault, which. as init.
mated in this version. is merely sentimental The
termination does not follow quickly enough upon
the heels of the climax. 1t is comfort dramati.
caly, to hear that UdltOn, the Iago OF
the plav has been stabbed in street
brawl and nobody knows the fate of the heroine
Despite all these flaws the drama is full of the force
of elemental passions treated simply and AMID PIC
tresque surroundings OF time ana place. the Iu'
dor All of the work is exceedingly attractive, aud
this was heightened by capital sets OF scenery. PFC
toTial of old English domesticity
Mr.. Barrett made an unequivocal hit as loriek
He gave. however, uneven performance. III:
first note was struck with uncertainty, aud there
was a segment furry; bnt he recovered himself at
the moment of the inception of jealousy Just before
the first curtain fell, and, in the second act he
a wonderfully real and agonzlng picture of the tor
ments of resentful jealousy. The c0ntrasted inter
views with his unsupported tempter, his unsus-
ppcted traitor, and MS SUSPECTED wife, brought
ont his exceptional versatility and enabled
him to sOnnd every note in the scale of love, doubt.
despair, frenzy and piteOus anguish. The rest II
the part proceeds on the same key. and the actors
powers are 80 strained to sustain and prolong this
note of misery that he rendered almost achTymose
at last. Yet this embodiment Is splendid reyela-
ton Of the dark places III the human heart aud the
Gethsemane of human experience. Mr. Louis
James and Miss Marie Wainwright were artificial
Mr.. Frederic Bock-who closely suggests De were
was serene, intense, graceful and adequate; and Mr..
M0sley bore the ungrateful part OF Hdtt0n with
strength of repose and treDchant hneness of express
sion. Mr.. Barrett had the compliment OF several
special recalls upon the scene. and the tone OF his
audience. to the last, remained that Of sympathy
and admiration "Yoricks Love will be- repeated
through the week, and ought 90 enjoy long
There more in IL than meets the eye at first, and
far more than be expressed in these hurried