New-York tribune., 1880-04-05
THE DRAMA.
unw,N BOOTH AS BENEDTCK.

-. ....as.ntation of "Much Ado About Moth
wa. eiyeu at Booths Theatre, on Saturday. at
Iu.t,,ss and Edwin Booth appeared as Benedick
',;.,, Mrs Bowers as Beatrice, Mr.. McCollom as
~. p.drn Mr. j. NJ. Hardie as Claudia, Mr.. e. G.
c,o;s an Don John, Mr. Rainford as Leonafo' MT.
d-en ss Dogber1y and miscellaneous cast oil
.l.s,,t, nersous The performance was seen py
I...ro,. audience consisting mostly OF iadies'
80 n was frequently applauded with great vigor
she ,ecosniton accorded to it, Ill TACT, was dIte In
excess ct lis desert.
Mr. Booths Observation-Disclosures luii VI eo'''o
.-., on1 tlc love and relish of humor-dOes not
lAnd itself easily to the comedy MOOD ana t"e'',
- his porsonaton of Benedict is unreal, forced
.artsstic The structure of it, to be sure. is that
which might naturally be expected from an actor OF
.r.st ,,,eeys and great experience. He carries the
,art with swashing ontside' and galliard AIR. lie
utte,s IL" L.. t with ready vOublty ana spark
i;ns yer,ety of tone and manner. dc Illustrates
ths net " with appropriate and telling business.
IA eraaies playful and charming enrcls' Dy quick
tprus of infection and unexpected ana piquant
strokes of bantering mischief Nothing could be
better. in lis mood of impatient resentment and
conn, .exation. than the protest against Beatrice
~ : an to Don Pedro, or than his bOy-like con-
spontoncous rcmonstrance of demeanor.
4, of the scented northumberland
-. ..s-ul,v in tho arbOr-sc@ne, alsO is invested
,.;,, a humorous seriousness and calow sus-
oap.biIis- essentially young and essentially right.
ys,,a,.. .er, the performance somehow leaves
X lOf O bit Of masquerade. The dcclara-
t,on e lo-o 10 Beatrice is SO little really felt that
4ea s,- has to reinforce it with grmaccs that are
acr 'ar,cal. Once, and once only, does this
per, n tower into dignity and shine with true
and .,,natic power; and this is in the chal-
llV of ire nIn @l,o
is o o, 'agedy. and where, accordingly Mr..
Roo lis native element. At this point he
oae, Az and most picturesque type of chvalric
man me. aud this is almost the only part of
hisjen' hat is likely to be remembered.
Mas :, as Beatrice, Is square disappont-
ms, u performance was deformed by stilted
stay wa, cumbersome carriage OF the body, an
aTD ieanor' a 1aisetto voice. ana the moSt
iovi,A. .ality of vacuous smper Every sen-
tene o.. text was forced out with q wiry firm
pess s., lost every one was ended with n ggGle.
Thik al ion of manner IL one OF the traditions
OF tlc 81; old comedy but sometimes, it has
beer snc cred in association with All interior
sDar O. r. ery, bOuntcouS animal spirits, mis-
chev1ib .Jyancy. brilliant sprignilness tartallz-
ing ~cgui ineSs ardent ard honest humOr passion
and buy, q health. thus accompanied it can be en-
dur d; eed in such part rs Lady Iedsle, little
oft isC excellent worth. But. as seen in the
Bsatrce II Mrs. Bowers, there was nothing to re-
deem il modern fine lady simpering at Lieder-
kralz nd not too well pleased with her sur
roandins not Shakespeare's Beatrice or. If it |
be we havt mlssed the significance of the character
!. Tue performance of Hero was stupid that of
G,gadia wooden that of DOa Pedro forrnless aim
less, and common; that of Don John openly viii |
ianou and such as would not have deceived |
mosquito; that of Ursula silly that of Leondto
yeutional and respectable. MI w. F. Owen acted |
Dog5erry, and, though his humor little hard,
bis personatiOn was right i'll ideal. consistent. |
tneniy sustained, and worthy of admiration. The |
quality OF his actors humor Is eccentric but not
broad or deep juicy, such as may be said to |
satr rate the whole nature of the 1t is pleas
ant however, to record for him very credtable |
yuecess IN 4 very difficult character.