Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-17

THE trsgediap, Eiwin Booth, the greatest
OF all those who play upon the Eugli-h-
speaking stage, will appear at The Memphis
Lytton's tragedy of Rieheiieu; on Friday
night "a "Bertuccio," in Tom Taylor's
tragedy, The Foo"s Reuenge, and in Hamlet
at an afternoon performance on Saturday.
1t is many years since Mr.. Booth played in
Memphis, but he will find from the fuliness
ami character of the audiences that will
greet HIM this week that he has not been
forgotten, but holds place in the hearts of
this people as enviable as that which he
enjoys at the greater centers of f lglish civ
ilization. Since he was here last he has
made many changes in his studies of char
acter, consequent upon tie advance the
country-we ought to say the world-has
made in all departments of art. He has
brought to his aid fine, picturesque, and
historically accurate effects in scenery, and
in Costumes he fairly challenges even the
ultra aesthetics whom Oscar Wilde leads so
effectively. His reading will be found better
ia the points of emphasis, sccentuation, and
subtle, subdued force, and his movements,
gestures and poses more natural and less
stiited Than was the habit when he
first essayel to walk in his IL
lustrious fathers footsteps. The pur-
pose had in view by the great masters
of the stage TO subject the player and all his
surroundings TO uustudied nature finds in
Mr.. Booths conscientious, artistic and
aesthetic supervision closenoss even to de-
tail that leaves nothing to be desired. With
his "Richelieu" and Hamlet" the readers of
the APPEAL have some acquaintance; what
difference they may find in them since last
they looked upon them will be found on the
side of roundness, fnllness and completeness.
No actor oil his time so completely enmeshes
himself in these wonderful portraitures, the
first that of the most renowned, crafty and
philosophiG of French ministers; The second
the most profoundly metaphysical character
known to any stage time. Differing
from these, but equally effective in his
hands is the "Bsrtuccio" OF IAs Fools Re.
reYge. If anything were needed to prove the
many-sidedness of genius so worthy to
llumine tie works OF Shakespeare, this
character, so nearly like one OF the m aster's
own creations, would do it. The deepest
depths Of the human heart were a-ched for
its creation, and the ssddest notes OF parental
kesrt-break, misery and woe were summoned
to slunnber in it through maDy ac's beneath
tue mask of folly. The poet who brought
this character forth gave it to the world
as an earnest Of Whist he might do to lift the
stage, so often now degraded, to the level of
its best days, and prove that modorn life has
not so enervated our literature and our
tongue that they cannot be made 10 embody
the hidden wonders of life and group them
in the airy laughter Of the ster and the in-
tensity of a fathers love. In this character
of "Bertuccio," furnished with motive the
most sacred, yet cast in mould the lowest,
in some respects the most repulsiva, certainly
most humiliating, Booth is seen, after "Ham-
let," at his best. II is the climax OF bis libors
on stage with which his name will be most
widely and most honorably linked forever,