National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-05-06
HAMLET" IN STREET CLOTHES.
How Booth's Company Looked when
They Played without Costumes.

Maze Edwards, manager for Edwin Booth, thus
describes their appearance at Waterbury, Conn,
last winter, when the troupe played without their
costumes: "Whcn found the baggage, with the
costumes, had not arrived was Just going to
throw myself into the river, when thought
would go and tell Mr.. Booth about It and bid good.
bye to some Of the people who had always thought
q good deal of me, before killing myself To my
astonishment Mr. Booth took It as cool as you would
take an invitation to drink. Hcsald, inGsnluch as
the people were in the hall, he would make few
remarks TO them aboutthe accident and then they
would go on and play three acts Of Hamlet" In
the clothes they had on. And so 1t was fixed up
that way. Wen, tho thought of Hamlet in a short
tailed coat and tight pants almost made me sick
and when
MIR. BOOTH CAME ON THE STAGE
looking Ike an Episcopal minister. with Knight
couldn't think Of anything but Hamlet. forgot
all about his clothes, and believe If he had only
had on pair of sailor pants and n red flannel fire.
mans shirt that the people would only have seen
Hamlet tell You he sthe greatest actor that ever
lived. The people sat perfectly still, and seemed
they did not look at the other fellows. But when
they took in Ldertes with short ham fat coat on
seemed to me could hear Them SMILE aeaA And p ibe
king, Hdmles step father, he was a sight. Imagine
king with acut-away checkcred coat Pullman
| and leg OF a chair for q sceptre, mashed on a
queen with a travelling dress and a gray woollen
basque win buttons on II. Ana thlnk OF P0loniUS
with o
LINEN BUSTER AND STRAW HAT
with blue ribbon on. Oh, 1t made mo tired
Opheiid was all right enough. She had on some
crazy clothes that she had been travelin g in, and
VIC got some straw out of u barn and some artih-
cial flowers of of the bonnots, and she pulled
through pretty well. But the Ghost. You would
have died TO see the Ghost. He had on one of those
long hand me. down ulster oyercoats with
buckle In the back as big q curry comb. and the
belt was hanging down on both sides. The BOYS
got him green mosquito bar to put over 1t, aud,
with stuffed club for u sceptre, he fell over u
chair and then came on. should have laughed
III had been on my death bed when he said to
Hamlet. am thy fathers ghost He looked moro
like dyummer for a wholesale confectionery
house, With a sort of tin skinner on his haad,
and believe the audience would have gone wild
with laughter If II had not been for Mr.. Booth.
don't believe
YOU COULD GET HIM TO LAUGH
on the stage for million dollars. He Just looked
at the Ghost MS though 1t was genuine one and
the audience looked at Booth, aud forgot all about
the ulster and the ghosts pants being rolled up at
the bottom, 1t was probably the greatest triumph
that an actor ever had for Mr.. Booth to compel
the vast audience to forget the ludicrous SUR
rOundings and think only Of tho character he was
portraying. wouldn't have missed the nights
performance for a thousand dollars and when, at
ten o'clock, heard the boys getting the trunks
upstairs, was almost sorry The last two acts
were played with the costumes, but they were 10
better performed than the first. Still, think on
the whole, had rather the baggage would DO
there. 1t makes a manager feel better"