New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-14
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

Mr.. BARRETT IN SHYL0CK AND GARRICK.
great crowd filed the Grand Opera House, last
night to see Mr.. Barrett as Shyoct and as DGrd
GGrrick. The combination OF THE Merchant OF
Venice, 1.-THE most beautiful poetic comedy in the
language-with David Garrick." which is one of
the best of modern prose pieces, makes a strong.
picturesque and various bill There are upwards OF
twenty different types of character the two plays
and in each there Is story Of deep interest ana
rich and variable significance. 1t is no wonder
that, together they form great popular attrac-
ton. Mr. Barrett has used this bill many times oe-
fore, within the knowledge of this public, ana mas
fully tested Its value medium for the eXh'oltou
OF his powers In Shylock last night, he displayed
the conscientious study and the intellectual hre tha
customarily mark his STYLE and that have made
him so great a public favorite. 1t seems
70 rs that ShgIock should be made majestic type OF
Hcbrae dignity Jerrold SAID of kean III this cnar-
actor that the personatIOn was like chapter OUT
the book of Genesis" This is significant "a Rianc-
ing al an ideal OF bleak austerity-an awful EN-
blem of the Oriental faith and intense spirit. MI.
Barrett makes HIM more essentially the avenger OF
n personal wrong; and from this point of view his
ideal is consistently maintained aud superbly exc
cuted.
After the street-scene last night, he was recalled
with tumultuOus applause. wilder recklessness,
in this tremendous scene, is highly desirable The
tempest here Is momentarily checked but II never
once subsidies Mr. Barrett was frmer. and finest
of all In his assumption of cod and deadly malig-
nifty, in the trial-scene and in his even ampli-
tude of power that sustained to the
bitter end the Jews almost intoerable weight of
passion, suspense, misery and whitening wicked
mesa There were some moments of this Shytock
in which the actor seemed quite borne away on the
wings of his own sonOrous elCquence others IN
which he iapsed from thrilling excitement to mo-
mentary apathy; but the ferOcity-which Is a chief
fibre of the characteristic hOrrid humOr. and the
cold rcmoTseless nationality Of its level mood, were
expressed by him with almost revolving truth. one
technical error may be noted. The speech 80
Father Abraham. what these Christians are " was
spoken as an aside whereas 1t is a part Of Shy
locks Guplicity and dissinu alton, who knows fun
well what mischief he is DOING and does not in the
least mistake the distrust of BdssdRo. The comedy
was of course. given In condensed FORM
M Louis James acted BassGHiO speaking the
lovely language of that delightful part with most
manly and most musical earnestness and sweetness.
Miss Wainwright in the trial scene, read the noble
speeches Of Portia with fine intelligence and tender
gravity. There was copous applause at the fall Of
the final curtain.
In DaUid Garrick Mr.. Barrett had lighter task,
but he wrought it out with no less care and
thoroughness-the characteristic attribute of
his sincere mind. The ideal is that Of
a selfrespecting actor and delicate gentleman, who
is tried by contact with vulgar class of persons,
under circumstances that painfully test his integrity
and self-conrol. The light manner of Mr. Barrett
is singularly winning, and IL Is made the more so by
a certain tender and wistful amiability which
underlies it. He acted the drunken scene with
adroit skill and unaffected comicalIty yet never
was unrefned nor ever failed to show the anguish
that this simulated drunkenness c0nceals. 1t Is an
admirable piece Of comedy, and il had brilliant
Endorsement Mr. Barrett viii, this afternoon, re-
peat his remarkable Improvisation of Iorick. and
tonight will close his engagement with Richard ILL.,
1t is one of The best engagements that he has ever
filed. and has afforded ample evidence Of his solid
and constantly widening reputation.