Daily globe., 1883-07-29
ADJUSTMENTS.
The Trcing Season.

The dramatic season of 1884 promises
to be one of unusual interest throughout
the entire country, while the eastern man
ayers are making great preparations to
eclipse all previous efforts in securing new
and startling attractions to bolster up the
many and varied combinations which are
preparing to take the road.
Among the most important announce
ments is that of the appearance of the
great English tragediap, Henry Irving, who
will arrive in this country in the early part
of October. The appearance of this
distinguished actor is being looked
forward to by all true lovers
of the Shakspearian drama with more
or less anticipation, not so much from the
fact that he comes from renowned nation,
the birthplace of him whose plays he will
interpret, but that he has been in any
sense of the word prodigy in his own
country. But few years since he was the
obscure student, to-day he stands at the
head of his profession in England, where
all classes vie with each other in showing
their appreciation of his merits. In this
country as in England there are those who
still hold to the theory that in order to &C.
qulre fame and excellence in this now
highly honored profession, it is necessary
that the aspirant for Thespian honors fol-
low in the old ruts until chance or some
peculiar circumstance jostles his vehicle
out on to the smooth road to fortune. At
tempt to refute the arguments of these old
school theorists and they will point with
pride to the checkered careers of Booth,
Barrett or a Mccullough, all of whom
commenced at the foot of the ladder and
to read of the hardships and struggles they
were compelled to pass through before
reaching the enviable positions they now
hold is like reading a highly spiced ro-
nance. That these believed in stock COM
pany experience have just grounds on
which to base their arguments is not to be
disputed, but education and brains, as Mr..
Irving has clearly demonstrated, will
bridge innumerable chasms and smooth
many rugged path. Mr.. Irving started
out with but one purpose, that of playing
Hamlet. That he succeeded in reaching a
high degree of excellence in this wonder
full composition is evidenced by the popu-
lar favor in which he is held in his own
country.
Mr.. lrvlng's versatility as an actor and
his ability to cope with the classic plays
in general are yet in a great measures to
be determined.
The critics are disposed to differ as to
his efforts aside from the melancholy
Dane, some pronouncing them failures,
while others are equally as enthusiastic in
claiming superiority for him in all his un-
dertakings. His greatest danger will be
in his desire to branch outEtoo rapidly, it
required years of study for him to master
Hamlet, Shakespeare's tragedies are
equally great, there are none of them that
will bear to be slighted. 1t is to be hoped,
however, that he will not fall into the error
that so many of our rising tragedians
have of thinking that the public here de-
mand change of bill every night and in
order to add to his own and the managers
receipts he must lengthen out his roper
toire so that if necessary he can waddle
through Richelieu, on Monday night, bang
away at Richard III. on Tuesday, wrestle
with Hamlet on Wednesday, thunder
through Othello on Thursday, hack at
Macduf on Friday, rest up on Romeo for
Saturday matinee, and Shylock like, wind
up the weeks tragedy by exacting his
pound of flesh.
This mode of proceeding is great mis-
take on the part of those who practice it.
The theater-going public of this country,
as Mr.. irving will soon discover, is edu-
Gated to a high standard of acting, and
will, in the production of the classic
drama, bear more patiently and patronize
more literally the repetition of some one
play well performed six consecutive nights
than half dozen different ones poorly
acted in the same length of time.