New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-09
WILSON BARRETTS HAMLET.
pr,1,1ASrA AND ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE

Wilson Barrett fulfilled n vow when. az no SUI
seouently informed his .audienee. was h'"'
inst quarter of century ago.
tr;ena,ess Yorkshire lad of twelve summers-he
had cheerfully parted with his last SD ees,.
Charles Kean play Hamlet, IN the ola frinces,
Theatre Young Barrett so impressed win 'no
.,odians mower that be firmly resolved tha' lo
400 xould be an actor. and play Nd@'d on 'no.e
..orr boards Despite many obstacles ne kep' nis
.,h and when. the other evening. ne m''e MS
~ bcfore a crowded and enthusiastic honse' MS
,,,,srally 'oareworn expression revealed not 30
oh the actors idea-for Mr.. Barretts Hdmt IS
\, M means a " melancholy Dane AS the anxiety
- the man. IL was indeed trying moment an"
~ ,rss evidently conscious that 1t was Crisis III
hs artistic career. Facing an audience which con-
,oipea such scholars as Professor Ruskin, MI
Matthew Arnold. Mr. Hermann Vein ana LORD
I,,,o,,, beside host of eminent fellow actors and
actresses, and the whole phalanx OF LONDON crl,'cS
!; nnst have required no ordinary courage to place
before such house a representation OF Shahc-
snesr7s greatest play, which was startling IN Its
originality
An amount of pluck which has frequently been
condemned ~ foolhardiness been the distn-
cushing feature of Mr.. Wilson Barrctts career
when he yenturcd to produce "Claudian ne IN
warned against his rash audacity IN DOING 81, p"'
fortunately he did not listen to his irenus' Wh'n
the struggling provincial player asrireh 10 the h'u"
Of the popular actress. Miss Heath VINO was oraN'
ing all London to see her rs Jane Shore II was hs
audacity which made him the laughng-stock OF iis
oomn.nions No word can better describe thc
character Of the poor boy who was so hreu oy 'ue
example Of Charles Kcan as the word ana'c"y' anu
vet. with him. to dare. has been 10 W.T. az"
aCIaudian has for over 200 nights III '-"""'''
and bsen plaved by two of Mr. Barretts COM
hrcOlne
Mrs Wilson Jarrett and on Thursday night she
watched her husband essay the part of Rdm'et
II is NOT too much 10 say that the new Hamlet
took the honse bv surprise. for it is indeed new
one. When he rose from his char on OF hlal re-
spect To the Queen Mother. to whom he addresses
his FIRST speech. the dignGci simplicity of the tone
In which he rccited the lines beginning,
"soems madami Nay. 1t Is; I know not seems
almost startled with ITS extreme naturalness Inc
listeners were relieved ut once OF all fear on inc
headache which is too often the result OF hearing
Hamlet: we We're to be spared all ponpous decla-
nation. all stalkngs and roarinCs of oldfashioncd
tragedy we were TO watch the career OF an oS-
sentiallv human and common-sensc aambt one
with little enough of the poet or philosopher and
still less of the ideal hero in his composition mt
opo who was in every respect man of like passions
with everyday human beings.
The new Hamlet is good-tcmpcrcd youth. VINO
can chat pleasantly with a gravo-digger seated the
while on the stone steps of cross lie rs an ael'-
able man-of- the world, who can discuss !" hlmSei
the Question of qucstors-Is Life worth living =
while he leans with his back against a table and
qrasps it's edges with his hands He is IA genial COM
panion whose love of humor is continually huhhiing
IN. and who takes y genuine deli hit III tooling the
fussy old chamberlain. Re is a constant lover whom
q pure and passionate devotion toFO'oniHFs daughter
ia, ,..,l.
oxhortations of his fathers spirit. In word IL
man Hamlet is set before all his weakness. and
with no attempt to gloss his pitifnl incf~-
sistencies Mr. Barretts is Hamlet which /" the
gods " can love. Some critics may hold that by
thus painting the Prince of Denmark In primary
colors. the artist has sacrificed somewhat both the
psthetc and the ethical value of the play, but none
will doubt that he has executed his work with
Characteristic earnestness. and that his sole aim
has been 70 express truly what Shakespeare wrote
and to make the meaning OF the great master plain
even to the ignorant and tho untutored. To tins
eud, the sololuics arc spoken almost colioquially
and very simply. although perhaps too rapidly at
times There Is no ranting even in the one Begin
ming.
90 what n rogue and peasant slave am ~
which professional elocutionsts are so fond of in
h;ctng upon the public n sample of their H..
donbted ability to "tear passion to tatters.
Then the advice 10 the players is given with the
quiet modesty and respectful difience of the an'a-
teur and at the same time with the kindness OF
cood-natnred man. And again, the speech 70 Rossn-
Grants and GHildensterR which most tragedans hurl
savagey ut the unfortunate spanIels heads was the
au etest of all. Do you think am easier to be
played on than pipe ?! was asked IN tone OF
gentle almost sorrowful reproot. and tnen handing
the recorder to Hordf0, and bowling 10 his friends
Ia
concluded "Call me what instrument You will.
though yon can fret me yet you cannot play upon
ineN The hackneyed "bnsincss' OF cracking the
pipe across the knee aud scattering the fragments
was Tins discarded for much more naturai and
effective rendering. This is business that has
never been seen on the American stagc.-Efl
In fact all through the play stage traditions have
been cleared away and conventionalites have been
laughed 10 scorn. Scholars will gladly welcome
many restored passages, aud the insertion IF whole
scenes which are usually omitted. No pains have
been spared 10 do justice TO the great work OF the
great master. The part Of the Ming has been re-
stored almost to its original length, aud in the
hands Of Mr. +. y. Willard, who played with con
suumaie art it was most effective lis speech be-
rinnmg'
40. my offence r. rank
and the subsequent PRAYER. was simply thrilling
his with feeftea when thew contrive the death
of Ho@lsi was no less ~, and most effective tah-
ean was got from tho scene whcn' ihe lucklcss
Prince "a bauiHhe and departs from thc royal pres
encp surrounded Nv the Kings Swit1ers Very i'm
pressvc, to-, was the hitter about of sarcasm in
which NNatsi crhoes his nncr's words, "Fur Ing.
lamb" ant pnrs out holdhs hetnte the ktns'e oycs
the medallion portrait ~ his dead father,
TIL, medallion HtWle' wears ALWAYS nfNt his
heart, and frequently handles throughout the play,
|, helps I'm 10 mali4o choctaay that hlial love aud
reverence Tor his fathers memory is the key note 10
hia character la tho death-socne he attempts 10
draw 10 FROM h, breast, hat laeks the physical
strength 10 do a. HOrat0. peToeiyng his wish
holds u heure hts eyes, then places 1t 10 his ip~,
and kdmiet having kissed II and uttered a ieeh, rrv
Of JOY. fails On tile ground. Again II Is made use Of
cXgfl effect in SCENE III ,no,t.a-