New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-01-22
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
PDwTy BOOTH AS MORTIMER.

EDWIN BOOTH AS MORTIMER
Claimants tragedy of "The Iron Chest"
II, ves presented last night at the Fifth Avenue
,1oatco with Edwin Booth Sir Idacord Mortimer Is
Interesting not only because of Mr. Booths romantic
end thrilling performance but because It'll type OF
certain Kind OF dramatic literature in which our ioe-
fathers Of hundred years ago. found their pleasure III
toward the end Of the last century, readerso stage
history are that true melo DRAMATIC admiNo
- erious play and attained to its most prosper
ops growth; and it then that The Iron Ches'
was ,roduced at Coycnt Garden Theatre, I'D Lohoo'
with Kenble in the chief part Many of the persons WHO
arcipatcd In its performance then. and for long te
s,rvard were singers The humorous man" sang ana
az aid the poacher's daughter. The juvenile h'goT@
ioincd in duet with his lass; old Adam b'"'cTD" war
6ed a little; and there was company OF roOOerS'
lodged amid the OF ancient abbey Vhc scene DC
,rg laid in the South of England, in he lovely nedS OF
Kent or The smiling of SUSSEX that sang IN capi
tal chorus
"Jolly friars tppled here
Ere these abbey-walls bad crunDlca;
Still the ruins boast good cheer $500,
Though long ago the cOistcrs tumb!eh'
This sort of play appears to have prevailed lor ""o'
one generation; but in time the puhc TASTE gre" weary
of it, and aside from The Iron Chest" and "Guy Man
nering" scarcely genuine meodrama OF The old School
has survived in actual use TO the present Day Even
these are always cut, when acted and that treatment
of them has long been usual. "The Iron Chest, as
given last night was is needless to say gwen WITHOUT
its incidental music its band of picturesque iODbers
grouped in the moonlight. beneath the broken arches
and among the mouderng. moss-covered, Vy-cIaa
stones of its ruined English abbey.
The essential dramatic vitality OF the piece however
is independent of all such accessories WIN an ACTOR
competent TO play Sir EdtcGid Mortimer "Ihe iron
Chest will always deserve to keep its place upon the
stage 1t presents that central character in situations
that admit of splendid yg0r of dramatic execution ana
II invests him with the continuous uniaerng charm OF
romantic atmosphere. Sir Edted'd u0Tf'mr is 'hor-
ougly noble person. capable Of all goodness ana worth!
of all love and honor Bnt he has eo'nmtted crime
Under terrible provocaton and in moment oil frenzy
he has stabbed TO the heart the sincwy savage VINO
had struck him down and tramped upon MN
In "a public place, He has escaped detection ana m's
kent his secret But remorse gnawng forever at his
heart and IN every minute of his life. by night or day.
sleeping or waking the dread of discovery haunS ms
soul The passion of his mind is love Of honor-io hold
fair in the eyes Of men, and to leave an unfair
nshed name when the grave shall have closed over his
ashes his prophetic fear that after his DEATH not
before the hdeous secret may leap to light, he has
written his confession and defence and this lac
must perpeualy guard in his Iron Chest BY chance 1t
once the point OF disclosure Ills
startled and apprehensiys soul takes needless
fright lie springs TO his own defence He will defeat
the purpose OF though he pursue an innocent
youth to the depths OF ruin disgrace ana dealh upon Inc
speare has put the mouth OF the repentant Queen
Gertrude:
sss s sgq n, IS sn ,D nntq qs sms,
so full q art.t > j,
II spills itse in fearing to be split"
ais anxiety and his insane turpude defeat their
purpose and IN the reyusOn OF feeling consequent upon
lions OF seltdeicnrc he dies in a paroxysIn Of horrible
anguish. There are several speLHd moments III Ihe
tragedy for this shpwre,kei amt wietcAea
which Ed,card Mortimer tells The whole OF hie story
10 his secretary. WfordwhO has half discovered lts
secret.-and ia which The bafiei murderer expires
Edwin Booth. in aspect, in temperament. and IN the
knowledge Of grief nils this character as II he hai been
born for it, and for nothing else From the mo mcn,
"Of the SCENE an atmosphere OF dreau ana terror
seem fused everywhere a. by the unseen presence
indomitablc and splendid human creature Inc
hone ,"1 6nt siaStir and INFINITELY pathetic
And thereafter the work goes on, genus, Win It,
profound intuitions and dramatic art with It's superb
and suffering have isolated from companionSp win
any ol the human race. In ITS eNle'soh oi 'ns An
isolation II among the srandest images that ever the
stage displayed.
To any actor however experienced there must be I'M
common difficulty in the way OF playing sIch cnar'
high pitch OF restrained nervous excitement II IL Writ
ten a somewhat inflated and dowcry strain OF hiaIk
taneors transitions from Level speS 20 h
The man is really dying, by inches. from grief that he
must conceal aud from an inward struggle or CONFUSION
death Booth met the difficulties OF this ordeal with
astonishing ability, and from the inst spring ulon tne
startled WWoTd, at the Dluhaeiihg iclutem ,j
TO murder down TO the dreadful pdroHysn OF mortal
agony with which the story closes, he heid
his audience pellbOund in eager and painful suspense
The ilumiuatye speeches are the apoStrophe u hoD1r
|
with all the passion Of AorDers lactrated heart which
has Ost and suffered 10y the other In the scene
of the confession the tragedian tagged little hut the
most OF IL passed In whrwnd Of stormy yociieratlon
The death, without being prJtrced ana without excess
of ply misery, appalling picture aud won
derful as a OF But perhaps tue GROWING cK-
Celence this cmho iment is tho actors truthful and
most impressive expresSOp-in face demcanOr. cond
ton manner and spcechOf the weight and majesty Of
character that consequent. noble nature, upon
settled aud hopeless grief combined with the mingled
Witness and assude that Orerun the dissolution OF
The audience numerous and brilliant one
including many OF the old paygOers VINO now are walk
ing beneath the silver hag-was deeply moved and at
the fall OF the curtain Dir. Booth called out with
cheers.
There il certain tie wig air about the cottage ana the
comedy These however served 10 Introduce last
night, several players OF notable talent Mr. Charles
Kent made positive hit As the kindly, aged ana gar
rulous adam Bintert0n. Mr. James Burrows was suit
ably burly formidable aud careworn as Gtbrt Rdrb'd
Mr. James Nolan, acting Sampson, revealed himself as
All eccentric comedian Of the old school, possessed OF
personal cOmicality and quainness, aud accomplished
in maxim these drOl attributes felt and liked An exceed
tngly pretty and pleasing soubrctte Miss Elizabeth Ko
bins. acted Banehe and almost revived the memory OF
the days OF Mary Cannon. Such an image Of wholesome
youth freshness innocence and piquaDcy, is always wei
come TO the stage
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
Last nights repetition of "The Jewess" by