New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-06
BOOTH IN BERLIN.
"REMINISCENCES or HIS SUCCESS AMID wRETCHED
SURROUNDINGS.

"REMINISCENCES or HIS SUCCESS AMID wRETCHED'
SURROUNDINGS.
An American, who has for long time made
his home in Berlin, but who is IN this city, in talk
with reporter. following account of
Edwin Booths appearance In that city In the winter of
1898:
consider the success which Booth won at Berlin
OF his greatest triumphs. Perhaps you may say his
greatest triumph for certainly actor ever had greater
odds 70 CONTEND against. The Berlin audience is
critical one and although the Germans are rather fond
OF affecting foreign airs and graces they by
quick TO SEQ literary artso excellence in!any thing
person that from America. Tho Berlhers
seeing American students IN their univer
sty that they have began TO look America sort
Of barbarOus land without educational institutions,
which obliged TO send It's inhabitants abroad that they
may receive whatever rudiments Of knowledge their
unframed minds capable OF srasping 1t before
audience whose minds largely tinged with such
ideas this that Booth TO play. His coming
widely advertised and some OF the illustrated Journals
published portraits OF him. Public opinion divided
upon the subject OF these portraits Some people found
features perfectly cassca-the ideal face for a
Shakespearean Others thought that he had the
face OF an old man; that he might be well enough In
The Merchant OF Venice or King Lear but that he
could never Hamlet. Much Of this adverse criii
oisn from section Of the theare-gong population
which Was strongly mbued with tho idea that Lud wlR
shakespeare. greatest creations. Ludwig the most
trasedIan of The Royal Theatre VI Berlin the house
which the formation of the Empire has become
more ana more the standard OF dramatic art for Ger
many. Half the In Berlin rayed about Ludwig
aud the men hardly less enthusiastic.
Many cultivated Germans had no hesitation in assert
ing that alone could comprehend shakepearo's
grandest IDEAS and that SLaBespeares work aimed by
being translated into German. All this will show you
what predisposton there TO bett'e Booth and his
few nights before the date set for Booths FIRST
appearance. Hamlet announced at the Royal
Theatre with Ludwig the title role. went myself 10
a.. This representaton The theatre Is a large com
uoduus building, the heart OF the fashionable centre
and belug tho Court theatre IL leaves nothing 10 Oe
desired I'm the way OF costumes stage setting ana
adequate support for tho stars. Hamlet Was put on
the stage with special care for there was an evident
we're 70 the expected American tragedtn For instance
Of tue few IN which nave seen the play
70 the end as shakespeare wrote H. ana iThce
Fyatnb,ds OF Norway with his followers brought IpOu
the Stage tie end OF the NTH act Ludwig acting
Impressive, but he fei Into the mistake which Ir
Crrulu actors secm to be able 60 avOd-he ranted
TERRIBLY For the grand soloquy 70 DO or not 70 le,
he the stage with rolling eyes aud strut which
would have gracrd one Of tho Bowery stages IN New.
i or1 oi,,nd ran koose for so tney pronounced
the uaue produce anything equal To Ludwigs
Veil tho night OF Booths first representation came
on A miserable little theatre had been cnEHEed !or
him situated In OutOf the way quarter end devoted
to tTusations OF pieces which had successful
Thcre we're few actors and actresses bad appeared
in Fedora and other French successes, Into whose
OtheO' were pat These con, ltIicd '"OtI' elttoI1
Tley we're to act N German aud he IN Ers.sh. Ham
let think tho nrst play that be gave Tue topse
well nlrd. Tor & was GENERALLY kuoNn ibat ho2l"
spread desire to see him aud criticize MIN. The 6rst
scere OF The pa" wa complete la.ee' To,"., nu' va
soldiers acted ike hsh out OF water Iuey nOlhdefr1
abodt the stiko' got eHl'hfet III tnc[ 800, "35
appeared 'or Tue nr,t Time ~ tle curtain i"' c't1
opera gas, Ia the Louise was turned 'owari Booth Al
AMERICANS knoT "Ta. nao'c 49,, ' utocc ,,.
certainly adorable bat everybody was eager 20 near MS
drst words. You EBow what they arc-sn ASIDE, A
little more than kan and less th1n KIND "' lri' 90"
how words. gou Known, made me thr.h. -
point thing German had been spoken aud 20 hear
those English words pronounced 10 l. ,ol lci' meow
effect upon tho audience VAS gooi also Aiirut on q.
redoubcd Al me eud OF each scene aud ca ert Booth
was unanimously recalled aud the representation WAS
go ,i MI yo,a,ic German nature. would not snptec
style OF acting which IN comparison win ihat OF
s',1o ~ ~ he OWNED than etjtr.,ng them by
,~ .,,-o mo d,J bow4ver filly srprrc'pte
Booths art they bad the maulues4 70 say go. me
nexspaper cr tcisus not uniformly favorable bat
the large majority az theatre goers pronounced decidedly
In Booth. favor. In tho "lndo~s OF ,ome "i lne
pnotog aph -uops appeared cauestaes ~ LIIwi; |.o
the Muse OF Tracey Az room Ha1s' gn.' , ma
atoms the Crown Prince ana l.rinc's' were AUG, ,
most enthusiastic spectators lhis fact IN r.ef vas
great card for Booth hHl u lheiea'"n a.o t G
unpppuIarity The Beriiner' were iudtnAat in,l 7no
who seldom apr cared tire Royal fhettr" should ." ="
often 20 hear foreigner oven II NC du 'o"h Hoi wv"
language. . , 49, ,t-,...
a 1t was curious sight to see Booth the hlgHe-'
e1poneDt the dramatic art dignifylug even s "Ior
trnate surroundluss for they were tuy uh'"rtnn"te
Waen tie star not ON the stage one "'n'H hi'"
supuosed that the audience listening 10 a cANlA'
farce They did hesitate % laugh aud 10" t.'Ao
resounded with mock applause. shall never IorS".
Deor OIh,tn hat hcr before IN some lh-lIhu' il
bart In Fedora thluk she vas one pf the IA ne 40
sdOrn the parlor In the 81 Ond q L Bn IN Ogt'i sue
sesmed to have such pittfu ConscouHnn-s ~ hcr own
Inability play the part that clio got Oh WIN '.s
ridirnle than tie others Booth. however, -rriru p"
dominate an other actors on the stage h' NJ eve
Although all the gwen IN German never put
once snv HIM make u mistake. That Has In the 'h1f'h-
Yard scene In Hamlet He began Que OF his answers 10
The gra, digger too soon, but he saw us ulNldA' "
once and | doubt whether ten persons IN the muse
noticed It. . III, .,..o
There Is little incident connected with thc'e
renrcscufaf0nS when always make me laugh WLcN !
think Of IL. You know what perfect LngHsh ho,tn
straks hoU his speech i- from all trace OF any
arcept-whether LnQlish American. Wen. no hdi
lust delivered ono me great sOllOgde- II hhheI
wien "A man whom dld not know, situHg justin I'I"
ne turned round aud said IA the brodde't c"chIeN
English: BIts very hnc, but what hawai- American
] bo "a He