New-York tribune., 1885-01-27
THE DRAMA--MUSIC.
LAWRENCE BARRETT AS cAssrUs.

LAWRENCE BARRETT AS CAH6IUS
Lawrence Barretts revival Of the stately ana
splendid tragedy Of Julius Cesar" was Effected lss0
night ct the Star Theatre In prssenoo Of unoommony
brilliant and enthusiastic assemblage with new and
picturesque scenery; with judicious cast Of parts,
with several dsft embellishments Of novel and felie.
tous description; and with emphatic and auspcious
success The Of this old and familiar play
s like the return of dear friend long absent and much
desired brings with It pleasure and deep conteuk
The impressive pageants Of Roman History chosen and
arranged by Shaksspeare's potent skill, and en-
| shrined in his noble and eloquent verso.
passed before tho public vision in one
| long, symmetrical array Of royal pomp spirited
action and dramatic significance moving onward 70
mournful splendid close The Temptation Of Brnta the
midnight Conspiracy the Assassination OF Cesar, the
respective for the pacifeaten and the
the Roman Mob the quarrel and reconcilaon OF the
insurgent chiefs the Apparon Of Cesars Ghost In ths
lonely sards the vcsstudss sf the hnal BATTLE
the suicide Of Casus and Of Bus and thus the triumph
Of nexorsbe justice every power that would ain
to servo good cause by bad meaAsan these stirring
Incidents tersely displayed By the great poet and
swathed In language Of such sonorous melody and VI
bran feeling lived again in this rich and beautiful rep
resentation.
Every lover Of Shakespeare knows them Every fol-
lower of the stage has, Of lato years, been made
especially familiar with them. At tho time
Of Edwin Booths great revival of "Julus Caesar"
(the most sabOrateN and magnificent setting that any
play has received upon the American stage whom
Lawrence Barrett, Cassius took the laurel OF the
hour which since, the attention OF our
public strongly concentrated upon this suect ana
tho interest then aroused in 1t has died away
Readers Of these lines will at once call to mind how
and how carefully the drift OF this tragedy has
been discussed somplexity Of Its characters
amined. Mr. Barrett at the first, perceived and pro-
sented Cassis ideal Of pure and exalted intellect;
Hri,vh rdof Tho hAb bss
adhered with passionate devotion that has made his
performance OF 1t appreciabls by every human heart
and endeared him. actor, to tho finest minds Of his
age 1t easy for actor to go astray In Cass, ea
pscally II he strains inordnate reach those lines
in the second scene, beginning "wen, Brutus,
thou art noble" Mr.. Barrett pereeiving that
in Casss the pride OF intellect is so colossal that
it condemns the intellect of Bruts the least shsw OF
sbsrvency to another though that other be him
self ever made him dlsparage his friend for being
drawn into the conspiracy, but only allowed him. a.
Shakespeare does to make one passing evanescent COM
mea on the weakness OF mind that will take advice
from anybody Fer Casss entirely believes In the just
ice and the righteousness Of his purpose;
and I'm the effort that to In cite Bros against
Cgsar he conceyes himself to be using right msans TO
good end and embarkng his friend upon glorious en-,
terprse He Is not Idgo He feels, indeed, personal
scorn for Cesar Incapable OF weakness himself he do
spses In others and 1t has been his fortune 70
behold tho mighty Julius both exhausted and III he IS
resentful of the performances Of not abler than
himself He is grim. austsre. spenstic But his larger
motive is the hatred of tyranny; and when at lass
1.-THE storm is up and all is on the hazard"
no man shows brayer mind, moro unselhsh spirit
more heroic front to the foe cooler indifference TO
death. The centler calmer, broader, more seitcon-
tanned majestic nature of B,rns commands % OF
attracts a more rational admiration; but 1t Is Cossm
who under conditions prescribed in this play ana IN
spIte OF our detestation OF his crime (Which,
to him, ia a virtue carries our Kindness our
COMPASSION almost our love, to the last AS .
fact OF history, Julius Caesar himself was. probably,
worth more than of all the Senators that slew
him. with Antony and Octdrius beside But we are NOT
to go behind the tragedy for our Illumination OF ~ ana
tho best part of that illumination perhaps. given In
the words that spoken by the great Btus himself
over the dead body OF his comrade:
THE last Of all the Romans, fare thee well!
1t is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellOw.-Frends, owe more tears
To this dead man than you shall see me pay
| Mr. Barretts embodiment of Cassius was long ago
hailed and recorded great work Ii well deserved
| that epithet IL remains what II was. IL squares
exactly with the ideal here indicated and Its execution,
last night remarkable and delightful FOR the variety
of treatment the copous emotion the sustained power.
and the complete that only possible 70 an
actor when his munitions and bis study have given him
perfect compreheaso OF a character and when ample
and thorough experience has endowed him with an ao-
soute comDaud of its every Dre every motive, every
| action, and every situation.