Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-21
- BILL RYE AT The PLAY.
Ms Impartial Criticism Of Hamlet, as
Presented by Edwin Booth

Presented by Edwin Booth
LAsteyening went TO hear Mr. Edwin Booth
In Hamlet" | had read the play before
but IL was better as he gave il, think. The
play Of Hamlet is not catchy. and there i.
noticeable lack Of local gags in it. There
Is considerable discussion among critics aS to
whether Hamlet was really insane or not
but think that he assumed II in order t.
throw the prosecution of the track. for he
was very smart man, and when his uncle
tried 70 work of some Of his DANISH pruvari-
cations on him fully expected him TO pull a
card out OF his pocket and present il 10 his
royal tailnesS, on which might be seen the
legend,
:'''''''''''' ..-.....-......'-.---...
AN SOMETHING OF A LIAR MYSELF
But am glad he did not for 1t would have
seemed out Of character IN play like that
MIR. Booth wore a dark waterproof cloak
all the evening, and a sword with which he
frequently killed people. He was dressed in
black throughout, with hair OF the same
shade. He Is using the same hair in "Ham-
let that he did twenty years ago, though he
uses less of it He wears black kuickerbOCk-
ers and long, black, crocklcSs stockings
Mr. Booth Is doing well IN the acting bust
ness, frequently getting as high as = apiece
Tor tickets to his performances He was en-
cored by the audience several times last
night, but refrainei from repeating the play,
fearing that it would make it late for those
who had to 60 back TO Beiladonna, o, after
the close of the entertainments
Toward the end OF the plsy a little rough
on rats gets into the elderbeIry wine and the
royal family drink 1t, after which there is
considerable excitement, and IA man with a
good, reliable stomach pump would have all
he could do Several OF the royal family
curl up and perish.
They do not die in the house
During an interview between Hamlet and
his mother an Old gentleman who Las the
honor TO he Opheiias father hides behind "A
picket fence, 80 as to overhear the CONVERSE
ton. be gets excited and says Sumcthm. in
a low, cultural tone of voice, wherrupon
Hamlet runs his sword through the picket
fence III such n way as to bore a large hole
into the old Ian, who then dies.
have heard a great many people speak
the piece beginning:
To be or not to be-
but Mr.. Booth does it better than anv one /
have ever heard. l once heard an eIocutian-
ist-kind of a smart Alickutionist, as luy
friend the HooSier Poet would SAY This man
recited To be or not to be" ia a manner
which, he said, had frequently brought t..ars
70 eyes unused to weep He recItsd 1t with
his right hand suCBed int" his bosom up to
the elbow and his fair hair tossed about over
his brow. His teeming brain. which claimed
10 be kind Of "a fuuT-hnrse teamIng brain. as
it were, seemed TO be on fire, and TO all ap-
pearances he was indeed mad. So were the
people who listened 10 him. He missed IL
through his clnChed teeth and SuortoI it
through his ripe, red nose, walled il up into
the ceiling, and bleatei it down the ai>il>,
rolled IL over and over against the raftars OF
his reverberatIng mouth. handed il out in
big capsules, or hisSed it through his puck
cred atonlzer Of a mouth. waIlei ana b.i-
lowed like a wild and maddened taIll,@,s
steer In fly time, darted across the stage ike
a headless hen, ripped the gentle atmosphere
into shreis with his guinea hen voluntary,
bowed to US, and teetered Off the stage,
Mr.. Booth does not hoist his shoulders and
settle back on his "pastern jints" like a man
who Is about To set refractory brake on a
coal car, neither does he imgnurre his rizht
arm in his bosom up to the second iaiLt lie
seems TO have the idea that Hamlet spoke
these lines mostly because he felt Lhe Swing
something, instead of doing it to intrnduce.a d
set Of health-lift gestures and hoarse, bari
tone snort
A head Of dank hair, low, mellow. union
depot tone OF voice. and dark blue. three
sheet poster will not make a successful
Hamlet, and blessed lie the man who know,
this without experimenting on the people til
he has bunions on his immortal soul
have sent note TO Mr.. Booth this morn
ing asking him TO call at my room. No t..
and saying that l would give him nv idea
about the drama from purely bipartisan
standpoint, but it is raining so fast now that
fear he will not be able TO come Bill Nvcin +
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