Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-01
THE DRAMA,
The Story of sLear', and HIS
Daughters.

The story of "Lear', and HIS
Daughters.
The story of Clear" and his
daughters as worked up in Shakes
peare's drama, is one of the most in
tensely interesting and instructive in
the whole range of literature. The
greatest English-speaking actors, from
Burbage to Garrick, from Garrick to
the elder Kean, and on down
to Cooke and Macready, the
elder Booth, Murdoch, Forrest,
Stark, Anderson, Adams, and
Edwin Booth, have all considered
that the successful rendition of this
great character was the crucial test of
their powers. 1t is the most trying
physically, as it is the most difficult
to present in its varying exactions
upon the voice and the expression of
the human face. The elder Booth
often declared that to play clear"
successfully was the highest evidence
of genius in the actor. His gifted son
has certainly achieved that distinc-
ton, for his personation of the way
ward and abused monarch is to our
mind one Of the finest, if not the
finest, roles in his repertory.
In spite of the inclemency OF the
weather every seat was filed in the
opera house last night on the produc-
tion of this great piece. When Mr..
Booth came on it was manifest that
his makeup had transformed him
into perfect image of the
fond, explosive and irascible
but generous old man. His de-
lineation of the character was SO true
to the idea of the creation as to hold
the audience in rapt attention through.
out. When the fact gradually dawns
upon him that he has divested him.
self OF his power, dignities and es
tate, and thrown himself upon the
bounty of two mercenary and un
grateful daughters, the TRANSITION
from boundless affection to inexorablt
hate was painfully realistic
He had given them all; they
would yield nothing to his want
or his foibles. The terror Of thi
awakening to the reality Of his situa
tion-"that like an engine wrenchet
his frame Of nature" and drew from
him the curse OF father VIII,
feels chow sharper than serpent
tooth it is to have thankless child
thrilled through the audienc
like the avenging stroke @
a Nemesis. His anathemas, tn
the only weapons he had reserve,
from the wreck of Lis fortunes
although thrown like thunderbolts, ,fel
scathless on the heads of the obdu
rate and cruel "Goneril'' and IRE
gan." He goes forth into the storm
and his whole nature rising with il
fierceness, he becomes as ma
as the elements. Booth, a
each stage Of the progress of this tel
rible metamorphosis depicted tn
change with consummate power. Th
scene between himself and edgar
(Barrett) on the heath was mos
! touching one. "Lear" bereft of res
son in tact, Edgar" counterfeitin
madness for his own safety, and bot
presenting perfect ensamples ofmind
o'erthrown.
| Outside of the principal character
the performancewas made symmetri,
ally excellent by the superior actin
of the whole company. Miss MINI
: X. Gales "Cordelia" was fine pc
!, sonation of the true woman who,
. Ispite of the wrong she had received {
the hands of her father, is animated
generous and loving affection ft
him, and unlike her ungrateful si
{ ters, who have brought him to grie
she tries to comfort him when he
beyond the re aeh of comfort. Mi
Gale is peculiarly happy in parts tn,
call for an expression Of the soft an
tender feelings. 1t would not be ju
to withhold praise 10 the other men
bers of the troupe, who all acquitte
themselves with credit.
Tonight: Macbeth-Booth in I'll
tile role; Barrett as "Macduff."