The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-04-01
Close of the Booth Barrett
Engagement.
BUSY ILLS OF THIS WEEK.
Hamlet aud Julius Cesar-MOre Nigs
She ShAughran-Eh
Willow COpse.

out yesterday, and bad the effect TO
crush some of the youthful spectators
who had laid in so heavy a stock OF Booth
and Barrett tickets. The Theatre was
entirely sold out for the matinee, SO
had nothing to worry about; but there
was not the rush Of applicants which
had been expected By the pasteboard
dealers, and some of these incipient
gamblers looked very blue as they stood
ON the steps and Waylaid the various
arrivals in the hope of finding possible
purchasers. From 81 80, the price fell
to sc. then 81, and when o o'clock struck
with plenty OF the coupons
still on hand. they went down
to So 90, $3.50, and before the
matinee was half over, jubiiant dudes
were entering the house on SIS tickets
purchased for fifty cents. Tne par
quette, first circle, and second circle
were filed with great audience, but
here and there were vacant chairs
downstairs not observable on the open
ing night, which told the sad story Of
the failure OF some Spectator TO realize
on his matinee Investment at any price.
But very few words are necessary 70
describe the performance OF Hamlet.
II the worshipperS of Booth are agreed
upon anything, it is that this is the
first and foremost of all his roles, and
the students of Shakespeare agree that
the masters immortal work finds no.
where so noble and perfect deilnea-
ton; so far as we may judge from the
chronicles of former times, no such
Hamlet as Booth has ever trod the
board since the play was read by the
bard of Avon himself before Elizabeth.
Could Shakespeare behold the work OF
this actor of to- day in Hamlet, we
must believe that even he would be
astonished at the full possibilities o.
the character he had created. The
Thousands of times he has played Ham
let seem not to affect IN the
least Booths earnest, rich, stu
dious aud forCeful portrayal
of the pass. The portrayment carries
US with him past thestage, and we view
aim not as the Edwin Booth Gf the nine
reenjh century, but Is the actual Ham
LET who suffered In Denmark hundreds
of wears ago. 1t seems impossible, IN
regarding his acting OF Hamlet, 20 IN
vest him with the Thoughts and
attributes of a man like one OF our
selves; he is q thing apart, a dweller IN
another world, and we cannot imagine
to ourselves what he must be Ike IN
eevrv-dav trousers and waist
coats. To think OF him at all
in that way is almost IKE 2
sort of sacriIege. he raised his audience
Yesterday afternoon to q great pltcfl OF
enthu ,iasm; grace could 60 no tartner
than in his delineation OF the MEAN
cholV Dane, and all the familiar points
tbe interview with the ghost,the famous
soliloouy, the play scene, and the tlnal
death were applauded to the echo
Every curtain was raised and re-ralSed
5nnon the actor. Barrett's Laertes was 3
fine, polished and feeling rendition OF
the part. He. too, came in for some
tremendous applause and some curtain
calls; and In his grief over Ophella's
madness and death, in the fencing scene
with Booth, and his own death, he die
some of his most exquisite anc
MAGNETIC work. Miss Gales Ophels
was BEAUTIFULLY rendered; she did The
mad scene to the full satisfaction
of an exacting audience who gave her
rousing recall. In face, at least, 1t may
be said, Miss G ale is the most charming
Ophelia yet seen on our stage. mere
were many excellent features IN thu
support, and many poor ones. Ih'
ghost SOtktl1S WAC NV gu go
what it should have been; the king o.
Mr. Hauford, was good in many places
Int he has not the theft" for the part
and looked too youthful for the uncle
. of Hamlet, The HoSati of Mr.. Lane
was quite wooden; the player OF Mr.
Ranlsy excellent; the queen OF Mrs
Kellogg qaite good; the Polonius o
Mr.. Rogers very satisfactory, and tht
grave digger OF Mr.. FawCett, as always
humorous and unctGOus to degree
Mr.. Rowe gave an intelligent rendering
of the part of Guildenstern, evlrclnt
particular improyena 3nt in his voice ant
manner of speaking:
The engagement went our last nigh
in a blaze of glory. TO write calmly o
such a histrionic event as that Whlct
occurred within the walls or our theatre
last evening would Ice Impossible; L
was the kind of a circumstance oVel
which the senses ache for lack OF words
To show & proper appreciation. Al
event to cherish and store up in the
mind to be told TO ones children in the
future. for beyond question it Was ar
event the like of which Salt Lake hal
never seen before. In years TO come
the Booth-Barrett season will be re-
ferred to as the red-letter epoch In oul
dramatic history, and Of that season
the julius Caesar night will be the ont
which will stand out most particularly
bright. Thenotableness of the occasion
was not confined to the stage alone
The wealth, fashion. good taste and cul-
ture of Salt Lake literally Cooked to the
theatre to do homage to the stars
The great house of The opening night
shrank into feeble proportions com
nared with last nights gathering
After dark, the box Office sold only
standing room; every inch of space
above and below seemed to be ocou-
MED by some one standing. The aisle
we're obliterated, and such thing a:
nassing behind the back row of.chairs il
The dress circle was almost out of the
0uestion. The scalpers had happy
night of it, and more than made up fol
the losses on the matinee. On the step
tickets sold at $40 each, and it Yves ever
said that two choic places brought $50
The receipts of the night were So, 400
WITHIN few dollars of the Creates
night in San Frarcisso; this swelled the
total to close upon So, 900 for the engage
nent. or nearly as much as Booth drew
IDcf