Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-02
THE DRAMA.
The Tragedy of +" Macbetho at
the opera House.

Il
dies stands forth as a more conspicu-
Gus beacon-light of warning against
the first step in crime than Macbeth.
1t illustrates the fate of the turtuous
am bition which seeks to accomplish
| its purpose through unholy
means, and depicts in the strongest
colors the retribution and remorse
which must inevitably overtake all
who compass their unlawful designs
through violence and bloodshed. 1t
is difficult to decide which of Shakes
pea,e's great plays stands highest in
the order of merit. They all inculcate
lessons of human value; but none
SO strikingly enforce the great
tmoral instruct on that not only in the
life to come, but "here, upon this
bank and shoal of time" there is a
punishment for crime within the con-
science and bosom of the offender
greater than any physical penalty the
law of man could inflict. One OF
Shakespeare most illustrious COM
mentators has said that enlightened
criticism and universal opinion have so
completely set the seal of celebrity on
this tragedy that it will stand hilst
our Language exists as monument OF
English genius. Nay, it will out
last the present form of our language,
and speak to generations unborn in
parts of The earth that are
yet uninhabited. How prophetic
that prediction 1t has since
spoken in all the great cities of
Australia, which then were inhabited
by the lowest types of the human
species. Even here, Los Angeles,
where it was so nobly rendered last
night to as cultivated an audience as
ever Garrick or Kemble played be-
fore, at the time when that pregnant
vaticination was made, the very site
of the temple in which it was inter-
preted to our people was part Of an
unknown Indian village.
The story of Macbeth" and his
ambitious consort presents one of the
most powerful lectures in ethical
anatomy that was ever wrought out
by the creative genius of man. "No
Drama" says an eminent critic, Gin
any national theater, taking even that
of Greece into account, has more
wonderfully amalgamated the natural
and the supernatural-or made the
substances of truth more awful
by their superstitious shadows-than
has the tragedy of Macbeth" We
go to see this wonderful drama to
study the operation of evil counsel,
coming in an occult and forbidden
| way, upon nature not intrinsically
vicious-indeed nature which under
ordinary circumstances would have
led up to life of probity
and excellence. The supernatur-
al agencies infame his ambi-
ton; and the partner of his
bosom gives strength and aetuality to
their evil counsels by successfully
tempting him to his ruin. Mr.. Booth,
in depicting the process Of 'Mac-
beth's" transition from the ways
of virtue to the very pima
Gle of guilt, gives us most
striking Interpretation. elm
firm Of purpose" at first, he
gradually comes, through sue
cessive crimes, to that desperate stage
at which he had "stepped in
blood so far, that should he 60 no
more, returning were as tedious
as 90 o'er." His bloody hands.
at which he stood aghast when
he was young in crime,
trouble him no more when he real
ICES that, to maintain a throne got by
murder, he must continue to dispatch
all who question his title. The actor
faithfully depicts the terrors that con-
stantly attend the usurper. The index
to the poignant effects which are to
follow upon his great initial crime is
described by himself when he says
that voice cried, Macbeth doth
murder sleep, therefore Macbeth
shall sleep no more" How power
fully this dread penalty asserts
itself is gath red from the
terrible con 'ession of the usurper
when he tells his wife that his ''mind
is filed with scorpions. The agony
of remorse endured by the guilty pair
is so accentuated at every stage that
the lesson of the drama is kept
constantly before the auditor. To
use simple and vulgar express
sion, the least reflective of the au-
dience are made clearly te see that,
notwithstanding Macbeth has
reached to dizzy heights though his
bloody act, yet it don't pay. In
some of the passages Mr.. Booth
showed a very delicate and
searching appreciation OF the al
most inscrutable ideas of his
author. Instead of Banquo's
| ghost suddenly appearing in the ban
quet scene, Mr.. Booth conjures it up
in his mind and addresses vacancy
in his paroxysms of terror. This
is consistent with the dagger scene,
where the weapons are a 'false crea-
ton proceeding from the heat-op-
pressed BRAIN" 1t gives the actor a
better chance to develop his power,
and to carry his audience with him
without the aid of the corporal pres
4 ence of Banquo. We have only room
to sum up this fine effort of Mr.. Booth
by saying that he gave us a
representation of Macbeth" last
night, which from beginning to end
was without flaw, and which we con-
ceived to be the best we had ever
seen, and we have seen all the
greatest actors of our time play the
part.
Mr.. Barrett gave us a very strong
and acceptable personation Of Mac
duff, and showed himself the great
actor that he is in the intensely feel
ing manner in which he rendered the
very touching scene between himself
and Malcolm, interrupted by the ter
rible news of the murder of call his
little chickens and their dam" by the
fell monster.
| We would not do justice to the oc.
casion if we were to omit to say thai
Miss Gertrude kellogg as "Lady
Macbeth" agreeably surprised every.
body with the strength and power she
developed in this very difficult
role. To compare her to Charlotte
Cushman would, of course, be full
some but to say that she was equa'