St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-21
BOOTH AND BARRETT
Open in Julius Cesar"---A Mag
nificent Performance ---' Ham,
ie6'' TO-Night

HIhCCuJ
ie6' Tonight.
A critical criticism at this late day of
either Edwin Booths or Lawrence
Barrett's acting would be as useless
waste of time as the preparation
of a thesis to sustain the moral
teaching of the ten command
ments, except so far as it
is designed to draw a comparison be-
tween their stage work as it is now
performed and as it has been done in
the past. Judging the production of
exclusively in the light of comparison,
it would be Just criticism to
say that Mr.. Barrett reaped the
principal advantage. Edwin Booth
is always Edwin Booth, and there is no
other Edwin Booth, therefore it cannot
be said that any characterization which
Edwin Booth essays is not as perfect
and finished as histrionic art coupled
with histriOnic genius can make it.
And yet there was something about his
impersonation of Brutus last night that
seemed spiritless-nOt lacking in
perfect conception of the part
nor in the genius to revivify "the
nobIeSt Roman of them alp so much as
in the lack of physical capacity to give
a spirited portrayal of the character. 1t
is true that the part is in degree a sub
dued one, as compared with the fiery
CassiGs. BrutuS is the patriot and
philosopher, Cassius the soldier and
conspirator' Therefore Mr.. Barrett
has the advantage in playing
to the audience and awakening an en-
thuSiaSm which one who takes the part
of Brutus does not possess. But allow
ing for this difference in the characters,
still there was in the performance last
night a painful evidence of physical
weakness OH the part of Mr.. Booth,
suggestive of failing powers. We hope
that it was only the result of some tenn
porary cause, for it will be sad day
for the American stage when Edwin
Booths light is dimmed. There is none
to take his place.
There is no indication, however,
that Time is dealing with Lawrence
Barrett with rough hand. He grows
stouter with advancing years, and most
assuredly his dramatic powers are not
on the WaDe. He was never
heard to speak his lines with
more force or with more thrill
ng effect than during last nights
performance. In the noted quarrel
scene, particularly, his acting rose to
the sublimest pitch, and throughout the
entire performance he maintained his
well merited reputation.
1t was not in the manner of his acting
alone that Mr.. Barrett sustained his
reputation. His genius for stage
the admirably selected company
who support the twin stars
as well as IN the historically correct
costuming and stage setting. The en-
tire cast is exceptionally strong, Not
one of the principals but is capable of
carrying the leading part. Mr.. Loves
Julius Cesar" is a superb production,
while Mr.. Hanford'S impersonation OF
marc Anthony" is dramatic
gem, and won the bulk of
applause from the audience last
evening. There is little too much of
the sophomore style In some of Mr..
HanfOrd'S defamation, it is true, but
upon the whole his characterization of
Marc Antony was so captivating as to
make one forgive the few faults that
were discovered. He is rising young
man, who will one day make big mark.
The one dainty feature of the perform
ance was Miss Agnes Acres in the role
of Lucius. The scene wherein the camp
song is sung with lutte accompaniment
presents a stage idyl of most poetic
coloring.
The audience was tip top, both as to
size and quality. The opera house was
filled with the foremost people i'll st.
PauPs social circles.
That was a compliment paid to young
Hanford, when delivering the Grafton
over Caesars dead boy, by gentleman
in the audience, who remarked in an
undertone to his neighbor: THAT fell
low is as finished demagogue as 1gna-
thus Donnelly."
The bill tonight is Hamlet" with
Booth as Hamlet and Barrett as Laer-
ties.
Advance sale of seats for Donnelly,
Girard & Co.'s Natural Gas" engage
ment next week opens at the box office
of the Grand this morning. Natural
Gas" is one of the new burlesque COM
edles that is having run equal to "a
Parlor Match"
The Peoples continue to get its share
of the business, Notwithstanding the
attraction of the Booth-Barrett engage