New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-06
POSSART As KING LEAR.

II is not a di,credit even to a great actor OF
tragedy much les, 10 an actor who Is dlstnciively
comedian that he should not rise To the lhiperiH
GRANDEUR the lurid Spend0r and the colossal agony
II King Lear. Mr. po--art's impersonauon OF us
tremendous and most elusive chaIactcr-which was
given az Amlerg', Theatre last night for the hrsd
tine here, ard va, greeted with vocifcrou' plaidlts
by great multudc-i~. upon the basis of the German
piece thoroughly intellectual performance ana
from any point Of view it i, a profoundly sincere
and finely finished achievement. but 1t distinctly fe
short Of the obvious >hehespclrcan standard. IL Is
,talwart. almost athletic and it IS fll II Vlsor
that Is almost agile. IN the fibre Of tho brain IL Is
co,,plct dominant potent. such a man would not
have abdcatcd in the first place. or having done -
he would speedily and easily have resumed his royal
GLADDEN.. In voice there not one trace either of
weakness, or IF anguish. ON the contrary IL, metallic
ring mce.~lntly denoted ply, force. sefc0nro
amt almost an immoyallr hardness. The slow, dark
dread Of impending ma!ne,, Was not once suggested
nor the terrible misery t4at accompanie, the process
OF mental di-ntceraiion nor the vacant, painless
cvty that upon its iulhlment.
Of Lear, great heart and ini,able masnaninity
there wa, uo hnt-aut what sisnhc, madness, aside
from the medical aspect Of tie subject unless tho
victim OF it ha, been superb crea'nrel In tho
German pcrycr.ion Of King Lear. however it i, To be-
observed that the monagcAs atiuriton of all refuge
i, made consequent on the closing and the boiling
Of u door. After the terrific outbreak upon Re-an-
after go. Fool. l shall go mad"-Nr Po'sart's Lear
va, actually u Doe cndcavorlng To enter MS
daughter, home. wien Suddenly the click of boil
startled him. ard thcn and not til then, he rushed
away INTO tie might and the tempest This i
monsirous. Lcl., dcirium, incipcnt at the outset,
/, developed. not by the closing II Doors but By tho
CLOSING of hearts. Mr.. Po,-ait, however, could ory
follow hi, German author. Tie result Is a mo
dciincaon Of hurried axe and OF lacei1tei paernal
affection and wounded royal Nanty-but moi
-halc-pcarcs Lear.
In hi, explosions OF passion Mr.. Pos
sat was exceedingly powerful, and m
IN, seen, with Fd-ir a. the Bedamtc he indicated
with rare felicity the ~tmulatNe effect upon IN, own
real Muacy that Wrought h> The sight of the artificial
craze A., accent, lu every NicicnDe 10 tordcll
were, eloquent of his artistic intention. II j. the
BROKEN father that Mr.. lO~,lrt cmbodc~ II Is not tt
raiutd hin-. nor the de~uiaioi man OF genius. The
ideal d, ,t,nu,tribcd within strict limits of domestic
NV The execution rise, to tenderness, but not &c
uatho>. 10 STARTLING VEN meute, not 10 Overwhelming
horror and never to ~uilimiiN. Ed-hr va, assumed
los A 1.-the gentleman in SHOW white sheet Nr
po,.ar Wa- twice recalled after each curtain. and was
loudly and frequently checlcd and many massive and
handsome stand, of flower, were given - him across
tine lights. IL an occasion of unoduiNocai per-
sonal triumph but Lear is BEYOND Mr. Pos>agts reach