Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-21


EWTXMlN without any adequate
~ y knowledge of Irish char
acter or Celtic customs
manhood flashing from voice and eye, racy. "a
diant with wit and over trimming with
spirits, who could have SO well drawn the real
Irishman and who can now give us the idea at
all? In Born to Good Luck Teddy the
Iiler. "The Irish Ambassador "How to Paw
the Rent and "O'Flanagan and the
Fairies John Collins the genuine Irish
man to the letter, and seeing how natural it was
everybody in his large audiences at the old
Broadway Theater felt the fidelity, the spirit and
the great ability of his performances. His clear
rich tenor was delightful. Who will forget the
native songs he sang? The widow Machree."
Car" and The Sprig of Shillalah and Shamrock
so Green were introduced to American audi
ences by the mellow, feeling and humorous rem
derlng OF Mr.. Collins. Honor the old worthless
How soon we get to Ink of them as ancient
after they are gone, long before the slow hchen
fecks their grave stones.
EDWIN FORREST IN HIS PRIME.
Only to the youthful playgoer is Edwin For
rest unfamiliar at this day. That massive
muscular form, imposing presence, magnetic
fire. magnificent head irresistible intensity of
Possioi, impressive ueLDcrdtlOn ana the tnOu-
sand essential properties which mark the COM
handing tragedian were his pre-eminently. Pri-
marily Forrest was thorough Shakesperean,
both in scholarship and professional perform
ance. What nature had not given him he
acquired for himself. but he was generously
endowed. SecOndarily, his remarkable physical
force and 1mpetuosity Of will, as well fine in
tellectuol possessions, rendered him almost I'M
apprOachable. Sana mems in sano corpore was
stamped upon every lneament Of his person.
ality, and glowed in the Jove-like glances of
his restless eve.
Forests stage presence was overwhelming
W more muscular and athletic figure than
Salvini's, with stronger face and deeper chest
voice. invincible vim, resonant, finished decla-
nation, kindliness Of smile. an eve warm re-
pellant or ferocious at will. subtle. carefully
studied. classical portrayal of character origi-
nal. effective. intensely dramatic and concern
trated, this American actor in many of his the
atrical delineations was simply and purely in
imitable.
Yet Forrest had none of the Italian love-
making pathos of Salvini in Othello nor the
artistic and heart-rending misery of Salrini in
The Outlaw" though Forrest could undoubt-
eddy have enacted the latter with exquisite
feeling, and the Anglo-Saxon barbaric of For
rests methods in OthellO were as terrific as the
Italian barbaric of Salvini in the same part,
although Salvini is more like Edmund Kean in
that character by far than was Forrest
Salvini's superior. as well in passive stateli-
ness, maptal scope, intense irony mad rushes of
ungovernable wrath and indignation, and
proud, bold. warlike, knightly, irrepressibly
spirited bearing. OF physical impression For
rest gave US the highest possible sense; of psy-
Geological Salvini imparts the best. The pit
rose at kean. the boxes clapped kemble The
pit rose at Forrest, the boxes clapped Macready
Both pit and boxes applaud Salvini, because of
bis artistic finish and Latin intentness.
HIS INFLAMMABLE TEMPERAMENT
Forrest was of very infiammable tempera-
ment. He could brook no contradiction or in
terruption. Like Junius Brutus Booth he was
furious stage fencer. and terror to any mex
perienced or Impractical adversary. But there
was keen sense of humor and good hearted
ness about him which would sometimes crop
out in comic Manifestations. He was unmerci-
full ii must be confessed. toward an offending
supernumerary to a degree of cruelty. On one
occasion poor intemperate actor, who had
once done better parts, was assigned to a subor-
dinate post in the play. His voice being i'm
paired he was unable to recite the text with
proper emphasis. Forrest took him up short
and swiftly, shouting at him. "This is the way.
Gregory. on my word we'll not carry Goals.
Now, sirrah. say it as say it,
The trembling wight tried again in vain.
Forrest seized him angrily by the throat, shout
ing:
why, in Caesars name, can't you say it as 1
When the frightened fellow was at length re-
leased he respectfully replied to his irascible
assailant:
"Mr. Forrest, if could speak the words as
You speak them, would not be receiving but
$40 week while you are paid 81 900 night"
poor man. said Forrest. handing him
bank bill.
Anything approaching to servility, however.
Forrest severely and Immediately resented He
knew that he was brusque toward his interiors
and asked for no subserviency toward himself.
doorkeeper at the stage entrance of a certain
theater was invariably most prolific of profound
obeisances when Forrest arrived at a rehearsal
OF a morning. Flinging open the gate OH bit
ter winter day the bowling doorkeeper ad-
dressed the actor otiiciously as he passed in
"A cold morning, Mr.. Forrest, u very cold
morning.
Forrest gave him one whitening glance and
wrathfully made answer, in exception to his
usual habit of non-nOtice:
''fes, sir; You are right. sir 1t is a very
cold morning, sir. Very cold. sir. The lcicles
are hanging fast to the skirts of my cont, sir.
80 are you. sir"
THE Aston PLACE RIOTS.
The fatal Aston place riots of 1849. brought
about by the rivalry of Forrest and Macready,
assumed quite a national character The
British Macbeth on the eventful evening. having
the support Of the old-time Goldfish aristocracy
at the Opera House. and the native American
Macbeth holding the Endorsement Ito the simu-
lated death) Of the Bowery and Mackerelville
patriots at the Broadway Theater. On that
memorable occasion mackerel and the commons
got the better Of Goldfish and the gentry, and
Forrest remained headmaster of the situation.
John Mccullough copied closely after Forrest,
having enjoyed rare opportunities for many
years of studyin0 and initiating his idolized
chief. a careful instructor to his favorite pupil
But thus far there has been but one Forrest in
all the annals Of histrionic art
Formerly there was nothing more enticing to
the theatrical taste than an announcement Of a
series of classic old comedies, such as ''Speed
the Plough" "She Stops to Conquer" The
School for Scandal and ''The Rivals if only
there were some good names in the cast These
took the town and the prospect of an evenings
pleasure was something like that of notice Of a
new work by Dickens or Thackeray. To see
coupled with the announcement the names Of
Brougham. Burton, Blake. Placide and Seton
was like reading those upon the bills. many
year before, by our ancestors, of Finn, Of
Munden, Of Liston, of Palmer, of Mathews. Of
Power, Of Cooke, in the plays of Shakespeare,
Goldsmith, Massinger and Morton If Fanny
kemble were the Juliet or Ellen Trec the Ion
that was the theater in the true sense, the stage
Of the fathers, the stage Of Mrs. Bracegirdle
Peg Wellington and Mrs. Siddons, Of Garrick
the kembles, the Keans and the Booths. With
the great comedians and Sheridan on the
boards the old Park became the old Drury and
the old Bowery the old Haymarket The names
OF William Warren and John Gilbert should not