The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-04

theater IN New York city. In review
ing the actors portrayal Of the mel
ancholy Dane, the appreciative dra-
matte critics of the New York Sun
notes with keen discernment points of
similitude between the young actors
Prince of Denmark and that of the il
lustrious and lamented Edwin Booth.
The illusions to Booth, which are
brief, are:
His Hamlet is tender enough,
though not as tenderly poetic as was
Booths; and again:
THE range is not wide, the Sothern
Hamlet is more a creature of impulse
than of imaginati ton. Booth was family
suggested, for the living tragedian has
a handsome, expressive face, with the
pallor, dark curls and something of the
expressive glance of the great dead
one"
These comparisons. if such they may
be termed, are a tribute to the living
actor, as we'll as to the departed one.
1t has truly been said that no actor
can utterly fail in the role of Hamlet.
The character is so protean, so many
sided, so varied in its outward SEM
blance as to call into play all degrees
and kinds of mimetic talent that the
player may possess. Comedy, almost
playful, sarcasm, grim, sardonic wit,
deep cunning, superstition, pathos,
anger, frenZied passion, must be de-
picted, for the gentle prince sees fit
to put many IAN antic disposition on."
Therefore, it is that the character is
bound to give a proficient actor oppor
tunities to illuminate some scenes or
passages.
1t is the actor who excells in the
most of these scenes, who surrounds
the noble youth with the atmosphere
of poetry and tenderness, blended with
manhood and scholarly dignity, who
achieves the nearest approach to. the
embodiment of Hamlet,
HaZlitt has we'll said: Hamlet is a
gentleman thinking aloud" 1t is need
less to say the noted commentator did
not use the word gentleman" in it's
too often perverted modern sense.
Considering all these qualiueS-in
short the versatility essential to an ad-
equate and eloquent portrayal of this
immortal character-it cannot be de-
MED that Sothern's Hamlet is an ap-
pealing, an engaging. impulsive and
poetic embodiment. To say that it is
the most satisfying, the most humane,
the most impressive this country has
witnessed since that of Edwin Booth,
would be a sweeping assertion that
would provoke much disputatiOn, but
I am of opinion that few who regarded
Booths Hamlet as an ideal creation
would take exception to the estimate.
1t is in truth Sotherns very sugges-
tion-not intentional-of Booth that en-
dearS his royal prince to the beh0l1er.
His readings of many of the subtlest
and most effective passages are the
same, and certainly he cannot go amiss
there, for as surely as Edwin Forrest
was Lear, Edwin Booth was Hamlet!
Those who never enjoyed the good
fortune of witnessing Mr.. Booths Ham
let when he had attained the zenith
of his powers cannot conceive of the
richness and eloquence of his embodi-
ment. He seemed, indeed, apart from
other men. His Hamlet possessed the
quality of distinction to a rare, one
might say, a sublime degree. It
teemed with innate princely authority,
melloWed with gentility. He used all
gently. He was grace personified. Such
facility of elCcution-not that taught
by too many professors of the art
= belonged tC none of his contemporaries
or successors. His enunciati0n was
clear as spring water and the varied in
Elections and cadences of his wonderful
voice were music to the ear.
To these rare qualities Mr.. Booth adj
ded marvellous mobility of facial ex-
preston, tenderness Of feeling, rare
grace of movement and large, Iustrous,
speaking eyes.
Take him for all in ALL" we Shall
not look upon his like again.
Booths readings of every speech
allotted to Hamlet were signally lucid
and honest. No effort to reveal a
strained or unusual sense was per-
ceptible Instead he strcve to make
the text clear and he did. He did
more. He Illuminated it,
To illustrate how entirely '1egiti
,mate' he was and how carefully he
avoided the temptation to sacrifice
sense to sound, 1 recall that portion Of
Hamlets speech to his mother, where
in he says, after comparing his revered
father to Jove and Mars:
"a station like the herald Mercury,
1icrIof al n hoo -Iyic Ci10 hi
a combination and form, indeed,
where every god did seem to set his
seal to give the world assurance of a
mani"
AS thoughtful and studious an actor
as the late Lawrence Barrett I have
heard place the ringing emphasis on
the word god" Many other Hamlets
are doing it today for god" is a
tempting monosyllable for dramatic
emphasis. But Mr.. Booth laid the
emphasis on the preceding word
every" where a little reflection shows
it properly belongs.
William Winter, the venerable dean
of Americas dramatic critics, who has
achieved an enviable distinction in cur
literature, and who perhaps was closer
to Booth in spirit than any ether re-
viewer and analyst Of his work, often
called attention to one ether attribute
of his Hamlet, that distinguished it
from the portrayals of others. That
attribute was the sense of being
haunted" which Booth depicted so WV
idly, and which, as Mr.. Winter de-
clared, only a powerful imagination
can awaken and impart.
Surely the temperament of the man
must have had much to do with this
rare quality in his acting. When
Booth was on the stage the ghost
seemed indeed, a spirit, notwithstand-
ing the utter absence Of latter-day de-
vices designed to create an optical IL
fusion. His conduct of the scene with
the gracious spirit was something
never to be forgotten, SO fraught was
it with the spirit Of reverence and
filial love, commingled with awe.
Perhaps it is a little late in the day
to rave over" Booths Hamlet, but
even as Shakespeare's gentle prince is
immortal, so is the memory Of Edwin
Booths assumption of that ever inter-
esting, poetic and lovable character.
These are some of the reasons why
Mr.. Sothern, admirable and finished ar
actor as he is, but family suggests
Mr.. Booth. Fred G. Hunt.
"THE DAUGHTER OF HAMlLCAR.'
Blanche Walsh VIII Appear as Sa.
iannmbo, at the Metropolitan.
Blanche Walsh, ACCOMPANIED By
Charles Dalton, in Stanislaus STANCES