New-York tribune., 1905-11-17
THE DRAMA.
E. S. WILLARD AS BERTUCCIO.
THE Fools Revenge. .

The Fools Revenge.
In the Harlem Opera House. last night, Mr..
Willard produced Tom Taylor's tragic play of Trhe
FOOLS Revenge and impersonated. for the first
time here. the jester Bertuccio His achievement
was brilliant and his success decisive; and since
Bertuccio is great part, in a potent drama that
is fraught with spiritual admontion and inspiring
influence. this should be recorded as a dramatic
event of uncommon import and value. The per-
dormance that only exhibits the accomplishments
of actor while it may possess a certain charm,
is ephemeral and transitory. The performance
that helps the auditor is alone vital and permanent
the one precious thing that survives, when the
fever of effort and the tumut of enterprise nave
died away The play of 1.-THE FOOLS Revenge, oy
Its appalling picture of the consequences OF sin,
rebukes. in the human being. the wicked propen-
sity to foster hatred and usurp the divine pre-
rogatiye Of retributive justice. The story,-drawn
from Victor Hugo's great novel lie Roi s. S'Anuse.
and known in the opera Of 'Rigoetto, possesses.
in copous abundance the main elements of trage-
dy. which pity and terror. The central figure
is deforned man. austere in mind but tender in
feeling. who is embittered by the sense of his
deformty and is driven mad. by the torture
OF cruel injustice and affection only at last to sur
vive, for while in condition of hysteria,-
wildly gieeful, yet agonized and forlorn,-thas
closely borders lunacy. The character is, IN
some aspects. obnoxious. being freighted with
hatred and malignity. but it is redeemed by its
vein of paternal tenderness, and by merciful
sense Of the bitter experience and wasting agony
virtue.
Bertuccio was notary public in the old Italian
city of Cessna and there he dwelt in happiness,
with affectionate idolized wife. To her he was
all goodness and love. Soon he was crazed
by the forcible seizure and abduction OF MS
wife, and, for a time. became a maniac Later. MS
reason being restored but not his mental balance,
he became a Court Jester in the service OF
profgate prince. whom. presently. he fnsngateo 10
abduct and debauch the innocent wife OF the mis-
Lse hnT1a hld
In that heIlish work he personally assisted De-
coming however-through a series of well oeVlseo
accidents instrumental in delivering his own cher
ished daughter into peril OF unspeaRaoie ouIIdse
He rescued her. at the last but not before ne nao
passed through horrible torment Particular rehear
sal of incidents is not essentia-for Edwin Booths
great impersonation of Bertuccio cannot have oeeH
forgotten and reminder of the situations that con-
sttute the drama will here amply suflce' Inc
three acts of Taylor's play show the Jester matuF
ing his scheme of revenge; living his dual lie; now
dissolving In tenderness over his loving daughter
and over the memory OF his lost wife, and no"
raging In demoniac glee over the fancled consuih-
nation of his vengeance; and, finally, In frantic
pleading that he may enter the festal hail OF the
ravsher and save his child. These are situauohs
-, .r,,elIous notentiality in their effect upon the
heart Mr. Willard launched himself into theL
with tremendous vigor and dominated thein VIZ
e,,nart authority In appearance. at the outset
he personified lurid misery. pitiable as wei as %
fathers colloquy with his daughter, When rs UeiS
her OF his WRONGS he pathettcally olsciosso lAe
depth of a great and true heart ansorDeu anu oo-
slant in its beautiful devotion: and here ms mas
nidcent voice and exquisite clarity OF speech eiioi
r7o,,slv aided and emphasized the draHlatle elecl
In the night scene before the palaee1-"nei oet'u0
cfo in iovous frenzy horribly goats over the sup
posed seizure of his enemy's wife.-the volume ol
his liberated passion was superb. Ano' hhaiy'
aft the door Of the princes banquet room. ne IaAe
the essential transition from frantic despair 10
sumed merriment-wildly pleading for ADMISSION 10
The feast-with Irresistible power and with sur
nassing effect of terror and pathos,-the terror
that subdues the mind and the pathos lhaI Hiei'S
the heart. Here the torrent OF eInotloh' III IlVNe
ment not less than word Of vast volume and
overwhelming force-only needing unbroken sus-
+ainraent the incessant tumuIt of burning ana
raging vitality without limit or pause. to reacn
the superatve height Of greatness IN ulterance Oh
the agonized human heart The performance
might possess. to advantage an augmented rapid
ttv as of the scorpion, and greater wealth OF
sardonic ineisiye hurnor; but 1t is of massive
frame and proportion. fine detail. and beautiful
symmetry; it is worthy Of a great actor; ana II
ought to be and doubtless will be remenoereo
and treasured among the glories OF the stage
Much that is now offered in our theatres SINKS
into abject insgnihcance alongside OF II me
version of Taylors play that is used by MI. VIII
,ra 5iHsrs in some details. from the one useo os
Edwin Booth and not for the better. Ahe emu
for example is not only F1ordehsa 5 $50 So
but the Fools happines-for he is not Klieo- out
these notifications do not mar the seiieia -
and nobody can see Mr.. Wilards peFIolHAo
without being the better for it. The dominant az
tributes of Mr.. willard, as an actor'-ofteh Tecos
nized before In this place-are intellectual ooi0e
tration dignity OF aspect; intensity OF oelieaot'
weight of personality power and melody OF voice.
.oto,g resonance of delivery; and the capacity or
ouick transition from quetude TO trehchant' liii
ra+,,ors action These qualities, together WIN the
advantages OF fine stature and manly grace, are
,Ia,dsd an him with the self absorption ana the
physical strength essential to sustain an eN'ol-e
character at high tension OF Drlihafit me-
There is an intellectual impairment IN tils piaS
that should not be overlooked Physicai oelo'lH
,tv has seldom been endured with patience II re-
acts on the mind 1t incleses 1t sadoehs of II
embftters a deformed man Is usually retlcene
and secretiys He shrinks from contact or opser-
vation. He suspects, every hand, pity con-
ternt aversion or ridicule He is morbidly sens1-
five He withdraws his life from the obvious, sun
liz pathways of the world. and dwsils IN SOLITARY
places; and there ne nurses MS eIiio
tions whether Of love or hate, TILL tney acquire d
fearful strength. If he be a man OF deep heaft ana
proud mind and II his nature be iliumined by the
light of genius he will develop amazing ind
yidtlality Pope and Byron come out of literary
history as examples of this truth These, OF
course are exponents of exceptional class; but,
as the same human nature runs through all
classes the same general results are apparent in
I'll the victims of deformity. The deformed man
is placed at q disadvantage, and that cruel fact
zhapes and colors his whole experience. That ex-
Derience accordingly attracts the analytical stu
dent of life and stimulates the imaginative literary
artist by suggesting sharp dramatic contrasts.
sir yyaIer Scott has delneated phases Of it, with
great vjror of treatment, and in sngularly beau
ifuI atmosphere OF romance, in his novel of "The
Black Dwarf" Other authors have touched upon |
it. with more or less success: but no other great |
1anv1 v1lxro