New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-12
MR.. WILLARD.
rhs New.Amsterdam Theatre.

TIE advent Of Mr. willard at the New Amster-
sono Theatre, where he came forth last night as
1s.-tnccio in The Fools Revenge hailed
5tb iovfuI tumult by a numerous. sympathetic,
"a enthusiastic audience Mr. Wizards imper
soDation of the afflicted -delirious Jester
,scor5ed and described in this place only little
chile ago (lovember 10, and TeiteraJion of the
Judgment then given amply satisfies the aeed Of
bs hour Into the potential situations OF this excel
1,t nsv (Which like Bulwer's Richelieu' has sur
5vsd and will continue to survive, "a whole his
.-z, of such pulling paItry stuff as is customariy
.,ovi5ed by the numerous and loQuacious Pitches
- This woful time), Mr.. Willard launches himself
With tremendous vgor, and his authority dominates
,ben all His acting. last night, was more i'm
asssioned and more flexible than on the occasion
= ne nrevious emergence here as Bertuccio, and
a vv-opght q prodgious effect. His facial aspect
!, the character might advantsgeously be changed
she terrible calamity and protracted grief that haVc
rsyaeed Bertuccios soul ought from the first, to
shaw their traces in the lines Of his contenance
hut the actor personifed Iurid misery, and, in the
action his clear ideal magnifcently displayed
In Mr.. Wizards version of the play there are
,opts that could be clarified and improved The
intimation that the Jester was not born cripple,
hui was crippled by a brutal assault, made on him
vbsu Malatesta seized his wife. weakens the
rathos In Edwin Booths better version it is de-
clsred that Bertuccios wife loved him the more
ferause Of his msery-becaCse she saw him
marked and despised. lonely and poor. The char
aeter Of Bertuccio is made more natural, and his
sxperience is made more pathetic. when the
warped mind is shown partly a consequence OF
an embittering physical defornlity. The reading,
Tn paJk the night away at the end of the
seouzing scene of FiordeliSas capture is less ef-
fsetve than the reading, I'll laugh the night
away which was used by Edwin Booth, though
not so printed in his playbook. Mr.. Willard uses
"pak" and, nevertheless, stands perfectly still,
striking an attitude and making picture-instead
q, making precipitate exit. Mr.. Willard also
reeds at the end OF act first,
Put my enemyss heart into my hand
That may tear II!
Booths reading was ''gnaw, instead OF tear
andsthe effect was far more terrible, combined with
the awful image OF insane ferocity that the great
t7agedian became at the moment. And, in Booth S
version the Jester was stabbed to death, at the
LIST when he Ieaped upon Manfredfs banquet
board and he died in the arms Of his rescued
6surhter-a much better ending than Is shown in
the version used by Mr. Willard. This great actor
in,,ersona+ion of Bertuccio however, is one Of
splendid power In the fathers colloquy with his
daughter when he tells her Of his wrongs, MI
Willard patheticaiiy disclosed the depth Of a great
heart absorbed and constant in its beautiful de-
votion: and there his magnificent voice and his ex-
quisite clarity Of speech enormously emphasized
+be dramatic effect In the night scene before the
paIace-when Bertucco, in joyous frenzy, horribly
gloats over the supposed seizure of his enemy s
wife-the volume of his liberated passion was su-
peril. And. finally, at the door of the prince
banquet room, he made the essential transltlon
from frantic despair to assumed merriment,-widly
pleading for admission to the feast,-with a sur
passing effect of the terror and pathos that melt
the heart. Here the torrent of emotion. in move
ment not less than in words. was OF vast volume
ana overwhelming force-only needing unbroken
sustainment Ghe incessant tumult Of burning and
towering vitality, without limit pause, to reach
he bair of ines
possess an augmented rapidly of movement and a
greater wealth. Of sardOnic ncisye. scornful wit;
but it is one of massive frame and proportlon' me
detail and beautiful symmetry: it is worthy of a
great actor; and 1t Will be remembered and treas
uTed among the glories of the stage Much that
is now offered in our theatres sinks into abject in
significance alongside Of il. Mr.. Wizards dramatic
company is not well chosen The best subsidiary
Performance is that Of TorreIl by Mr.. Stallard;
Of the worst, Mr.. Santers imperSonatlon OF
Dell Aguila. The males, in general are BAD; the
females worse Miss Lennon, the chief actress
vas all The animation of a wooden Indian A
poetic play requires interpreters who have some
idea OF poetry. But. fortunately, in The FOOL
Revenge Bertuccio is, after all, the central hg-
ire and aIr Wilard-whose dignity and moral
force as q man. combined with his exceptional
facility as an actor make him at an honor TO
he stage and a benefit to the community-confers
an Obligation By mis- superb PRESERVATION OF this
part doing service for which the public ought 10
be doubly grateful at this time, when our theatre
is oYerrun with vicious carnalism and mawklsn
sentimentaltY the product of the Ibsens, Maeter-
hncks shaws Pineros, etc, bent on celebrating 0he
erring sister and emancipating mankind from al
The restraints equally Of morality, good manners
and common sense. The public gain would be IN
deed great If Mr. Willard could prolong his stay
beyond the all short limit OF three weeks ana
add TO the repertory already announced revivals
Of such pieces as Judah John Needham
Double" The Rogue's Comedy and the great play
Of ~Wealth"-a play which. if you talk of les
sorE bears the special lesson that is most neeoeo
z this nlntncrati tic age