Year: 1869

OIHELLO AT BOOTHS IHEAIEh'


A sullen day ended in q gloomy night-a fit


night for the presentation OF such gloomy tragedy as


othelo" To read piece to see 1t acted is 10 be
plunged into very mood OF sadness Other great


tragedies Of Shakespeare saturae the mind In fearful
OF desolaon that is always exalted and sometimes
is sublime But this hsrrOws 1t with anguish, and
oppresses It with @ hard, cruel, bitter sense Of
all that is base and wicked In human nature
and conduct 1t tails the whole truth about
the fouest Of topics It's is magnificent Drama.
tic reach higher combination Of symmetry and
force than 1t reaches In in the mechanism OF Othelo


But magncence OF manner make the mind ignore
the ugly responsiveness OF the subject treated Pain and
nothing but pain is the effect Of this workon those who
fully understand and feel it. Shakespeare did not writc
1t, we may be sure to enforce the trite truism
which asserts the sacredness OF marriage vows. lie
wrote 1t to anatomze the direful passion OF jealousy
"a work needful TO the completeness Of his tran
script OF mankindand he wrote 1t without disguises
There is something awfuly bleak in the clear cold at
mOsphere Of truth that he has thus shed upon what is
vest and darkest in sensualty and mischief Even his
language takes gloss Portions Of the text OF
"Othello" cannot-and should not-be spoken. On the
whole question whether the piece should be
resented 1t too firmly rooted however TO be set aside
for any cause. Genius has always found, and
always will hnd an ample medium for it's reye-
lation IN the agones of Othello and the concen
tration Of diabolical intellect in Iago Besides the
tion, passion variety, and pathos Of tne tragedy are
wonderful in richness and magnetic quality. An i'm


ense audience felt them to be at Booths Theater
last night The piece was superbly represented IN q
scenic point of view, and Edwin Booth, Ohetlo
triumph that worthy Of his genius and his fame
Fifteen scenes have to be set for this tragedy.
All were fine, but three superb-the view
Of the town IN Cyprus In act second, the
street In which Casio is assassinated, and the
death-chamber of DeSdemona Save for rub in the first
act the performance smooth. 1t lasted, though TIL
ahnro nd
slight drag But the audience patien-through
sincere interest Mr. Booth found OheIlo voice for
that vitality OF soul which is his characteristic. When 1t
said that his small for Oeo all is said that
be objected to the personation that
he gave The groundwork OF his Otheo
is Dobleness. During the first two acts he per
soniHed this quality Of nature. There were few
salient points In the third his emotional power be-
gan to make itself felt The working Of the poison OF
lagos promptngs expressed, both as TO face aud
tones of voice, in a positively magnificent manner The
devotion OF Ohelo to DesdemOna likewise beauti-
fully indicated True love is hard to paint Mr. Booth
painted 1t truly and thoroughly. In his delneaton OF
the workings of the tiger nature in the Moor.
he was likewise superb And he attained in
the death-scene the climax and perfec-
ton Of pathos VIC touch upon only the salient points
now 1t will be pleasure, by and by TO dwell upon the
details Of this fine piece OF actingan effort In art that
we have seldom equaled. Mr. Booth was called out





was right. Miss Mcyicker has made much stronger
impression as DeSdemona than she made as Jitiiet
More Of her real nature Is seen. She filled
high ideal OF tenderness, sweetness, constancy'
and beautiful beroism. Her sad singing
Of the Willow Song received and deserved the heatiest
commendation. Mr. Mark Smith gave an Interpretation
Of Brabano worthy Of the artist that he IS II was
manly dgnihed true in feeling and perfect In the man
agsmeut OF the text Mr.. Edwin Adams won good deal
OF applause Idgo He was very nervous, though and
did not do himself entire justice. Misc Morant enacted
Emilia, and ezerted upon II reservoir Of physical
force that was really astounding Tho Cassie
of the evening was heavy. This Is one OF the


first gentleman in Shakespeare and ought to be inter
preted with delicious grace Mr. Booths resoratons OF
the text Of "othellO" numerous and conmendable
These and other matters relative 70 the new revival
must command attention at another time For the mo-


ent we are content bear testimony 10 the great er
celence with which the harrowingand to us the
most tragedies has been brought out at
Booths Theater.