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278   BOOTH AND IRVING.
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MEMORABLE APPEARANCE OF THE AMERICAN AND ENGLISH TRAGEDIANS ON THE SAME STAGE--A DISTINGUISHED AUDIENCE AND A DEMONSTRATIVE RECEPTION AT THE  LYCEUM.
[VIA FRENCH ATLANTIC CABLE TO THE HERALD.]
                  LONDON, May 2, 1881.
   That interesting and much anticipated theatrical event, the appearance of Mr. Irving and Mr. Booth in the same play, drew an enormous and brilliant audience to the Lyceum to-night. Every seat in the theatre was bespoken weeks ago. All the stalls were reserved for friends and critics.  In them were the habitués and celebrities invariably found on first nights at the Lyceum; but on the present occasion, owing to the unusual interest in the performance, people were content to get seats anywhere in the house. Long before the doors were opened crowds gathered at the entrances of the theatre, the disagreeable wet evening having no effect in cooling their determination to get in. Mr. Booth, Mr. Irving and Miss Ellen Terry received ovations when they appeared, the applause being long sustained on Mr.  Booth's appearance, and evidently affording him deep gratification. His Othello is already familiar to London playgoers, as is Miss Terry's delightful performance of Desdemona. Mr. Terriss appeared as Cassio, Mr. James  Mead as  Brabantio, Mr. H. W. Riners as Roderigo and Miss Georgina Pauncefort as Emilia. The scenery, as usual at the Lyceum, was effective and well set. The stage management was excellent. I have reason to know that Mr. Booth expressed himself in enthusiastic terms upon Mr. Irving's ability as a stage manager during the rehearsals for the production of "Othello." Mr. Irving's appearance as Iago had been awaited with much curiosity and  interest. He played the part with all his usual picturesqueness of manner and style, but with a redundancy of byplay which did not always strengthen his impersonation; such for instance, as the  constant scratching of his head, pulling  of his ear and nonchalance of manner.

A JOCULAR VILLAIN.
  His view of Iago is decidedly that he was a jocular villain, and left an impression that the cause and motive of the tremendous vengeance which he wreaks were inadequate. he was decidedly more of a courtier than a soldier. The scenes between Othello and Iago left something wanting, and did not reach the high standard of super-excellency anticipated by such a rare combination of talent. The scenes between Othello and Desdemona were of great force and pathos. All were recalled after the acts, Mr. Booth's salutation to Mr. Irving being marked on every occasion, and the co-operation of the two actors  evidently cordial, though perhaps naturally Mr. Booth was reluctant to lay very savage hands on Mr. Irving during the jealousy scene. In fact, it was curious to note that Mr. Booth's physique was below that of Mr. Irving, and consequently there was an impression that Othello was overweighed by his ancient. This destroyed the illusion and created a desire to see the actors with the  parts reversed. Such will be the case next week, when Mr. Booth plays Iago. After the performance loud and persistent calls were raised for a speech, to which Mr. Irving responded by expressing gratification at the reception of Mr.  Booth's engagement, and said:--"I need hardly say that it has given me very, very great delight to have my old friend, Mr. Booth among us. It was only to-night that Mr. Booth said to me, 'I wish, old fellow, I was one of your company.'"

ANOTHER ACCOUNT
On the occasion of the first appearance of Mr. Edwin Booth at the Lyceum to-night as Othello the house was packed immediately after the doors were opened. The audience was a brilliant one, and included Minister Lowell and party from the United States Legation. The periormance had excited great interest in the literary world, and among those of its members who were present were Mr.Edmud Yates, Mr.George Augustus Sala an Mr. Dutton Cook. The piece was splendidly mounted. Upon their first appearance all three of the principal performers--namely, Mr.Booth, Mr.Irving and Miss Ellen plause. Othello's speech to the Senate was much applauded, as was also Iago's (Mr.Irving) soliloquy in the second act, in which he reveals the designs against Othello, containing the sentence,"'Tis here, but yet confused." There were calls before the curtain after the first and second acts; but, though the performance to this point was very successful, the remarkable demonstration was to come. In the third act, during the long conversation in which Iago gradually allows Othello of the house was perfetly riveted. There were frequent movements to applaud both performers, which were immediately suppressed by protests on the part of those who wished nothing to be lost. This interest was perfectly sustained up to the closing of the long conversation between the two principal characters, but the subsequent episode, where Othello rushes upon and seizes Iago, did not appear to create so much sensation. Mr. Booth was apparently suffering from a slight weakness of voice. After the act was concluded there were enthusiastic calls before the curtain. The fourth act was well received, but passed without any very note worthy incident.
A GREAT DEMONSTRATION.
In the closing act the audience did not, as usual, cause interruption by shuffling about preparing for departure, and when the curtain fell there was a great demonstration, extending even to cheering and waving of hats. There were separate calls before the curtain, when Othello, Iago and Desdemona came on together. In reply to the renewed clamor Mr. Irving came out alone and made a humorous speech, thanking the audience for its extremely kind and enthusiastic reception. He said it was extremely gratifying to him to see that the engagement (meaning that of Mr. Booth) had met with so gratifying a reception, and to have his old friend, Mr. Booth, with him. After a few more words of thanks generally on behalf of the company Mr. Booth was again called, but he merely acknowledged the applause and disregarded the calls to speak. The rest of the company sustained their parts well and with less disparity than usual. Mr. William Terriss as Cassio perhaps had the best reception. Mr. Irving's rendering of Iago, for which he head adopted a rather more fanciful costume than is usually associated with the part, contained many points of interest. He introduced much interesting by-play in his manner of furtively watching Othello to ascertain the effect of the suspicions he was communicating to him. In the scenes with Roderigo he also had some very marked business, evidently intended to form a foil to the more tragic parts of the play, and caused considerable amusement– for example, clutching Roderigo and marching affectionately off with him with his own cloak drawn over Roderigo's shoulder after having persuaded him to waylay Cassio. Mr. Booth adhered to his well known reading of Othello. The honors of the performance were fairly divided between Mr. Booth, Mr. Irving and Miss Terry.
PRESS CRITICISM.
The Daily Telegraph, speaking of the play at the Lyceum last night, says:–"Mr. Booth can never have received a more affectionate greeting from his own countrymen than when he first stepped on the Lyceum boards. Mr. Booth played Othello far better than when at the Princesses Theatre. Mr. Irving has never done anything better than his Iago of last night. It is difficult to find a parallel to his elaborate, well-considered and admirably conceived personation." The Standard, speaking of mr. Booth's impersonation, says:–"It must be briefly said that, as compared with his former performances, the early scenes have gained much dignity and powerful repose. Here and there an error of working up to points may be detected, but the performance in many things was very striking and goes far to justify Mr. Booth's reputation. Mr. Irving's Iago will probably be generally ranked as the most finished of his studies of tragic characters." The Daily News says:– "All of the better qualities in Mr. Booth's Othello have gained considerably since he played it at the Princesses Theatre." The News highly praises Mr. Irving's Iago and Miss Terry's Desdemona. The Post says:–"Mr. Booth's Othello, while possessing all the beauty and finish it formerly exhibited, has more concentration, more force and more balance. Mr. Irving's Iago was one of his finest performances. In the great scene of the temptation Booth and Irving afforded each other admirable support.