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[[newspaper clipping]]
AN ADMIRER OF THE ACTOR TALKS.
A warm admirer of Mr. Booth, who has seen him act many times under all conditions, said that he attended the performance at the Academy last night:

I was deeply mortified to discover that something was the matter with Mr. Booth in the first scene. He talked indistinctly when he and Rodrigo held the parley in front of Brabantio's house. When Brabantio came upon the balcony, Roderigo did the talking, and Iago kept his position by a post underneath it. He lost his cue probably in this scene, and rattled Roderigo somewhat. I was surprised, and desired to attribute the errors to fatigue or momentary illness. As the play proceeded, I found that I could not plead that excuse for Mr. Booth. That wonderful acting, such as he can only portray in Iago, was manifestly absent. His clear voice and distinct enunciation had dwindled to low, and at times almost incoherent, utterings. The audience was disappointed. No expressed disapproval was given until the scene where Othello, as Salvini renders it, seizes Iago and throws him down. I watched particularly to see how hard Salvini would throw him on the floor. He put his great right arm to Booth's back, and with his left guided him down quickly, but with ease and without a jar. Booth got up, his back to the audience, staggered backwards and fell heavily on the footlights, turning slightly as he descended. The brass guard chain that protects the footlights snapped like a feather as the great tragedian's weight came against it, and several lights were extinguished. The orchestra was under the platform, and the audience occupying its place thought that Mr. Booth was coming down upon them. Some started to rise, but Salivini rushed forward and assisted Mr. Booth up. The latter held his hand to his arm, as if it were hurt, and the scene closed in an unsatisfactory manner. I heard some in the audience hiss.
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was wrong. We could not hear a word and his voice seemed thick and as the noise of people coming in late subsided it was apparent Booth was hampered by some disadvantage. Of course we suspected what was the matter and we were all full of anxiety. He had to be prompted several times, his utterance was thick and spiritless and he repeated his phrases. In the scene between him as Othello where he insinuates Desdemona's infidelity and when the Moor in his phrensy throttles him and flings him on the floor, he arose staggered backward towards the front of the stage and fell backwards at full length upon the foot=lights breaking the guard rod in his fall. Some one from the audience sprang and assisted him to rise, when he went on with his part. But the strain of anxiety was terrible. I went over to Mrs. Stoddards box on the opposite side of the house to see if she noticed any thing wrong. She only said "those horrid people in the next box said when he fell, he is drunk." Salvini acted with great power, but Booth's performance of this one of his greatest characters was disappointing and discouraging. I had a feeling of the greatest pity for him and wished I could hide him from what seemed to me a situation which must cover him with shame. It was an awful evening to me and to all of us. 

Thursday 29 April 1886. I went to bed with a sad and discouraged feeling, but slept normally for I was exhausted. This morning I looked at the Tribune but there was not a word about the play nor in the Sun. The Times merely alluded to it but said Booth did not act with his usual spirit. I hardly dare to hear what will be said nor do I dare to see him - I sent my article " S'nora of the woods" with six illustrations in black and white to Harpers Magazine this morning. I am hoping to get some money for this but by no means relying upon it knowing how uncertain such things are. Mary and I called up at Mrs Andersons and had a pleasant visit. On my return I stopped at the Club. Previous to going to Mrs Andersons however I went up to the Albemarle hotel to see Booth in spite of the tacit understanding on our part that he does not expect me to call on him. However I reasoned, now is an occasion to show my sincere regard for him and I obeyed my instincts and went. He was not in and I left my card. At the club I saw Stoddard. He had written a note to Booth and said he was glad I called to see him. He told me that some one at the Club told him he saw Booth drink two glasses of brandy there the forenoon of Wednesday. Stoddard thinks Edwinia has "forsaken" him as he termed it by her marriage and that he feels it, but I tried to counteract such a notion. Church of the Sun came up and Stoddard told him to tell Dana not to let Stuart (the old Winter Garden manager) write any thing. I also talked with Church and frankly told him that the statement here affixed headed "An Admirer of the Actor Talks" was exactly as I saw it and as it impressed me.       

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