Laureltree and Beggar’s Staff

Includes a lengthy description of the plot.

“Ristori in her impersonation of the Virgin Queen excelled herself; Bogumil Dawison last evening, surpassed all his former efforts as far as those were above all other actors. Last night was his benefit and if numbers and enthusiasm on the part of the public could testify appreciation of his worth as an artist, the immense audience that for an hour before the curtain rose, filled the Stadt theatre, was an ample proof of his success in New York. The seating capacity of the house is three thousand five hundred, and on last evening not only was every seat filled, but there were nearly five hundred persons who could obtain only standing room. There was little or no applause while the play was going on, for the audience sat spellbound in breathless attention, and frowned down the slightest noise which could disturb their interest in one of the most magnificent triumphs in acting that the American stage has ever witnessed; but at the close of each act there was an outburst of heartfelt, genuine applause, and the great and modest beneficiare had to come forward again and again and bow his acknowledgments.

The orchestra, too, evinced an appreciation of Mr. Dawison’s genius, for it numbered among its members some of the most distinguished of Theodore Thomas’ musical corps, and played in keeping with the spirit of the drama. The play selected for Mr. Dawison’s benefit was Von Hottel’s drama, Laureltree and Beggar’s Staff, or the Three Winters of a German Poet, and an afterpiece called Beggar’s Staff and Laurel Tree, or Twenty Years After Death.  As this drama has not been played for many years in New York, we shall give a synopsis of the plot and incidents…It would be impossible within the space allotted to us to give even a faint idea of Mr. Dawison’s extraordinary impersonation of the poet. Power, genius and entire command of all the qualities of an actor were displayed in every scene. The gradual descent of the unhappy child of the muses to the very lowest dregs of poverty; the symptoms of insanity, increasing until his mind is a complete wreck; the change in every detail of dress and appearance as the humble and heart broken secretary of the banker, and as the childish and inoffensive wanderer and the too suddenly overjoyed father sinking in the arms of his son with the words ‘Matilda, I come,’ all moved every heart among the audience. The support was excellent in every respect, and far superior to the preceding night’s casts. The great German actor last night completely eclipsed his Othello, Narcisse, Shylock and Francis de Moor.  It was not acting; it was nature and genius.”

Dawison performed the demise of the poet with brilliance. Costume, make-up and acting were excellent. The theater was overcrowded and the audience was very enthusiastic about the performance.

“Mr. Dawison took his first benefit at the Stadt Theater on Tuesday. He has of late played one or two comedy parts, and made therein a better impression than he made in tragedy.”