New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-01-04

Jones last night made her second seasons first ap
pearance before the New Orleans public. As she |
trpped forth upon the STAGE in her pretty character
of Blanche, the joyous village maiden, deeked off for
Queen of May the audience for time appeared to |
forget both the play and the character she was in
and to recognize only Avona Jones, the growing in
carnation of beauty and dramatic genius. For some
time the enthusiasm of the audience kept her bowling
and gathering up flowers, before permitting her to
relapse into Blanche
She appeared to have increased in both beauty and
stamina since her last years visit; and the only
thing that marred her performance in the least was
cold which gave her melodious womanly voice lit
tie too much hoarseness and then. In her action
she was vigorous, spirited and effective, and led cap
tive the feelings of her audience from first last. We
might criticise the performance, Qor we noted it
closely) as well the unqualified praise bestowed by
the audience but we will not take the trouble We
might show with the hypercritics, that Miss Jones
could never act Meg Me,yites or Lady Macbeth with
Miss Cushman, to her life thus proving that it
is her youth and beauty, and not her acting, which
captiyates her audiences We might even agree with
the hypocritics that because she has not been star
for the last fifteen or twenty years. she is hardly yet
worth looking at. We have yet in our efforts
to be critical overshot the mark far as to be by.
percritica or hypocritca have any fear Of ever
so doing.
Our reason for declining to point out what we
might consider amenable to criticism in Avonia
Jones' acting, is just this She is young and she is
pretty; we are human, and not ashamed of paying
to beauty the homage which it has ever commanded,
aud ever will command, in all parts of the world, and
in all situations in life. An actress, we hold, has as
good right to be young and pretty as any other
woman and il pretty woman, choosing to be an
actress should discover any degree Of acting talent
must she be eproached because her personal charms
helps her along Miss Jones has been but short time
upon the stage. In that short time she has ascende6
the scale Of dramatic excellence with more rapii
What she lacks now she will achieve in good time
She has improved SO rapidly that she rather deserve
praise for what she is than censure or criticism 70
what she is not. Therefore, we will not amaze ou
readers with DER many "words of learned length AM
laundering sonnd," to prove how much more W
know about acting than those who follow acting TO
living, Or attempt to quench in inky mist singh
ray Of any star in its rise to the dramatic zenith
At the close of the play last night, Miss Jones wa
complimented as at the beginning. Mr.. Pope1
armand was given with that gentlemans usual abil
ity, and to the satisfaction of the audience. Hind
Hamblin, and Miss Denham likewise succeeded salts
factorily in their respective parts. -.--
Tonight Miss Jones appears as Lucy Ashton il
. I" The Bride of Lammermoor character in whill
she was very effective last year. Mr.. Pope is to
8 the Rarens,cood