Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-19

Editors Journal
I desire to cali the attention Of those
people in Evansville who love refined
and elegant amusements to the fact that
we have now performing in Masonic
/ Hall small theatrical company OF the
very first excellence. l have seen good
deal Of theatres, and some acting that
vas called first rate, and have seldom
seen, angUhere, better performances than
are nov being given nightly at Masonic
Hall
Taking into consideration the fact
that the Accommodations Of the Hall, a.
a theatre, are poor, that the stage is
wretchedly smalland almost within reach
Of the audience, that the scenery Is nsces-
sarily imperfect, and TIE other appoint
ments not BY any means what could be
desired, It must be said that the playing
Of the company Is simply splsHdta.
l have seen them reTder three pieces
The Stranger" +" Madeline and " La-
eretia Borgia" These are all sensation
al plays of the first character, and are
performed BIZ the brightest stars in
the large cities, aud from their extreme
4ntenseHess require much talent in their
rendition to make them even bearable.
This company did far more-it mad
them delightful
OF course the best playing is done by
Mr. Hanchett aud Miss Price, though
others Of tho troupe. such "a Mr.. Hol-
land and oae or two more, whose names
! forget, perform very creditably
Mr. Hanchett Is really capital In
" he Stranger, as the absorbed, silent
reelnse and misanihrope, and then as
the agonized man, struggling between
his own love sud pity for the wife who
had wronged him, which drew him to
wards her, and his wounded pride and
ionor which dFo' bin from her, be has
not often been surpassed In tue other
roles in which have seen him he was
excellent In fact he plays everything
lac undertakes we'll
But Miss Fannie is a gem, a jewel that
aparkles, and glitters, and faseinates.
One thing puzzles me; how did she ever
get out here 70 us2 hog did "the manage.
ment' ever succeed in coaxing her to
tread the small boards Of an Evansville
extemporized theatre2 But without en-
qairing how she got here, let as make the
most Of her while Hhe stays
She has genius. Apparently bat very
I. a A.
the most intricate and refined phases and
expressions Of the higher passions and
ena0tions Her voice IA sweet and pleas
ant 10 the ear. her enunciation Is clear
and distinct; she is natural, her figure is
excellent, and her face exceedingly al.
tractive and engaging All these things
ought to make good actress, aud she
is one.
Her f6rfe Is evidently IN the passion
ate and emotional She shows this in all
her acting, and she evidently under
stands herself 50, rs she indicates in the
plays she has selected |, is in the OK
preston Of the purely tender emotions
Of the heart that she supremely excsls.
In THE Stranger, in the interview Of
Mrs. Halter with her husband there IL
depth OF pathos, and exquisite yearmings
in her voice and attitudes that touch the
heart to its very bottom But, so far as
have seen her, she exceIs as "Lucretia
Borgia, and there again in the tender
and pathetic. have never seen any.
thing finer than her ffst interview as
Lncretia With her son. Although the
audience knows not that Genaro is her
son, and though she addresses him
in the language Of impassioned love,
every one feels that Il is not as lover;
the sacredness and holiness Of a mothers
love burdens every tone When she ut
ters that touching passage, "Genarol
Genarol have you no word OF love or
pity for me- the tenderness aud deep
entreaty Of her tremulous voice bring
tears, sweet aud gentle ~ the drop
ping Of heavens dew upon the flower, yet
full of the power Of wreiehed aud nn-
worthy mothers love for i noble son. it
gave beautiful expression TO one of the
most woeful situations Of human life.
might say more about her and then
fail 10 do her justice Let every lover
Of the drama and good acting 20 and
see her, aud II they are not delighted,
It will be because they have dead hearts
IN their hosoms Exlm