The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-02-08

the rest of us, and only consent to play
part for an hour, for the amusement Of each
other. and such of their friends as choose to
come in to see and hear. They'are not pro-
fessional actors-only lovers of the drama.
They do not play for livelihood or with
any view of displaying or developing any re-
markable histrionic talents. They simply
assume character and use their best en-
deavors to represent it and its lessons truth
fully. With these facts in view it may
not be amiss to say few words of the rem
dering of Fanchon the Cricket last Thurs
day and Friday evenings. As an amateur
performance in which the greater number
of actors had never spoken word upon the
stage before, it was certainly remarkable
success There was none of the school
exhibition style of recitation. Every one
seemed filed with the idea of the character
represented, and acted the part as well as
natural aptitude, voice and training permit
ted. All seemed to have correct ideas of
the characters they assumed-the first requis-
site of good scting-the rest comes only by
careful training. The faults Of the playing
throughout we're such as a few evenings
prsctice and careful manager would reme-
dy, and such as few regular companies are
free from.
The admirers of Maggie Mitchell, and they
included all who had ever heard her exquis-
ite rendering of TIE CRICKET, prophecied a
failure and went to the first evening enter
tainment fully satisfied that the leading part
at least would not fail to be murdered. :"
But FANoHoN played with fidelity to ma
ture, the more remarkable from the tact that
she had never attempted the representation
of a character in public before. From the
moment she climbed into Father Barbeaud's
window after her badgered chicken, through
the SHADOW DANCE, the Festival ofSt. Au-
doche and the Defiance of her tormentors, to
the happy closing scene, the audience forgot
everything but poor CRICKET and her
pathetic story, and the old theater goers who
had heard Maggie Mitchels "Fanchon' a
dozen times come back the second evening
to see and hear the play over again. The
character was fully sustained throughout the
most uDimportant parts being rendered with
the same correct taste and perfect mastery Of
voice and gesture that gave such effect to
the more striking scenes. The Shadow
Dance. the Defiance and the last scene with
Father Bardeaud were the most difficult and
it is not too much to say that they were
faultlessly rendered. The Shadow Dance
which the grace and sweet voice of the dancer
made the prettiest scene of the play, was cut
short by the too early appearance of Landry
and DIDIER. LANDRY and old FADET played
under difficulties. Landry had part much
too young for him and not in the style in
which he would best do justice TO himself.
He played however with a correct apprecia-
ton ofthe character, sustained himself finely
from beginning to end, and supported FAScH's
we'll. In the scene after the Festival when
he took the part of despised CRICKET and in
the fourth act when Re bade farewell to the
Twin Farm" TO j bin his regiment he played
with real power and was well appIauded by
the audience. The part of OH WITCH was
the most difficult one of the cast for young
person TO take but FADET managed her voice
well and played in the most difficult parts
with marked effect the scene with Father
BARBEAuD being the most noticeable. We
hone to see LANDRY and OLD FADET in
Tragedy before the season is over 't VI
The rendering of Father BARBKUD though
it is not leading character, was the mos,
faultless in the play. DIDIER played the
part of the milk sop" brother of manly
LANDRY with fidelity to the character, and
brought out well the only touches of com.
edy the play admits of. q III
Mother BAEsEAuD, MADELoS sndsothel
less prominent actors supported the leading
characters vel; and there, was nothing like
failure in the most trivial point to MAJ
either evenings entertainment The dance
at the Festival in whicH quite a number
who did not appear again participated, wa
very handsomely done in spite of its diff
eulties and the lack of room upon the Stage
FAxcHoN ought certainly to be repeated
before the season is over. 1t is one Of the
plays one cannot hear too often, and thu
successful performances of last week prove
that it can be played here in a manner t'
entertain all classes. erafsE
The gross receipts of the two entertain
mepts were $232.00, rar
The Association have now in rehearsa
the splendid drams Of the " Honeymoon,
and will produce it, probably, on Thursday
evening, the 2lst inst. 1t contains grea
variety of characters, gives scope for yactinl
Of q high order, and bas one orstwo as fin
comic characters as gap be found in tn
whole list of English dramas. ,', , s'7ei