The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-04
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.
"rhe Heir.nt Law" AZ the Arch

HEhc Hctr nt law at the Arcn.
For the sake OF "Dr. Pangloss," Colmsn's CO.
nnedy of The Heig. al Lar is performed oftener
than It otherwise would be. out even without
t'Dr. Pangloss" 1t would be one Of the most pleas
ing ofthe class of plays to which IL belongs. Like
all Of ComRn's works, II acts well, the charac
ters are lifelike, the humor is genuine, Its tone
is healthy, and the moral Is sufficiently
pointed. II well represented, The Heir.at- LuD
is an excellent entertainm, MT, and the evident
delight OF the large audience last evening at
the Arch was in the highest degree compli-
mentary TO Mrs Drew ana her company. The
play was given in nne style throughout, and
this artistic completeness as q whole is, we
think, even more worthy of commendatory
notice tbaR the merits OF any one personation'
Mr.. Warren we presume to have retired, so
that there now remain upon the stage only
MIR Joseph jefferson and Mr. John 8. Clarke as
representatives of "Dr. Pangloss." or the two
we prefer the performance of Mr.. Clarke In this
part Mr.. jefferson carries the subdued style
of his rip Van Wrinkle" more or less into al
his personations, and in many instances we
admit that IL is really more effective than
Clarkes grotesqueness. But Clarke has made
q few characters peculiarly his own, and "Dr
Pangloss" is one OF them. There is richness
and exuberance of comic humor in his delinea.
tion of the impecunious philosopher that
makes 1t more irresistibly laughable than
Je6erson's, and which never fails to tell upon
the audience.
Mr.. Craig attempted this part for the first
time last evening, and as he does not too often
have opportunities TO appear In roles that
1t should be his ambition to study, II he wishes
TO make his mark as q comedian, we were
somewhat curious 10 see what he would make
of It, Mr.. Craig's best things heretofore have
been in the burlesque line but burlesque is
easier to act than legitimate comedy, and
more certain OF winning applause without
fa
OF to q young actor as being apt to inspire him
with higher estimate of his abilities than dis
interested judges will concur in, and giving
him O fictitious popularity which will be likely
10 fail him when he most needs 1t. Mr.. Craig
IS we believe, ambitious. and we are pleased
whenever he tries himself in parts like that OF
"Dr. Pangloss, !" in which oar finest comedians
have distinguished Ihems elves. Mr.. Craig's
performance last evening was very
creditable, especially for a first at
tempt; and we hope that the pleasure
which Mrs. Drew's "old comedy weeks" have
afforded TO many Of the most intelligent patrons
Of the theatre will induce her TO give us some
more of the same sort before the season is over,
If for no other reason than to allow Mr.. Craig
TO show what there is in him actor OF
legitimate comedy. There was nothing original
about Mr. Craig's "Dr. Pangloss," nor was it to
be expected or perhaps wished for that there
should be. The usual points were made with good
effect, although he failed to equal Carke's ex-
quisite drollery and JefHerson's sparkling wit.
Some of Mr.. Craig's peculiar mannerlsms were
apparent throughout the performance, and he
misst the exquisite little touch Of pathos with
which Jefferson lights up the passage where
"Dr. Pangloss" returns the bank note to
"Zekiel." and receives reward which eliots
the quotation "Honesty is the best policy" In
deed. 1t is this bit OF true art that makes Jeer-
sons "Dr. Pangloss" superior to Clarke's, even
II 1t Is not SO laughable.
Mr.. Everly's "Zskiel Homespun" was excel.
lent, and, as a really superior piece of acting
we do not recollect seeing him do any
hing equal to 1t. Mr.. Mackay made q capital
Iepresen tative OF "Daniel Dowlas," and Mrs.
Thayer as Deborah Dowlas" was good, she
always Is. Mr.. Wallis, a very careful and palms.
taking actor, who does not always get as much
n credit as he deserves, made much of the small
part of "Kenwlck;" and Mr. Barton Hill acted
with good effect as ''Dlck Dowlas."
Mrs. Drew's personation OF "Cicely Home
spun" was artistic, and some passages she rem
dered in q style that few other actresses are
capable OF. But as a whole we did not like IL "a
well as that of some performers of less reputa-
tjon. Mrs. Creese "Caroline DorIner" was
graceful, but a trifle inauimate. MI James
acted the part OF Henry Moreland" very care
lessly, indeed. 1t could not properly be called
acting, and If he knew his lines he often failed
to speak them so that the audience could un .
derstand what he was saying Mr.. James is
one OF the most unpromising members of the
Arch street company. We have seen him act in
way that seemed TO indicate that he possesses
ability. and on that account we are inclined to
condemn him when he plays in as shittless a
manner as he did last evening. Mr.. Synder
who took the part of "Steadfast" )" is open to
considerable improvement, but he is more
psinstakipg than Mr.. James, and he is likely
10 become more popular II he believes in the
worth II h
doing we'll"