The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-13
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.
Opeuius Nigh, at the Chestnut.


Mr.. E. l.. Davenport was greeted by we'll
filled house last night, on the occasion of his
assuming the active management of the Ches-
nut Street Theatre, and in the general excel
lence of the performance, as we'll as in brief
speech delivered before the curtain, he gave
assurance that every effort will be made during
the balance of the season to present series of
entertainments that will merit the cordial sup
port of the public. The play last night was As
You Like II, one of Shakespeare's most
happily titled performances, and one of the
freshest and most graceful emanations OF his
fancy. The scene is laid anywhere or nowhere
for the Forest of Arden is delightful no mans
land, where the most improbable things are
done in the most probable manner; and the
play, if it defes logic and rules, is redolent
of the most graceful poetry, the brightest wit,
and the most genial humor. There is no plot
worth speaking of. but there is q rich contrast
of character and if the poet has etherealized
human nature, he has not forgotten that hu-
msnity in dream land must be essentially
human still 1t is astonishing how bright and
fresh the humor of this comedy is to-day, not
merely to the closet admirer and student
of Shakespeare, but to the average
playgoer whose knowledge of the 'divine Will
liams is limited to what he sees before the foot
lights. To Judge from the hearty laughter and
applause that greeted the performance last
evening, AS You Like II has as much entertain
ment in it for modern American audience as
it had three hundred years ago for the assembly
that witnessed its first production at the Globe
Theatre, London, under the personal supervision
of the popular author and manager William
Shakespeare. The texture of As You Like II is
SO fine that it would seem to
be essential for even moderately
satisfactory representation that the different
characters should be sustained by actors of
something more than average excellence. The
cast at the Chestnut last night, however, was not
a very strong one, and yet the performance
passed of smoothly and with much better effect
than many play has done with a more preten-
tious array of talent. Evidences of good man
agemsnt were everywhere apparent, and as the
success of theatrical company depends quite
As much upon all hands pulling together as it
does upon the talent of individual members, we
take the performance of last evening as a happy
augury for the future of the Chestnut under its
present management.
The part of "Rosalind" was sustained by Mrs.
Scott-SiddOns, who appeared to very much bet
ter advantage than she did at the Academy of
Music last season. This'lady has improved
during the past year. but she is still far from
being a thoroughly good actress. She will per-
sst in singing when she ought to talk, and she
frequently runs her words together in such a
manner as 10 be perfectly unintelligible. These
are such palpable faults, and they interfere so
decidedly with the success of Mrs. Siddons' per-
formances, that it is great pity she
does not make effort to re-
form them altogether. Mrs. Siddons,
however has so many personal attractions: her
eyes are SO very black and lustrous, her actions
so graceful, and her voice so musical that she
would still be attractive if she were much
worse actress than she really is Making allow
snce for all its deficiencies her "Rosalind" last
evening was a very charming performance.
She realized admirably all the brightness, the
freshness, and the graceful humor OF the char
acter, and If as an artistic conception her
4Rosalind" fell below that of other artists,
it was marked by qualities of its own that rem
dered it in the highest degree acceptable to the
audience.
OF the personation OF the melancholy
Jacques" of Mr.. E. L. Davenport we have
| nothing but praise to utter. No actor on the
stage equals this gentleman in ability to inter-
| prst the finer elements of Shakespeare's poetry,
and his delivery of ''All the worlds stage, "
last evening, was itself rare treat. Mr..
Charles r. Thorne, as ''Orlando" made very
favorable impression, although he was laboring
under severe cold, which interfered to great
extent with the success of his impersonation.
lie has broad, free style that in many parts
ought 70 bs very effective, aud we anticipate