Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-24
ADJUSTMENTS.


BLACK FRIDAY.-A telegraphic dis
patch from New York YESTERDAY, informs
us that q play under this title was
brought out at a prominent theatre in
that city on Monday evening. 1t brings
before the audience Fisk, Stokes and
Josephine Mansfield, and follows the
main points Of rivalry between the two
men. The first act exhibits the interior
of a brokers' Office on Black and
the exterior of the stock exchange, with
a crowd of bowling bidders. The second
act introduces the spectator to Mans
fields boudoir, and exhibits that wo-
man as she successfully receives her
lovers, and protests her devotion to both.
The third act gives a representation Of
the steamer Bristol and her passengers,
among whom are DIR. Greeley, Commo-
dore Vanderbilt, Jay Gould, Henry
Clews, and other well-known persons,
in whose cases not even the disguise of
altered names is resorted to. The fourth
act is supposed TO take place in the Erie
railroad offices. 1t closes with the shoot
ing of Fisk. The city papers, without
exception, denounce this exhibition in
the strongest terms. The Tribune says
it is very family described as h~umiliating
TO the understanding, offensive to the
moral senses, and aggressively insolent
toward taste, propriety, every hnerf feel
ing of human nature, and an outrageous
Dissertation of the purpose, privileges and
capabilities of the theatre.
FALsTAFF. Ben DeBaT, the re-
nOwned comedian, will make his APP
pearance as "Falstaff,n on the stage of
his own theater, supported by a select
company. Since Hacketts death, in
deed for some time before it, the charac-
ter of Falstaff" had disappeared from
the stage, save as now and then it was
essayed by actors who had no idea of
making it a speciality. Mr.. DeBaT, who
is one of the best English comedians
now living, will revive it, and it is be-
lieved by his friends will succeed to
much if not all the perfection of Hackett,
who was as much "Falstaff" as "Fal-
staff' himself might have been. The
ST. Louis Republican says: Mr.. De-
Bar has e yet attempted the role,
but he undoubtedly possesses within
himself all the qualities as an actor, as
the natural conditions essential to an
effective rendition of the character. Take
him all in all, he is the best comedian
in the country. In his adopted line OF
line of business we doubt if he ever had
a superior. His humor is spontaneous
and OVERLOOKING, and his whole express
sion is irresistible. His physique is ex-
cellent, his voice is capable of any re-
quired meditation, and is perfectly I'M
der his control. Add to these qualities
a love of his art, and a determination to
bring all his knowledge and experience
- - ----- Ext -1-~ GAlA nE anHnnrwaa
14nd his success is assured. 1t will be no
idle experiment with him. He has cal
cuIated all the chances, viewed the
surroundings, and has thoroughly pre-
pared himself for the work. We are to
have a new 'Falstaff;' no matter how
the comparison may stand with those
who have been great before, he will be
a "Falstaff," Neither England nor
America can boast of one to-day; two
weeks hence the English stage may.
The Importance of Mr.. DeBar's APP
preaching debuti in the role as a dramat-
ic event renders the names of all the
personators of fFalstaf of peculiar in
terest at this time. The following list
of his Representatives for the last two
hundred years is as near complete s we
are able to give from all the sources of
information at hand:
DOwton is imposed to be the Oldest. He
was PRONOUNCED by the critics and people OF
stephen Kemble was of sufficient dimen-
sions to play the part without padding. he Is
marked In the critics book as dne.
BARLEY is designated as ueTy good.
Quin has the faint praise OF not UeTy good.
ElliSton brings up the OF public
to fHe.
Henderson rises to the highest distinction
Phelps falls w in our critics opinion,
he tones down the praise 70 not great.
W. r. Blake comes in for his performance
fine. /
Bass, a good low comedian, receives for his
need a very emphatic not good.
Gilbert gets a severe knock on the head,
which is hard.
Barry Sullivan gave Australia a taste Of his
quality, and the antipodes pronounced him
Mark Smith, a hrst-class comedian, tried
the part once and our critic has never yet
been able to make up his mind about the per
Mark romise not TO do so any
more, and he has kept his word. But he Is on
record.
Fred. B. Conway comes of $3.50.
W II. sedley ~Smith-too long a name for a
oill-is also awarded with that very indefinite
verdict $3.50.
Burton, whose comedy was in hig repute,
falls below the level; also $3.50.
Fred. Yutes in lS43 played Falstaf with
as Hotspur and Young as the
Henry Wallack is pronounced without
very good.
Hackett was last, and by many considered
he best. We all know what he was. Can we
hope TO look upon his like againl
"This is a formidable list, nearly all
hem great actors, even if some of them
lid not make much of Falstaf' The
verdicts accorded them furnish a
'ort of graduated scale of their relative
merits in this n role, which is by no
means a test of their general standing as
Five of them are living: Hen
Phelps, Barry Sullivan, Mark
smith and Fred B. Conway. Hender- ]
on and Phelps are in England, and are
yery old; and all but n or two of them
we're native Englishmen."