New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-22
Communicated
C,v 3I,nuerinu Mt the Varieties.

Guy hh
To criticise the acting of Charlotte Cush-
man as Neg Mc,riHeS would be almost an
imDertinence That acting is simply per
feet. but this, It's excellence, demands that
the other performers should not act as folls
ONLY instead of supports. AS in her we see
the faultless embodiment of the ideal old
piDsy queen, whose strong mind and fiery
heart and active limbs have triumphed
over years and hardship. prolonging to ex-
IRENE old age that dominion which wild
and semi barbarOus race like the gipsies
would never yield to decrepitude, so in the
other actors of the drama we demand cor
responding resemblance to the characters
they pretend to personate. Nor IS this ask
ing too much, considering how tame those
characters are compared with that OF Neg
MerTiHes. Dominic Sampson, for instance,
the character of second Importance, should
not look like a bloated old topper
If the actor assuming that part is en-
numbered with superabundance of hesh.
as is the case with Mr.. Robinson, he should
make use of some of the tricks of stage
toilet 10 conceal that defect. His face also
should have tue pale and thoughtful look
of the habitual student. The word
pro-di-gi-ous," as used by the worthy
Dominic, ought to be pronounced IN four
syllables, each drawn out as long as pos
sible, instead of being slurred over as 1T Is
by Mr. Robinson. 1t is, moreover, extreme
ly unlikely that classical scholar like the
Dominic should have thrown into one the
first two syllables of Beelzebub's name.
These may be considered small matters,
but it is small matters that give the finish
ing touches to a picture. Finger nails are
small matters, but the omission of them
would spoil an otherwise correct likeness.
Norton looks the part of Harry Bcrt'am,
but does not act it: he lacks play of feature.
The two Young ladies who represent Lucy
Bertyam and Julia Nannering are much too
STACEY. too conscious, too affected. Lucy
Bertram in the story is a simple girl, and
certainly never pitched her voice to the arti-
fetal key adopted by Miss ReignOld. And
here it may not be inappropriate to call the
attention of these promising and pains
taking young actresses to the fact that all
the artists who have achieved celebrity on
the stage have done so by following nature.
If there is nothing impassioned in the
words they have to utter, they should be
delivered in a conversational tone If there
is passion the performer must put himself,
by an effort of imagination, exactly into
the position of the character represented.
The most Objectionable part of the whole
play, as rendered at the Varieties, is I'M
questiouably the last scene Neg Mc,rtties
lies upon the floor in the agonies of death,
having sacrificed herself to secure the Safe
ty Hurry BerHom. In the meanwhile the
said Harry and the rest stand coolly by as
unmoved as if nothing at all remarkable
were happening. Indeed, persons of Ordi-
nary sensibilitY would display more emo
ton at the death of a favorite dog than the
spectators of the gipsy's death did at her
agony. That the Dominic, even at that tol-
emn moment. should make some dem0nstra-
ton of JOY at the finding OF his beloved pu-
pill, is perhaps natural !; but that demOnstra-
ton should be subdued by the OverpOwers
ing presence of death in which they both
STAND. He should not for moment seem
oblivicus of the situation of the heroic old
" oman writhing in pain within foot OF
where he stands
| can not dismiss this subject without
some commendatory remarks upon the way
in which the piece is put upon the stage.
The scenery is mostly good the sea shore
scene and the smugglers cave particularly
80.
As the play is likely TO be repeated sew
eral times, it is to be hoped that the per
formers will not disdain to profit by the
suggestions here thrown out.