Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-01-22
NEWTON FALLS.
NEWTON FALLS, Jan, i

NEWTON FALLS, Jan, Il, 1873.
EDITOR CHRoNICLE:-We were IA
vored last night with q visit from the
Southington Dramatic Club, which,
troubled with an itching for fame, came
down through the mud and rain to strut
their brief minute upon the mimic
stage before our wondering eyes. Had
the populace possessed a 1.-THE of the en-
ergy of the club, the hall would have
been OVERLOOKING, dark and stormy Is
was the night. But, spite of all, the at
tendance was not bad, and, as is usually
said, was respectable, although small
The company spoke the play of the
"Seven Clerks" the plot otwhich is I'M
usually thin, being only that ofa miser-
~ note shaver of Marseilles, who is a
somnanbualist, robs himself in his
sleep, and gets seven of his clerks hung
for the theft; and his daughter, who has
fallen in love with a nobleman in Paris,
who follows her home, hires him, and
adds the promise of her hand if he will
clerk Tor the old man and not rob him,
but find out who does. Between them
they discover the old man robbing him
self, and follow him to his hiding place,
and obtain the missing gold, upon which
they wake elm up, tell how it is; he
JOINS their hands, says "Bless you ! bless
your Everybody is hspsy, and the
curtain drops, to slow music. "Exeunt
omne." From so'much plot an indifer-
ent play has been built up, which is of
itself remarkably dull and dry and con-
tains but few attractive positions and az
fords very few opportunities for choice
acting; in fact, it is much too lifeless In
the text for amateur actors to win much
fame in performing. Such being the
character Of the piece, this company did
the best they could I; they committed the
text very well and stuck right to it to the
end, but they committed the usual err
rors OF amateurs, in repeating the text
faithfully (even going back to rectify err
rors and omissions) they lost sight of &C
ton entirely, and wisely or not wisely
according to individual jud gment con-
corning this style of a play, let the
words have their effect, uninterrupted
by gesture or facial expression. This
kind of action does not tend to enliven
a dull play. In the farce which succeed.
ed, which was the broad one of "Irish
Assurance" the acting was lively
enough and was really good as a whole,
and received its full measure ofapplsuse.
n Ill A. -
good, was well received and fully appre-
Grated. By way of moral I will add,
that generally amateur performers do
not have their parts well committed,
which should be so well done that the
whole attention can be given 10 the act
ing, and if the spirit of the play is right
ly conceived the words will accompany
the acting rather than the acting the
words. In fact, it will appear, as should
be the case, the action suggests the
words. Most amateur companies lack
the necessary scenery, machinery and
other property necessary for the bust
ness of the play, and try to get on with
temporary substitutes, which real
ly embarrass and clog their performance.
1t is really necessary that amateurs, to
give a good and attractive performance,
should often see plays performed by pro-
fessional players, to catch their manner
and movement, and become as 'stage
WISE as possible by observation, and
then improve by experience. 1t is hard
for Que to forget himself and for the
nonce become "Claude Melnotte," or
always; )" but he must do it if he
would have the play anthing more than
a mere recitation. understand that the
club mentioned way back towards the
OF this article have promised to ex-
hibit to us again this winter. shall be
glad to see them and hope some word of
criticism will tend to their improve
ment. SHAKESPEARE.