, 1874-05-05

role. Hhe has beon travelling with MoYtcEer'H
company for tho paat two wooks. and tho pleco
ruaa worry smoothly, Tho play waa drarna-
tized from Charlotte Drontc's exquisite novel
o. tho asn"e ""ll4u ~ Mr.. Ta-laur" 1t
Ia not crelitnblo to Mr. Taylouro that no hna
boon unable to ronEst tho snobbory Of oroating
a Poor by transforming tho simple Nr. ,Rochcs-
ter Of tho novol into Lord Rochester In tho
drama. Wo sl,nll not presume to givo synop-
eia Of tho plocc. Those who havo not road tho
novel would learn nothing by 1t, and those wo
hope aro fow IN number. To them we
givo the advice: Eco tho pioco, thon read tho
originnl, and roalizo how mitch is lost In prcpar
ing 1t for the stage. In tholimit Of an ovepipgs
performance 1t Is uecossary to omit many OF tho
incidents Of tho story, SOLICITING only those which
havo share in tho development Of character
and plot. This should be tho dramntist's aim.
"Jano Eyre" was dramatizcd for but ono per-
son-the star. Consequently tho situations arc
cho8en to show her in tho beat light Doubt
less since Maggie Mitchell played In 1t
for tho first time, additions layo been Inado to
anything but Jane Eyre in tho performances. It
is tue horoinc, and not the piece, that attracts
the audience. There arc several very strong
situations in IT for which, Of conrse the brilliant
na1 aathoress takes " tho sereit but l.. tn ,
which did not posacss dsamnto interest and in
tonBity. Tho dialogue has been adhered to with
fair accuracy In adapting, and frequently ellcltB
see saeaee t eaenos e be- Sa 70 ahe s
brilllancy OF Jane Eyre's remarks. It is only
Jane Eyre who ia brilliant. Tho other charac-
tors are mcro undovoloped cbrysoos, who prob
ably would be brilliant II tho star did
body olse, Including Tho audience, rery dry and
thiraty for drop OF It. This is one Of the evils
Of tho wretched star system, mud In "Jano
Eyro perhaps It Ia more apparent than In any
OF the heroine is by no means difficult one
t Py1 Pos1a bo 1u't shoes proaisaty se''a''1, n
star, where everything ia In her own hands, not
to rotain nll tho kernel md leave only tho shcll
for hor support. So long as tho ntar systcm ro-
mains We must expect to find 1t dono. We must
expect to see tho atar tho contral figure. We
only romonhtrato against tue central figure SWELL
ing out to such tremendous proportions us to
crowd ,,ss ,evoEyy1nody el9e Of tho stago that is
perionco, and knows all tho artifice8 by
which u part can 10 mado interesting. Tho
rulea Of shading, contrast Of color, and all that
sort OF thing, she ia mistress Of, and honoe slo
tion. This is necessity with her. The natural
disadvantages Of voice and o'ocution, which
nuke effective ,,;l reading on ho5 Part
study Of what dramatic effects, apart from n-
diyidna1 capabilities, can do. She drosBos with
sagacity, aud, having command OF the stuation
ns star, evolves sudden effect. This is often
RAISING. as in tho second act, Jane EXro rotircs
| in disgrace from tho proseuce Of Mrs. Reed,
curtcsying at every third stop, and prolong;;
| ing for effect g. ecene which should
| iustanco, but . good one, and characteristic Of
| her method Tho dofect in her elocution is
| sometimes disagroeable. It almost scomB as
though she know she had more than her sharo
| Of the 1iucs, and hurried over thom to conceal
greedy echool.boy gobblos down tho piece Of
| bic ho has purlolucd from Ills achool-follow'a
satchcl, in order to escape detection. This is
observable, moro especially in narrative Of which
somo is necessary to finish out the chain Of in
cident in tho pioce. Tho fire eccnc in the fourth
Mitcheli's M part IN tie drama. Mr. o'Noil has IN
unjust conception Of the part OF Roches-
Ter. The asperity OF tins singular char
bility Of gouty ae1agenarian, not tho habituh
rudenoes OF a mlsantlroye. Rochester ia a very
eccentric character, deserving Of ooae study.
An insight into 1t con bc obtained only from
| II III. O'Ncil has not studied 1t from tho novel
wo cordially recommend it to him as worthy Of
IN actor even Of his exalted opportunity and am
bitiop, In tho presentation Of bis ideal we have
| nothing 70 cenbuIo' ~ AiAy G1'e ~ Au"
Rochester as nlr. Taylenre regarded him: uo
docs not ehow lie 0fr. Rochester. as . truor brush
than Tayetro's depicted him. Mr. Il. Seymour % was m
this Iiue Alr. Seymour is without any exception
the bcst actor we hayo had here for many years,
faithful, stadious and scrupnlons. Mr: g. Holland
deserves praise, too, for his portrait of Prof
Dsackhorsl, especially in the onlbarraasing scene
III tho second act to which !Sp haye alluded. t
Ia gratifying to notice that hla elocution ls
steadily. improving. II no can overcome
| this single natural dolectt mr. Hollana
will yet occupy q high place In the
list Of good American actors. MI, Miss y Marble .1o
stonoalf, Mrs. Myers. and tho remainder Of tho
cast wore individually excellent and collectively
Hoo1EY's THEATRE.
Mr. Hooley's wish TINT tho houao would be too
small to accomrhodate those who attended n Mr.
Dalsdells benefit last evening Was grasiflod. The
aeats wore all sold last week, and the
standing-room in tho house waB inadequate
to tho accommodation Of Wall:lowora'
| 1,Hf