, 1874-01-03

roaring farce, the botfer such s
play must be. It is the comranion-pece
to 'Our American Cousin. and the leading char.
actee, Sam, is the counterpart of Dundreary
The one is kind hearted imbecile, with an oc-
casional ray Of shreWd common-sense and native
bumor, while the other is a sharp, shrewd, devil
may-care, rovstering fellow, who enjoys himself
at eycrybody's expeuge-such character as we
t all sympathize with on the stage, and ahun like
smallpox card in real life. Tie contrast be-
t tween the two personages is vivid and startling,
the resemblance between tho two brothcrB being
noticed only in an occasional in1exion OF tho
voice. Their manner is quite unlike. Sam
| ratt1cs away. jokes at everybody and upon every
body, and cheats, and lVea on everybody with the
| utmost good nature, to the delight OF himself
and the audience, who are no. likely to be among
his victims. The play itself is tull Of wit and
| rnerrimcnt. and llr. Sothern's irnperaonation Of
Sam is as perfect in its way as that OF Dun
dreary. Halt his points arc made by turn OF
the hand, = triling infection OF the voice, q
movement, and repose. nany of the most thor
ough1y enjoyable bits OF humor fall from his lips
with every appearance OF Inconsistencies, and
the audience, breaks out into roar of laughter
in tho middle Of sentence which is uttered with
the most childhke simplicity. Some OF these
arc lost except to few, gome are captured on
the wing By few others, aud between the heavy
artillery fire o. the whole house there ia q rat
ting volley Of small arms, aa few Of the more
appreciat!ve observe gesture or an oddity OF
ence. Mr. Sothern makes the character what it
is by 3 succession Of rapid touches, always in
perfect harmony, and SO gl1bly md naturally
that the audience is apt to overlook them, if not
studying attentiyely- To zee Ar. Solhern for
the first time az Sam, is to be rarely amused ;
to see him in the part, with recollection Of
Du'aolrea,y, is to be delighted for whole even
ing. One first realizes the contrast fully
when Sam receives I characteristic telegram
from Dundreary, which, to crafty the party, he
IL. H. -k+,fr
effect is immense Tho piece is also enjoyable,
inasnuch as it gives Hiss Walton m opportun-
ty to act in such way that the general public
eau recognize in her the charming and talented
little lady that she is. Few people, seeing her
ns Georgina, could realize that it required an
actress OF no email capacity to play the part in
repose ~ she did As alice in " Sam " she ap-
pealed to the appreciation Of less critical
observers, AZ well as that OF
those who attend theatre to study, as we'll as
face, : melodious and exquisitely modulated
voice, and thorough appreciation of comedy,
and thus wins the sympathy OF an audience I'M
mediately. In the part Of -Atice. which is essen
TALLY sympathetic aud womanly one, she is
quite at home, and plays her share in the
his. And let it be understood that
there are few stars on the stage who are thus
careful to train their support to share the hon
ors with them. Miss Walton is as much indeb:-
Bowers plays, with equal fidelity, ar. Rumble
lo1c the eccentric uncle, who is the victim Of .
plot, and it is not saying too much to tell the
public that such trio has never before been
seen in . Cuicago theatre. Lytton Soth-
ern played lN.. Trimbush, . henpecked
husband, and college-chum Of SAINTS, and
though there we're unmistakabie evidences of
waut Of experience IN bis acting, there wero
other things which tell plainly that he will Some
day hold as high place IN public favor as the
- celebrated comedian" his father.
Mrs. TrinaIush Was played BY Miss Fletcher,
and, while it would have been fair performance
under other circumstances, tho lady suf-
fered by. contrast with the star and
his travelling support Miss Fletcher has
yet to learn to modulate her voice: and
purge it Of TINT screaming quality, which is out
OF place even in screaming farce" the parti-
ciple being popularity understood to apply to tbs
audience, not TO the player, in such cases. The
mounting Was, as ls invariably the case at
the Academy. e1quiaite. and justifies Mr.
Sothern's written compliment to a1r. Graves,
the stage-manager. The music, too, Was judi
ciouBly selected to suit the piece, Mr Loesch hav-
ing chosen the iyeiest airs from OGonbach as
being the most appropriate. This delightful
performance. We regret to say, will only be re-
peated this afternoon and evening. Monday
Mr. Sothern plays Dap,d Ga'rick.
sALy1S1, THE K1Sa ACToB-
The greatest dramatic event, since the advent
Of Ristori on our stage. will be the appearance
signor Tommaso Salvini, whose performances
in New York. Boston, Phiadelphia, and other
cities wherever ho bas appeared. have raised tho
audiences to the highest pitch OF enthusiasm-
We doubt not that, on his first appearance next
Monday night at NcFickcr's Theatre in his grand
and mcst powerful character Of Samson. al the
elite Of city, the intellect, culture, and taste
OF it will go en- to greet the great Italian
genius, and the greatest OF al acto1s- 1t 1s
pleasant to welcome an actor whose great sue !
1t.A1
America, and the aid Of the good work of max
ing our stage what VIC wish to have it. The |
Boston Globe thus speaks OF Salyini's perform !
auce6: |
The brief engagement Of signor Tonmaso salvini, |
The leading Of dramatic history, for he
OF the few artists who have ap-
lis style by those who ens to the traditions md
precedenB Of our STAGE and who look upon innovation
the light Of revolution that is to he crushed 1t any
ACTOR In the fullest Of the term noy, more, the
greatest actor ct the time. Nature has favored him
II every respect He has magnificent ply |
Biaue; voice almost phenomenal in its rich |
ness, its compass, its expEessi7eness, and ita |
aexbility; face Of astonishing mobility, which
aects the emotions with csa1ne4s and lapidty that
Iould euabls deaf to follow him in the passions
and bearing hst Is Eajestic, graceful,
md manly In the hghes: usgres lie does not simply
as ssnsen. D sui1sn.@ 3 o.heio," congsd,s and
Is Hamlet" and In each uf theso no E3ye distinct |
that bore trace OF the artists own
personality, aud in uowso rcsembled my other. His
IS leas remarkable than the c1- |
raordinnry Ipa{nedsm which enables him to |
hold IN audience apel-bonnd, than the astonishing
Eealism Of his s:yle which gives him the power to
snter thoroughly nto the spirit Of his assumptions
ls to make his listeners forget that they only
,aziug the luiic scene. He Ia thoroughly satisfy
ng artist, and 10 NATURAL unaffected and 50 power
uly true In expression, so eloquent In gestcuaa:on,
Ind strong In facial plsy that even those who
1naeQuainted with the Language he spoks found no |
Ntaculty in following him through tie most refn- |
ID aud subtle phases Of his impersonations.
Whether representing the most tragic emotions in |
which the soul IL torn by tho anguiah Of despai and
rents itsef In the wildest agony whether depicting
'cenes Of the lotiest grandeur, Of the most refined
endenctes, Of overrnng love, OF Of simpie affection
le is equally It home. rs sweeps with the hand Of
Master The entire scale Of the human passlons. 1t Ia
impossible to do full justice to his powe12 by noeEn
Fo1ds. Even to attempt to do would in the minds
x thoHe who have not him. appear to be exzava
Esnt adulation and exaggerated enthusiasm. Ne /
onfess te2 cur feelings havs n-7er been 30 acutely
'robed or SO deeply strre1 they have been BY h7
citing. We have never witnessed augbt 10 broad, 80
|rand, 80 realistic and profoundly intellectual in
which all was perfectly artistic and Jet in which the
Ut perfectly concealed, h1ve in this Per-
ormAuce. While we know that such auhtlsty, finish |
nd refinement apparent In h!. acting can only
the result OF the coaeat study, he almost Pezssdes
that what he does ia done upun the spur Of the
nent, 20 natural, 70 impulsi7e ana unconstraned
3 II. I