The New York herald., 1875-09-14
MR.. BARRY SULLIVAN AS MIR. BEVERLY IN ''THE
CANISTER"

MR.. BARRY SULLIVAN AS MR.. BEVERLY IN ''THE
CANISTER.
Mr. Barry Sullivan appeared last night at Booths
Theatre Mr. Beverly in Edward Moore's drama
"The Gamester" The piece is little suited the
tastes of modern audiences, and yet in spite of in
different success in the beginning it has held
the stage against many better plays One reason
of tins is in the opportunities affords for excellent
acting in the leading role; but the chief cause
probably, is in the fact that many very great actors
from Mr. Kemble to Mr. Sullivan have played the part
OF Beverly At best the character is repulslve one;
but the same thing of all the others except the
two lovers, Charlotte and Lewson. Mrs. Beverly
played last night by Miss Louise Hilbert, is
creation which has failed win respect in far
abler hands. Constancy in a wife is a virtue
which cannot be too highly praised, but
Mrs Beverly's devotion is absurdity No woman
who was at the same time mother would yield up her
jewels and beggar her child pay the gambling debts
| of her husband and if she did the act would spring
from much stronger motive than that which innu-
enced Mrs. Beverly. Both the gambler and the
gamblers wife in this old play very silly people
and Stukey, whose victim they become, is the most
vlanous and impossible of villains STILL their part is the
most reasonable in the drama for Sukey has least
the of temptation his crimes He is in love
with his friends wife, aud he his friend at play
that he may also overcome her His associates Bates
and Dawson, whom more potent magician has shown
in a different light in ''Oliver Twst,n are mere
shadows at best; and yet these the drdmdtS
persona about whom the whole action of the
drama revolves. We speak thus particularly of
| the piece because it comparative stranger
to the New York boards, the only for its per-
formance being in the appearance of as
Mr. sullivan III the part of Beverly. The last
| night as folows:-Mr. Beverly Mr.. Barry Sull
van; stukely Mr.. James Cathcart; Lcwson, Mr.
Frederick b. warde; Dawson, Mr. Edwin X Coller
| Bates Mr.. Harry Dalton; Jarvis, Mr. Henry Weaver
Mrs. Beverly, Miss Louise HILBERT; Charlotte, Miss
AT the very outset of our review of the acting we
must, in justice to a modest and painstakng actor
| speak in terms of generous praise of Mr. Henry
Weavers Jarvis. seldom that the old and faithful
servant so integenty personcd and the Jarvis of
Mr.. Weaver shows hlm capable of much better
things Next to hin excellence barring
of course, the leading role, Mr. warde and
Miss Ida Vernon but then his opportunities much
greater than theirs Lewson and Charlotte only
the only virtuous characters the play, but the only
| imipd ones and yet the dramatist has made them
mere fos to the others Under such circumstances no
actor actress could expect TO make very profound
impression in the parts, and hence is very great
art should shine superior to that of those
whose skill they were intended to reflect. Neither Mr.
Cathcart Miss HILBERT able successfully
tend with them. more suited Stukey never walked
the stage and the silly creation OF Mrs. Beverly
had weaker representative The rather striking scene
| in the third act where the villain traduces
! Beverly to his wife and seeks TO
her, absolutely painful That which should have
been serious absurd and that which ought to have
been impressive was laughabe There was no play of
feature, moduation of voice and significance of
gesture the ladys art From the first to the
last Miss Hibberts Mrs. Beverly was the express
| sonless inanimate and nartistc performance.
Mr.. Cathcart's Stukely seemed concentration
of ali the worst faults the worst models
1t was possible select Boiscrous at all times
never effective and there scarcely line sltua-
ton which was not destroyed by his assumptions of
stately viany. The MINOR parts however, were very
well taken and the leading role in itself
for all the other shortcomings.
The 'Gamcster, IN Mr.. Sulvan's hands, loses much
of the Stiffness of the dramasts conception and stands
out boldly as strong and startling picture Few of
the avore creations OF the modern stage present
more varied outline. We forget all else in the
strength and beauty OF the tragedan's art,
and pity the faults which condemn Mr..
Beverly is much gamester u victim,
and follow his fortunes with compassion and con-
In the first scene with stukely We in him
manliness which such character might exhibit, but
possess and this almost reconcics to his adoption
of his betraycrs suggestion, by which manhood is dis
graced. The interview with Charlotte in the fol-
letter were also exquisite bits Of acting, and
especially TO be remarked because they so completely
CLOSED the inherent weaknesses OF the play The
street in which the quarrel with Lewson occurs
also powerful one, drunkenness and remorso and
supposed sense of injury, and the determination TO
punish the wrong no ancied he had suffered at the
hands Of his friend, being all timely conceived and
spenddly dehneatcd. But the crowning glory Of the
whole was the death scene in the last act From tho
moment Of taking the poison till death cnsucs there is
reality in the tragcdans art which covers much by
its realism as us socmny. The poison slowly does us
work, and every movement Is but preparation for
death. His parting with his wife extremely pathetic,
much because he is dying dying meanly and so
he shows us a scene exceedingly well IN being
overdone. The death itself Is thing TO haunt the
memory. II Is In his lvid and distorted face in his
quiverng limbs, every nWvement and look and
almost IN every respiration Dcath L always an awful
thing when II is looked upon a reality,
aud Mr. Sullvans simuation has all the
strength and terror OF the reality. IL Is upon
this scene that the curtain falls and tho picture lasts
when the lights and darkness shrouds the
of the mimic tragedy An unusually large audience
gathered Mr. sullivan In this unrvalled part last
nahl .The Gamcstcrn viii be repeated this evening,
and will PROBABLY prove as attractive as on the occasion
OF It's first representation