New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-01
THE DRAMA.
MR.. soTHERN AT THE FIFTH AVENUE.

Mr.. SOTHERN AT THE FIFTH AVENUE.
This famous actor appeared last night at
the Fifth Avenue 1heatcr Lord D,1dredry and was
cordially welcomed there by numerous and brilliant
company, which manifested especially placable and
genial humor This was happy circumstance-:or tic
SPECTATORS enjoyment OF this particular performance
largely depends upon the spectators mood. There are
Zines when mirth m0ckery and laughter sounds
like wall But, when the heart is light and the mind is
attuned droery, nothing could be more sympathetic
zestf and amusing than the det singular mental pro-
cesses the odd fun, and the crisp execution of this
artist There il then charm in Mr.. sothern's
D,ndredyy which we content 10 enjoy and
never pause TO consider. The pleasing quality
may be elusive to analysis but cxsss and II Is very POI
tent We recognize il less in the object that Nr sOthcrn
presents than in the manner in which he presents 1t
That object indeed, is rounded and symmetrical carl
carc, not life as TO become coarse and rudo
copy OF indyiduasm and not far away from life as
to become impossible type. But this alone would fail
to please it not drawn ard colOrCd and ytalzcl
with such scrupuously nice art and surcEarsed with
such richly humorous personal ecccRtricity There Is
peculiarly OF yisagc, apparel, or deneAnor there
is not au attitude, action, glance, or pause in Mo
sotherns embodiment OF Lord DGre0ry, that does not
flow out Of q distinctly conceived and entirely assumed
condition and that sno adusedto the parsonage, the
scene aud the contemplated eject with the nice prcci-
sion and absolute certainty OF mathematical process;
yet the pcrvadag quality OF the work is spOntaneity-
Mr. sothcrns Dundreary is certainly calicature and
We readily perceive that to certain moods OF certain
minds 1t would be buffoonery; but nevertheless. in
mechanism it ia remarkably excellent work Of art.
while in it's quaint almost ndescribabe interior spirit OF
involuntary wucgi shneS il is a delicious excmpcaiion
OF comic humor The comedian. since last he presented
It in this city, has wrought into its texture few new
threads Of fun; but they from the same old .
ssein Bland diocy vacant gravity, hopeless mental
uncxpecedness in action the non scquitur
m thought anu talk with immense scfpoise and yiSor,
entire refinement OF and manner, and lanbcnt,
winning playnlneSs are most OF the constituent ee-
ments OF this personation-as they always were. MI
sothern's auditors last night, laughed with him conn-
ually, and were even moro than commonly delighted
with those two famous colloGucs between Dtmdremy
and the valet and Geognd. Tho leralncss OF his lord
shp-so funniy shown in thcses not the least OF MS
comic attributes; and this with his tremendous saplcnce
his tpsiness his knack OF stumbling all the points
OF his own iuadustibty to any circumstances at al
rough or out OF routine. give him great variety. Mr.
sOthern surprises indeed 10y his wealth OF in
this particular. There IL mood to say In fact
bale record of Mr.. S0therns reappearaucc Lord Dun
dreay might DO thought TO suffice, unmixed with
ment; for the work thoroughly known, and nobody
expects to ne told anything new about IT, Let moi.
however, withhold cheering word FROM those whose
happiness OF toll il is TO mako cheerful. Mr. SOtlegn
| does good work IN good way, and the valIo Of IL
should have mCrited-oven reiterated recognition.
The parts in Our American Oousia" Ii is row TO
| yyed. ca 81 as follows: