The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-25
Ghe9ntelEiaennr
Rorrv Sullivan us nm Actor.

have had the pleasure oil seelnS AHu He ~.
inc A really good actor IN two OF the
aTea,est Of Shakspeares characterlEa'
lions. Il very rarely happens, except IN
,So rreat cities. that so excellent an art
;.t "a Mr.. Barry Sullivan appears upon
,ho s,osc II very seldom occurs that
sHSIlv firs,.class theatrical representa-
,;ons are presented in our city. Our
nsople have so seldom the inducCmeut oil
Feai talent to tempt them that ihey are
NOT ,heatre.goers by habit, Still great
name like this, can fill theatre even
bSre In Wheeling, as was witnessed at the
rsnreseutations Of Richard" and liam
Mr. Sullivan has celebrity; be classes
among those actors who, torSaEing IN
some measure beaten paths ana mack
neyed stage customs, stamp inc tfa !l'
tional characters Of the stage WIN W.
strong marks Of their own orisihailty
and give features OF new interest 70 oia
s S"T p nv the force Of genius and skill.
Ai,Eo,cI tho history Of the stage shows
a Considerable number OF such actors,
vel Il seldom happens that there are at
oUS tine many such. Usually one, two
W three take precedence Of the others.
Seldom more than two names can DO
mentioned OF living actors who hold the
6rst rank. To reach This rank more
than patience, industry and study are
needed. This something more is genius.
4 peculiar adaptation Of the mind TO de-
lincate character, quick imagination,
soaring fancy, and a large grasp OF COM
prchenSioh, 60 to make the genius OF the
actor. When such genius is developed
BY careful study and patient industry n
great actor appears-a Garrick, Kemble,
Keen, Macready, Forrest, Booth or Sulli.
van, The skill OF the actor, like that OF
the artist, requires patient work. No
amount OF genius will enable him TO dis
ponse with labor.
A every artist has peculiarities OF
style in his pictures that show his handy
work, so every actor has peculiaritics
that mark his dolineations and imprint
their stamp upon his embodyments Of
historical or ideal character. Without
peculiarities Of his own, a painter can
hardly reach the rank OF d great artist,
vet il such peculiarities are too apparent
they often become blemishes and mar his
work; it is the same with an actor, who
il only successful when his originality
does not lead him into mannerisms.
AZ Mr.. Barry Sulivan's delineatlons Of
character are largely discussed, and
while all accord him the tribute OF praise
for successful acting, yet, with differing
estimates Of his ability. 1t may not be
. improbable, and cannot DO con-
sidered super.critical to analyze his
efforts with n view to ascertain how his
many excclencies arc accomplished, in
what direction they lie, and what pecu-
liarit;es belong to him.
To do this with any great exactness
would require an examination Of more
than two Of his characters, yet these may
possibly indicate sufficiently the direction
Of biz genius. As many OF us have seen
his Richard III and Hamlet only, these
are all we have on which to base an opin-
ion, and we. must consider him 10 the
light Of these two plays.
Almost as soon as Mr.. Sullivan comes
on the stage it is apparent that he does
not belong to the impulsive school, and
here is the great line OF demarcaion that
separates him from Edwin Booth, whom
we have seen in the same characters, and
who has the foremost rank at the present
time in tragedy on tho American stage.
Actors are mcthodical or impulsive,
and to each system belongs certain ad.
vsntagcs and disadvantages. The method
ical actor studies carefully the effect
which he wishes to produce, skilfully an.
alyziug all the elements that go to make
it up, and using his genius with judgment
thoughtiully in the action OF its produc.
ton. The impulsiVe actor studies and
analyses just as carefully as the other in
order that his mind may DO stored with a
full comprehension OF all the necessities Of
the case, but in the moment of action he
relies not upon judgment or remem-
brance Of details, but upon the insplra-
ton which comes from his assumption
Of character, this inspiration acting upon
mind and body previously prepared by
study and practice.
The impulsive actor, relying upon in
spiration, is not always alike effective,
but sometimes presents q very weak rep
resentation, though at another time be-
ing thrill'd with the personality, elcctri'
fes his audience, but even when most
powerful perhaps forgetiul Of certain lit
lie points the neglect OF which is appar'
ent, marring what would DO otherwise o
beautiful per f6rmance. Tho methodical
actor Wilt DO less likely to make these
errors OF neglect, but will ever lack the
magical etfct OF mental inspiration. II
his genius can work up all tho details
into consummate art, truth 10 nature
the completeness and fidelity of the rep
resentation may compensate for, the lack
Of tho sympathetic force OF inspiration
1t is probable however that no amount
Of art Is so Immediately effective as is
the force Of that inspiration which comes
to the actor through his capability o
merging himself in tho identity OF the
character he represents, and OF feeling
the tingling in his own bosom Of the pas
sion he portrays. Yet after the thrill
and excitement OF the scene has pas
away, the nice details of elaborate ar
may leave moro pleasant and lasting re
membranes than the passion OF impulse
would, because tho former has mort
definite form by which to live in thu
memory.
Mr.. Barry Sullivan is a consumatc ar,
tin. His Gloster appears before us, ant
in every detail completes an identity. Ev
cry action, tone OF voice and expression
othiS mobile countonance are so exactly
in harmony with that identy, that for :
considerable time we do not miss his
lack OF inspiration. 10 goes through
three acts before We begin TO think Of it
while we follow him in complete ad
miration Of his acting, in which We can
not find a single flaw, not an instanti
forgetfulness OF that assumed identity
thai consists in elaborate attention to ev'
cry detail. Ho is absolutely to our eyes
and ears, the creation Of wickednesS
crooked in person, orookd IN mind, tina
he so successfully personates.
In the fourth act we miss, in his mo
ments Of passion, that element OF force
that appeals most directly to the hear
and which we arc accustomed to believe
belongs to the character; though all the
while we cannot find exactly in what the
lanlr ~