Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-08-03
ASHTABULA OHIO FRIDAY, AUGUST g. 1877

features, his gestures and tone of voice,
were unexceptionally good, and while we
know that his excellent rendering of his
characters assured the success of the pIays
we should hardly act the part of a trua
critic if We failed to add that we observed
his voice was not the trained voice of 81
public speaker, not possessing sufficient vol
ume of tone to fill an audience room with
any pretensions to size. Closely following
Mr.. Wells in excellence of deineation was
Mr.. Will Hubbard, the well-knOwn talent
ed young lawyer and speaker, who also had
two characters to represent: the one the
rolcking, convivial, impeeuniOus Tippe-
| rary Irish surgeon, Dennis 0'Rafferty, in
Blighted Being, and the bluff, hearty,
whole-souled and affectionate Admiral
Kingston, in Naval Engagement. While
truly excellent in both presentations, We
preferred the latter, catching glimpses of
future success in a higher type of charac-
ter, as in the Admirals interview with his
son, andD his expressions of love for him,
his manner and tone of voice rose to the
dignity of true pathos. We believe Mr..
Hubbard's forte in acting does not lie in
the delineation of fareical characters so
much as in those of more sentimental ones
using the word in its best sense.
Mr.. James Smith also acted in both
plays, taking the part of assistant Sur
geon Spanker," Susan's brother. in Blight
ed being, and that Of "Lieut. Kingston,
in Naval Engagements. His rendering in
both cases was good, his rolling, jolly tar
walk and ways worthy of notice; his make
up excellent, but of the two characters we
liked his ''Lieut. Kingston, showing that
it was easier, because the most natural
character, for him to play the part of a
gentleman. His fault was lack of prop
er memorizing, havingtO be prompted and
conveying to close observer the impress
sion of cutting his part or neglecting his
cues. This is quite common with many
actors, particularly those who depend upon
general stage play to make their points.
Mr.. Smith has evidently an acquaintance
with good models in this direction. Mr..
H. H. Perry, as waiter in Susan Spanker's
inn, in the farce of Blighted Being, was
very fine. In dress, measure and COckney
dialect he was beyond criticism. To be
sure he suffered occasionally from lapse of
memory, but he managed to conceal the
s l. eif 70 ba vi
cinity by certain amount of seemingly
necessary stage work. In Naval engage
ment Mr.. Proctor made an admirable
landlord, although it was a subordinate
part, but he made the most of it and did
extremely well, as the acting made the
part.
OF the ladies who assisted we can hardly
say enough in praise of their excellent
memories. Mrs. Webb, who was in both
plays" "Susan Spanker" in Blighted Being
and MARY" the Admiral's ward. in Naval
Engagement. was noticeably fine in her
elocution and management of the voice;
her carriage and walk easy and unaffected,
but she evidently showed she felt the nov
city of her position, by the absence of dra-
matte action, many of her gestures being
somewhat timid and constrained, from an
evident objection to appearing STACEY"
She apparently enjoyed playing in the
last farce the best, and consequently did |
the best in 1t, although she did not look as
pretty in the costume of that farce as in
that of the first one. Mrs. Heath has in
every instance when she has appeared be-
fore the public in drama, appeared easy
and graceful in manner, and remarkably |
ready in recitation, not hesitating for a
moment and frequently prompting her
fellow actors, showing an unusual gift of |
memorizing. While there was so mucn
that was really excellent in her acting, she
will, we hope, pardon the criticism if we
add that little of the stage widows CO.
quettish ways, little more Of the tradi-
tional "diablerie" of widows would have Civ
en- zest and point to her interview with the
old Admiral also she has peculiar gesture
with the fore finger of her right hand,
which she frequently and apparently almost
ANONYMOUSLY repeats, which spoils the eff
feet Of her conversation with "Kingston
dear" when she calls for an explanation,
and also in her interview with the Admiral
while they are sitting.
Upon the whole the entertainment was far
in advance of ordinary amateur efforts Of
fcred to the public, and we sincerely hope
that the time will come when the choice
being given our public between supporting
foreign minstrel troops &c., and home ef-
forts, both being equally good, the prefer
ance will be given the latter. H.