The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-01-30
THE OPERA HOUSE.

"LiItle Nell" and THE MarebiOue..
Miss Katie Putnam made her first
appearance In this city last night In a
drama adapted from Charles Dickens
novel, entitled the "0ld Curiosity
Shop" A crowded house greeted the
young artist, and the audience included
many OF our most intelligent and crit.
icsl play-goers. The dual characters
OF Lite NcH aud the Mdrchioaess were
played 10y Miss Putnam, anu proved
the main features of the evenings en-
tertainment.
Miss Putnam IL u young actress of
decided originality, versatility and
spirit. There Is a grotesque agility and
romping abandon about her every
movement, as the Warehouses, added
to facial variety that goes to make
up very vivid. life-like and plctur.
esque dramatic picture OF that extraor-
binary combination OF imbecillty,
good'heartedness aud shrewdness, the
MdrchioncSs, the ''slavey," character
once seen In a London lodging house
is never forgotten.
Miss Putnam has evidently given
the descripti aud performances OF
this character, as portrayed by Dickens,
close study, aided by keen appreea-
tioa OF the salient points of IT, Her
Mdrchioness Is quite inimitable and
graphic In its ease, madcap llveliness
ana redundancy ofaninIal spirits. As
Little NcH she gave more serious and
winning specimen OF her powers.
There Ia vein OF pathos In her every
word, look, tone and action; but more
specially In her voice, which Is singu-
larry sweet and tender In Its tones Mt
times. Hei manner was childlike,
unatf cited and simple to n remarkable
degree, and exhibited the freshness
and innocence, tho purity and devo-
ton with which the wonderful fancy
of Dickens has invested that lovellest
and most beautiful OF all of his crea-
tons, Little Nell, with charming effect.
The protean powers OF Miss
Putnam are very decided, She IL u
dramatic Chameleon who takes her
color from whatever she plays and
loses herself In the sincerity of her
acting so etfectually, that 1t is no
longer acting, but reality. She has
the advantages In these characters of
small, slight figure, a fair face and u
graceful earnestness of movement
give. Her forte is being in regular
gale, flow OF spirits in which one
feels like doing all sorts of queer,
tomboy, r0llicking, miscellaneous, but
harmless violation OF the proprletles,
inculcated into the "prunes, prism,
papa, potatoes school OF "sweet girl
graduates. A girl, for instance, who
delights to horrity her prim, grim
maiden aunt or governess, she would
reproduce on the stage to the life.
She Is as frolicsome and restless US %
young kitten playing with a ball of
yarn. While there Is really nothing
stiff or awkward about her, she can
turn. twist and comfort herself
into more grotesqueness aud angulari-
ty, without "overstepping The modest
OF nature" than any one we have
seen, with the single exception per-
haps OF Lolita, who, of course, stands
confessedly at the head Of this particu-
lar school OF actresses, who make u
specially Of these characters In which
their protean powers are best shown OIL.
While Miss Putnam cannot well lay
claim to being great actress, she 10
nevertheless thoroughly good and ad-
mirable In her line. There will always
be much In her acting that will be in
tensely funny ard amusing, much that
Is a happy combination Of the ludi-
crous, with here and there "touch Of
hhtutC VII thC
Her wonderful flow OF spirits and vi.
vacity will always exhilirate and de-
light, while now and then the pathos
which fingers in the tropical langour
Of her eye and breathes in the melody
Of her voice, cannot fail to touch and
crafty the heart.
The support given Miss Putnam was
exceedingly good. The characters Of
Dick Swiveller, Quilp, Brass and Sally
Brass, Mrs. farley and Stun, being ex-
ceptionally clever. The make up of
each character was In excellent keep
ing with the period Of the story of the
"Old Curiosity Shop" aud spoke very
well for the stage management, who
has taken care to make the play AS
effective In scenery an the limited re-
sources Of the Opera house will permit.
Tonight Lima, play written espec-
tally for Miss Putnam, with view Of
giving her peculiar talents full scope,
will be given. She merits another
crowded house, and will doubtless