Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-30
Amusements.

city, yet quite a large and elegant audi
ence appeared at the theater to witness
and enjoy the presentation Of Guy Man
nering, with Mrs, Rose P. Thompson as
Meg Merriles." and supported by a
strong amateur dramatic corps. The
doors and windows Of the theater were
kept wide open, yet sot a breath Of cool
air entered the building. The audience
was o%verpOwered with heat. and the con.
slant r%ustling OF fans made a loud noise
which often drowned the voices Of the
actors. 1t was enjoying a dramatic per
Torrance under the most u~nfavorable
circumstances and at a most ~unseasona
BILE period Of the year, The 6rst two acts
Of the play dragged slowly and heavily
along. There were the usual drawbacks
incident TO dramatic representations BY
amateurs-the forgetting Of lines
bad grouping, budding together on the
stage, swinging Of bodies, arms out Of
place, awkward gesturing and long waits
between acts; but many Of these things
are unavoidable on first presentation,
even by professional dramatic companies
Mrs. Thompson as Meg Merriles,"
gave an acceptable rendition Of the role
which has been made so great by Char.
lotte Cushman and other brilliant lights
Of the stage. 1t is q most difficult role
to enact, and is generally avoided by &C
%tresses. 1t will be remembered that Miss
Anderson essayed the part at the theater
during the past season, and while she
appeared to considerable advantage her
representation could not be put down as
q brilliant success, or one likely to create
a sensation. Mrs. Thompson went
through the stage business well. She
e%nuncisted clearly and distinctly, her
elocution and reading being very
good, and her gestures appropriate,
yet, perhaps, too profuse at times.
She was Aatteringly received, and was
a~pplauded in many Of the strong scenes
The effect Of the last scene, the death
aud discovery scene, was msrred and
ruined by Colonel Mannering's squad
Of soldiers (Chickasaw Guards) going
through the manual Of arms while Meg
Merriles" lay faint aud shot TO death,
| and dirk Hatterick," her murderer.
surrounded aud captured. The tableau
was lost until the soldiers who performed
the manual cody marched of the stage
with their prisoners. Then Meg Mer-
rifles" was again discovered in the back
ground, and the affecting aud dramatic
scene, wherein the reunion of the house
Of Bertram takes place through the
j fundamentally Of the faithful, loving
yet dying gypsy woman, was proceeded
with and concluded amid considerable
and we'll deserved applause. There we're
I many ether incongruities presented,
8 many Of them being most amusing
and out Of place. Among those
who presented their parts in an
= acceptable manner we're the following:
Mr.. n, Warren, jr., as Colonel Man.
t nering," played the part exceedingly
e well. Mr.. W. j. Steele as " Henry Der.
i tram, was a little too tame and unemo.
tional occasionally in scenes calling for
a display Of feeling. Mr.. Sullivan as
"Dandie Dinmont" was quite good, and
he managed to render the Scotch accent
s very well, yet occasionally the Irish &C:
d cent would appear above the Scotch.
y Mr.. Crabtree Belcher, as Domino
Sampson" gave a clever and studied
rendition Of the difficult role, for which
A he was applauded many times. When
!. facing the audience his hat shaded his
! face from view too much, hiding at times
4 bis entire countenance. 1t was undOubt-
eddy the best piece Of acting presented
o during the evening, excepting, of course,
h Mrs. Thompson in the leading role. Mr..
n j. L Murphy, as Dirk Hatterick = Mr..
, Lswis I. Frieresn, as " Bailie Muckle.
thrift" Mr.. A. j. Murray, as Gilbert
A., Glossin," plsyed their parts ia a pleasing
manner, as did the others who enacted
the minor roles. Miss Kate Hartman, as
Julia Asnnering," was very attractive,
and gave a charming presentation Of the
part. She acted and sang 10 a clever
manner, and was the recipient Of repeat
ed rounds of applause, applause we'll
deserved and justly earned. Miss
Jennie Hunter, as Lucy Bertram,"
was no less pleasing and attractive to
the critical audience. Both ladies knew
their parts well. and they had proper
conceptions of the parts, which they EN-
acted successfully. The minor roles
Mrs. McCandish," by Mrs. D. Hukill;
Flora" by Miss Leas Berry; "Grizzy,"
by Miss S4llie Durff, and the "Gipsy
Girl by Miss Belle Dyer, were pleas
i. ingly portrayed. From an amateur dra-
matte standpoint the presentation Of
Guy Mannering last night may be writ
ten down as a success, and at its repe-
tition at the matinee to-day a decided
Improvement may be discoverable-prac.
tiee making all things approach the per
Z feet.
SMOKE
! R0SA