The sun., 1878-09-08
ANUS FM ENTS.
Losh whif~omh.

sion OF weak Incidents that bear very little rela-
tion to each other can be called story-is plot
lcss. 1t Ia devoid Of suspense. doubt. mystery
or climax. II moves nowhere. and with an un-
determnate waywardncss dodges ANYTHING like
crisis. The relationship of the pcrsonagcs is
OF the himsicst kind-they have no passion
no antagonism. no motive.
Nevertheless. the performance Of Joeh Whit
comb" Ia one Of the most unique and. in its
loose and dlsjointcd way. one Of tho most re-
mnrkable that have seen for many q day.
That 1t is 40. Ia owing mainly. n not alto-
ecther TO the extraordinary originality. fidelity.
and simplicity OF Mr.. Denman Thompson's por-
traiture OF the central and conspicuous person.
age, which Ia al once a type OF broadly recog-
nizcd character and n triumph of mimicry.
The character itself Ia ono which the Amerl-
can stage has been clutchng after for many
years. and has never succccdod in catching in
other than mcagrc or exaggerated forms. Josh
WhiicoD,b is an abounding fellow who is part of
the social fabric of our civilization. and is rs
familiar 10 our lives ns the American school
marin or the versatile tin pcddlor who gets TO
be- n Congressman. A certain homospun frank
ness. honesty. and simplicity combined with
an amiable awkwardnoss and bravery n sweet
cowyard boorishn"ss. u homrly manllncss Of
character and rough. narrow. practical wis
and along the Ohio and Wabash Valleys. and
out M the now pastures tho border the same
hard. tsrifty. inNorrgiblo American production
with New England granite 81 III In his compost
tion. and the same rugged X ndly. active. fear
less. indomitable. and simNl" nature making
him the Thcle Josh OF the homestead and the
better days.
He Is to us n reminder Of the hardy vil1aos
Of our forcfathers. He takes us back always TO
the calm. sweet spots in our lives whore the sun
shone with brightness that will never come
again. We think OF him IA the dear. duh old
primitive creature. who belonged to our prs-
tine condition We picture him rs shut safely
out OF our conflict by green grass and impreg-
nablc prejudiccs always drinking out Of old
oakcn buckets and voting for Gen. Jackson
and believing with sturdy stubbornness n the
paramount greatness and goodness Of George
Washington in spite OF the loter humorists and
image breakers.
To get this old fellow upon our stage with his
Spartan virtues. his uncouth fidelity to his con-
victions. his'ignorancc Of so'ial makcshift. his
contempt for elegant shams. his barnyard
wit. as pungent and rank and fccVnd as a dung
heap. and his keen. unsophstc catcd Judgment
OF right and wrong has been the desire and
the effort of the American playwrights. because
In catching him they were sure to obtain dis
unctvely American material.
How near Mr. Owens came 10 capturing him
in SCION .Shinole. OF how completely Yankee
Hill entangl'd him in tho meshes OF a protean
exhibit. would be Il vain inquiry now. We nj
least know that they were IN long pursuit ot
him. and the history Of our stage Tor n hundred
years is dapped with the grotcsquc people who
figured IN his name and habilimenis.
To reproduce him without eNagg"raton ne he
nj al, In 40
meanor andtransparent integrity SO that every
body will not only recognize him but warm TO
him. appears 10 have been left for Mr.. Denman
THOMPSON.
Josh Whtconib. as we now have him at the
Lyccum Theatre IL wholly unlike any previous
effort in the same direction. In fact. II is the
meagrcness OF effort which chiefly distinguishes
the impersonation.
The writer Of this article cannot OF course
say how n.2ch Of the excellence Of Mr. Thomp-
sons r0lo is due 10 art. and how much 10
nature.
1t may be that the actor is Josh Whdconb.
and could not by amy possibility be anything
else. In that case the fidelity OF tho work is not
owing TO art, but to accident
Still the fidelity remains as n part Of the rep-
resontation, and It Is that which chiefly con-
Germs us az this moment. and the critic cannot
escape the reflection that If this Ia not Josh
Hhtcoub. 1t is rare piece Of acting for the
people who 10 to see It declare that 1t Is not act
Ing Mt all. but reality, They see the hom"spun
hero come on as If tho scene wers part oi his
history not Just then commencing. They soc
no effort to play anything The parsonage Is
a. actual. as consistent rs untrammeed by any
considerations of audience or stage effect as II
he were living fact and not acting part.
To find anything upon the dramatic stage
which touches us with lis wholesome simplicity
In direct, instantaneous way is n luxury, and
| suppose tho most nattering thing that can be
said OF Mr.. Thompsdn's impersonRtion is that
II needs no explanation and cannot bc cri,i-
cisod. For just now we are perplexed with
forms OF stage art that tax our ingenuity 10 the
utmost for appreciation.
Jane Shore" is Of this complex and protein
tious order. It's ecccticism leaves no glaring
point Of merit. We might admire its good act
ing II il wereinot for its overpowcring scenery.
The manager asks Us what wa think OF his old
wine. and we have not been able yet 10 with
draw our attention from the magnificent iagon
into which he put 1t.
believe everybody is far moro willing to CON
cede Miss Wards talents than to argue them.
We dislike the labor Of intellectual demonstra-
ton in those matters which were intended TO
demonstrate themselves.
When the metaphysican steps In TO prove the
immortality Of the soul we are lNed with Won
der aud discomfort that 1t needed such stupen-
dous mental efforts.
Jane Shore" is most pretentious drama.
All its attempts TO fascinate and move us have a
pomposity and clang that amaze and startle
without charming us.
It's luridness oppressed me. 1t WAS like a
sunset that commenced Ito borrow an Irish
lcensel at noon. Its high plane of misery had
no curves. no depressions no breaks. Its crises
leaned too rcantly on tho scene painter, and
carpenter and well-dresed retinue. l thought
HENRY Shores misery at his wife's conduct was
too trumpet-tongued. 1t seemed TO me he was a
little vain Of his misfortune and didn't want to
be deprived OF it by any considerations OF hui
manity. John Grist. the baker. walked upon
the plebeian earth. but his language stuck In
the clouds.
Tho whole scheme OF the drama was to me OF
that forceiul, heroic order that does not accord
with the undemonstratiye taste and temper ol
our timea, The passion was not natural or OBJ
vious enough TO work out its own sequence Of
sympathy. The audience were like those pho
| tOgraph subjects who sit with an iron rod up