The New York herald., 1878-12-17
ADJUSTMENTS.
s'HIp VAN wINKLE" AT THE FIFTH AVENUE
TupATRr


s;ratchen Miss Con llambn
Meenie Van Winkie. Miss Nay irGy
Little Meenie .Masss 's isnr"ss Was,
Little Hcndrck asier nrie't
spirit of Hcndrick Hudson. ............. Mr. Mccartney
well filed house greeted the return of Mr. Jc1er-
son to the New York boards and his first appearance
nt the above house evening. and enjoyed his in
,mitablc performance Quaint and picturesque rs
ever the character Of Rip seems fixed at the high
standard which il attained when Mr.. Boncicauh's
play was first produced. Time deals gently with
him; yet the outlines of the jovial face have
grown perceptibly sharper. The sympathetic voice,
however has lost of its tonng. and the supple
ness which makes every movement of the man in
rags picture has not yet single suggestion of
forcedness. What has been praised in Fcchter and
Modjeska is Jefcrson's--namely, the apparent i'm
possibility Of gesture posture that is not grace
full The power to make these posture pictures with
out suggesting for moment what call the sta.u-
esque. and the command of such tones that move to
laughter tears the gifts only OF the supreme
artist
1t is often the question among playsoers whether
NJ. Jefferson will wait to put Rip Van Wirkle into
the lumber closet until be is convinced that the
unctuous vagabond who SO delights in drawing
cork has ceased to draw large houses. After sitting
out the play, if you are of the elders, you
will probably turn to your companion and say.
s.Ah, you should have 10 Jefferson play
his old round of characteristics Caleb plummer,
mis- DR.. ollapod. his Bob Acres his Asa Trenchard
Ten to the youngster will stare you, for he not
~ay does not remember the player in any other part
but somehow has the idea that when Mr.. jefferson is
out Hohokus. New Jersey, he goes about in tat
ters. romps with The children, talks broken Dutch
and gets good naturedly drunk on credit, or else
wandcrs pathoticaly the ProaEncss hills with
bald head aud long white beard. Still to see Rip
tho first time is always pleasure to be
~
lapse of time il like meeting old friend.
When. however. all this is told, you wish for your
new. To actor of his talents there should be
scarcely risk in attempting new character even
if ne dsained to take up some OF his older creations
Mr. Sothern has not discarded Dundreary though he
has added David Garrick. Titzaltamont and hall q
dozen other characters to his repertory since he be-
gan playing the English lord. II is curious indeed.
If the play wrights of the modern stage land he need
not coIfine himself to those writing the English
language, for We have adapters aud t.anslators on
tap if nothing elsel are not capable OF giving Mr..
jefferson new character part He is we believe,
wealthy enough to command the best i'll the market.
Now this is why plead. Roast partridge is good.
but touioW erdsi- tests the appetite severely. We
would not cheat the dear boys and girls and the
old people from the villages away back Of Peoria
and they very far back ncedof seeing their Rip
but we who have seen him until-not TO put too fine
a point on tive are rather tired Of him, would be
delighted have the chance of appauding Mr.. Jeer
son's sterling talents in something little fresh We
would have Rip kept on. say for week i'll the
to give the young people. as they grow up from
year to year, chance to see wonderfully finished
other play two that the men and women OF to-day
might sit out without reminding them how old they
are getting
The mounting of the piece last night was good and
the supporf fair Mr. Piercc's Derrick Beck
xnan and Mr.. Fawcett's Cookies disagreeable
enough to be unobJectonabe. Miss Constance
Hamblin Gretchen is good. stalwart performance.
The lady suffered from cold last evening Some
interest centred in the New York debut Of Miss
Nav Croly as Neenie. She is pretty and
young and these are advantages in their way TO
however that she is at present fitted for part like
Mecnie would not be and her talent will scarcely
ever lie in the direction emotional expression. The
outlines OF the young lady race and indeed her man
saggest that where piquancy and pertness de-
eirsble she may eventually mske impression in
her art She received several handsome floral pres
enfs and warm welcome from the house.
rip will be continued through the woek...