Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-04-01
JOHN M,CULLOUGH.
His First Appearance Before q st. Paul
Audience Last Evening.

His First Appearance Before q st. Paul
Audience Last Evening.
Rarely has it been the pleasure of st. Paul
audience to witness a more complete dramatic
performance than that given at the Opera
House last evening, on which occasion Mr..
John Mccullough appeared, tor the first time
here, in tragedy. The play cast for the evening
was ''Othello," with Mr.. Mccullough in the
title role, Mr.. Charles Barron Us Iago, Miss
Emma Stockman as Desdemona, Mr. John A.
Lane as Cassie, and Mrs. Augusta Foster as
Emelia. 1t is not too much to say that a more
complete dramatic representation was never
given the stage of the Opera House. Mr..
Mccullough was not excellent, for that might
express the qualities of a less finished
artist. he the ideal of Shakes
peare interpreted by the best critics, in the
fullest degre,--a Moor in aspect and in nature,
rich in love, terrible in jealousy fearful in re-
venge. His every act and the every information
of his voice throughout brought wildly to the
minds of the audience the fierce passions that
ragged in his bosom, while in nothing was the
harmony or symmetry of the play in the least
disturbed. In an Evolutionary sense Mr.. Nc
Cullough did not seem to exert himself, yet in
every meditation of his voice he conveyed a
meaning that to many close students of
Shakespeare had hitherto been concealed, and
the character of Othello, too commonly re-
garded as that of brutal barbarian, shone
forth as one of the most noble of the bard's
creations-a man strong in passion, coniding
and simple, honorable in his impulses, yet
strenuous to his own and his associates, per-
sonal honor. Mr.. McCullough's Othello was not
the gross character that some actors have en-
deavored to make it, but the true conception
of the Moorish general, at first given over to
unquestiOning love of the fair Desdemona.
then racked with jealousy, once more fred
with desire for murderous revenge, and then
given over to remorse. It was new, yet cor
rect, conception of the true meaning of the
dramatist.
Mr.. Charles Barron as Iago was all that the
part required. As the crafty plotter against
the peace and happiness of the Moor he played
his part WELL Few Interpreters of the role
have met with such complete success in every
particular. His rendition of the lines was
mastery in its completeness and even
Booth might not blush to own
himself in Barron's place. Miss Stockman
lines with consummate dramatic perception.
In the second and fourth acts they we're
especially effective, and won deserved applause.
Mr.. Lane was a surprise as Cassie. He dis
carded the stereotyped Interpretation of the
character, and gave it with strict regard to
the authors ideal. In the last act Mrs. Foster
displayed fine dramatic power in her reproaches
of Othello and her husband Iago and won an
enthusiastic round of applause. The minor
parts were all we'll sustained. In fact it has
rarely been the good fortune of st. Paul au-
dience to witness dramatic entertainment so
we'll sustained in all of its parts.
This evening Mr.. Mccullough will appear in
Sheridan Knowles heroic tragedy of ''Vir-
ginius." This is his greatest creation, a drama
thrilling in its intensity and absorbing in its
interest. As an interpreter of the character
Mr.. Mccullough has no superior on the stage
to-day. and no richer dramatic treat has evel
been afforded to the citizens of St. Paul thar
the offer of an opportunity to witness Mr.. Nc
Cullough in this his greatest role.