The Portland daily press., 1879-09-18
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.



Last evening Mr.. j. F. Wheelock appeared
at Portland Theatre in dramatization of
Miss Braddon's "Only Clod," written ex-
pressly for him by Mr.. N1aeder, under the
title which forms the caption of this criticism
1t has been the fashion among certain
reviewers to sheer at, and pretend to despise
this authoress, and to call her novels sensa-
tional rot. 1t would perhaps be better if some
of the novels which these said reviewers praise
contained a little of this same sensational rot
SO as to put some sort of life into them. 1t is
certain at least that Mr.. Maeder has con-
structed out of the novel play that will COM
mend itself to all lovers of dramas which con-
tain strong situations, proper balance
between drama and comedy, good language
and a wit that is at times epigrammatic. The
interest, which is attracted in the first act,
steadily increases until it eliminates with the
end of the play. That the play must possess
great merit rests in the fact that it is in five
acts, although these are each of but fair pro-
ton, and that the house was carried with it,
last night to the close.
The chief points in the story were given in
Yesterdays PRESS. Told again in brief it is
that of soldier servant who is left a pot OF
money Buying his discharge, his former
master. an officer in the regiment introduces
that servant to society. woman falls in
love with him and he with another woman.
The woman he loves marries him for his
money She loved his former master. That
former master plots to ruin him by dissipation.
He nearly succeeds. In time the soldier dis
covers his enemy. The wife he loved discafds
him and a friend reveals who poisoned her
ear The soldier meets the scoundrel in the
club and beats him with whip. The wife
admires his pluck and seeks reconciliation.
In Francis Tredethlyn, the soldier, Mr..
Wheelock has part that fits him like glove.
In the first act, as the neat respectable, honest
soldier-Seryant, when unexpected wealth is his,
he offers to lavish it on his former master. In
the second act occurs a strong scene between
Maude Hillory-the girl he loves-Julia Des
mond, the WON an to whom he has
offered his hand and esteem, and Francis
himself. In this scene tainted and goaded by
the sneers and passions of Julia the low-born
Cornishman exhibits in his own plain way the
gentlemanly instincts that are in him, and this
is noticeable throughout the play that despite
the lack of education displayed by the bad
grammar of some of his sentences, Francis
Tredethlyn is a nobleman at heart, and never
fails to look it. Beneath the elegant exterior
of society life, which he hates, there is the
manlness which the spectator knows would
never hesitate to storm a breach or sacrifice
ones life for another's whom he loved
But it was in the fourth act that Mr.. Vince
lock rose to grandeur 1t was the height of
the romantic and emotional school of act
ing. In the interview with Maude his dig
nifty and pathos were combined in manner
that left nothing to be desired His discovery
of his friends treachery gave power and force
to his anger, and in the final scene of the act,
where he exposes the villainy of that friend
and beats him, the suppressed passion finally
eliminating in an outburst of rage and vio-
lence lin which the enunciation rang out clear
as bell and there was not q touch of rant
brought down the house with thunder of
applause that would not be satisfied until Mr..
Wheelock appeared before the curtain. The
actor in Francis Tredethlyn, adds another to
his many triumphs.
The support was excellent and the piece
well put on the stage. Miss Helen Tracy was
a good Maude, and she put fire and spirit into
the interview with her husband. Miss Boyd
surprised us as Julia. Although the part was
rather heavy for her yet she acted it with dig
nifty and considerable power. Here let us add
that Curtis, of course, was very amusing, that
Mr.. Cutter was excellent as Harcourt, and Mr..
Lamb admirable as Roderick. The scene be-
tween the brothers in the third act was one OF
the best in the play.
The play will be repeated tonight and
should draw a crowded audience. There was
q brilliant house last night.