Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-04-10
The Carpenter Of Rouen as Played in
Lancaster.

Now the HHRALDs dramatic critic takes up
his pencil with jocund air; for he is to re-
view the finest event of the season. Of which
praise is an alluring duty, and matter for ad
verse criticism almost On unknown quantity.
Truly, "Gow is the winter of our discomfort
made glorious summer by this sun ofn-not
york, 'but-Lancaster. The Carpenter of Rosen
was announced TO appear upon the boards only
abort time before thu actual representation,
and at once public expectation ran high. The
amusement-loving people Of the town have
learned to place abundant confidence in any
performance under the management of DIR. A.
II. Barber, and attested their interest last Fri
day evening by thronging the High School hall
with an audience most iattering in quality as
well as numbers. The play in question is an
historical and romantic drama, with the scene
laid in the XVIII century. Marteau, the Car
penter, Is living in Rouen ten years after the
Massacre Of st. Bartholomew, living for the
sole purpose Of taking vengeance on the Duke
De Saubigne, who had comprised the death Of
the formers wife on that cruel day. The
Carpenter is active in secret organization Of
artisans whose object is the subvers;on of reli
gious tyranny, and the emancipation of the
people. He takes an apprentice Antoine
Belard, young nobleman who has fathers
wrongs to avenge, and must become nominal
mechanic in order TO join the secret order.
For the wife of this young nobleman, Mar
seau has destined his daughter Madelon, whom
he has not seen since her mothers death, and
who he finds, on her arrival, has anticipated
his plans by marrying secretly this same An
tome. The Duke De Saubigne. returning Sc
cretly from long absence,in the disguise of a
monk, visits Marteau, learns Of his hostile
plans, and in hatred and alarm plots his de,
struction. At the same time he sees Mar
teau's daughter. recognises in the /" fila pa-
elrior" the image of the mater palcsra whom
he had loved in youth, and with renewed pas
sion determines to possess himself of Antoines
wife. After fight between soldiers and peo-
pie. resulting in the destruction of the Duke
palace, the pretended monk causes the removal
of Madelon to a convent, ostensibly for her
protection, and there makes earnest suit, at
first in his feigned, and then in his real char
acter. Fooled in his designs by the courage of
Madelcn and the opportune appearance OF her
husband, the Duke is brought to bay by Mar
teau himself, and the piece ends with the exc
~ vii OF nd No IL
convent.
This very meagre outline of the plot sufi-
GENTLY shows the exciting nature of the the me,
and the difficulties TO be encountered by the
manager and actors. These difficulties were
met and surmounted at every point. Under
the able management of DR.. Barber every de-
tail was thoroughly attended TO, and the har-
monious action OF all the parts was undisturbed
by any friction visible to the spectators. The
play was excellently mounted with scenes adj
mirably painted by the manager. and costumes
sent from Chicago. The parts, almost with
out exception, were so we'll cast, that the aud
fence was entirely relieved from that draft
upon the Imagination which is frequently made
in amateur acting. The star acting was done
by +. N. Lowry as DE Saubigne, and Miss Car
rie Barber as Madelon. Mr.. Lowry possesses
the stage manner to a remarkable degree, and
has the fine elocution of an experienced ac-
tor. His resemblance to Lawrence Barrett in
appearance and manner was very noticeable
Among his mos. striking renderings were
where the monk follows Marteau with threat
ening gesture, which he instantly transforms
into one of blessing when the Carpenter turns;
and where he lifts his hands in benediction
over the kneelng people, bidding them dis
perse and "be ready to meet your Duke, the
chosen Of the church" Miss Barber per-
formed her difficult part NEST admirably, and,
with her Elizabethan style of beauty, looked
her part to perfection. She seems to have ac-
quired the elocutionary triumph of being able
to so pitch the voice as to be heard at dis
lance even when speaking in low or sup
pressed tone. Amateur actors are liable to
fall into the error of not throwing enough pas
sion into their renderings, going through
froid. Miss Barber. on the other hand, ren>
dered her thrilling part in a manner to make
one feel that the very elements were melting
with fervent heat. We have seen nothing like
i. since being electrified by the tragic acting
of Clara Morris. Mr. T. A. Burr, as Narisda,
showed complete mastery of his part and a
just conception Of the character, and fully sus,
tanned the high reputation'for dramatic talent
which he had previously acquired. The tragedy
of the piece was ligh.ened by four comic char
acters--J. NJ. Mills as Nykin, w. F. McGonigal
as Grander, Miss Sadie Burr as Madame Gran
der, and Miss Nettie Calls as Julie All of
these did admirably. and their entrance was
always relief after the contemplation of trag-
edy. For really, the play was highly sensa-
tiona, and little trying to susceptible nerves
jules song and dance we're very pretty and
graceful r. C Orr as 4ntoi,se, H. R. elise as
Loursay, r. A. Watkins as Magistrate, L. B.
Ruka as Marione, L. Schroeder as Psrot, and
o. B. Richards as Officer, all did well, but
space forbids more particular mention. All |!
one of them was pretty boy, but we won't
tell who. Each act concluded with table au.
One of the most striking of these was the one
at the end of the midnight trial, when the
Confrierie declared themselves, and the re-
vulsion of feeling was stimulated by the thrills
ing strains of the MarseiNaise, finely played
by the band stationed behind the scenes
Well, the bare of trumpe.s and the clash of
swords, the antique scenes and display of pas
sions both base and noble, the whole glitter.
tering pageant, moved before our eyes like a
dream of the past. Though thankful that we
i've in more peaceful times, we can study
with profit those troublous days, and view
the acts of those men with leniency through
the softening vista of centuries.
"For the Knights are dust.
And their good swords are rust;
Their souls are with the saints trust"
@...........ze.-s
A Dramatic Entertainment will be given
at the new Mendoza Esli, Potosi. next week,
Friday and Saturday evenings. The enter
tainment will consist of music, pantomimes,
and the popular dramas "Still Waters Run