The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-25
ANUSEJIENIS.
speubound" at wnnaeA,. Theatre.

Last night was first night at Wal
lacks. with the regulation audience incident to
such occasions-an audience which IL invaria-
bly, on the best possible terms, personally, with
Mr.. Wallack himself. and disposed by hercdity
and tradition TO accord him the warmcst adj
miratlon. Loyalty on the pnrt OF an audience
is n beautiful thing. and these periodical mani
frstations OF It are touching. and in n manner
strengthen ones faith in human nature. They
indicate the perennial reward OF true art. and
they defer indefinitely the day when the duty OF
the public and OF favorite motor shall be sus-
pecicd of being mutually tedious.
Mr.. Boucicaut has PARTIAL remodelled. in
Spellbound." his earlier play Of Pauline"
and Mr.. Wallack appeared lust evening. M he
did some years since in tho character
OF RdoW de BeduprS. Mr.. Wallack's versa
tlity, like Mss Belinda TSehGnes modcs,y
has been frequently admired" md to
II he owes the self-conflicnce that enables him
TO calmly contemplate tho transition from his
more familiar roles to such as that Of the
naughty and charming scounlrel. De Bed,,prd.
II must DO confessed that "a tho latter Mr. Wal
ack Is. in ,ccr!ain sense. sineularly attractive.
but TINT with all the pc uliar glffs that hc brings
toit he fnils To- remove 1t from the border ground
Of the grotesquely impossible
The Count dc BedulrS Is person with a
shocking character and moro or loss Of n. bril-
liant reputation. He Is n graceful and dlaboli-
81 rentleman-g .Crrhton with the morals Of n
! Thug-and Mr. Wnllnck has seized upon tho
very essenro of him and will personnte him
until the public rcpudiatcs the play out Of very
solictude Tor tho spiritual welfare OF lis IA
q. spellbound" ia intensely mclodramntic ut
terry unnatural, full Of inrons stenrics thnt nm
audience cannot but hc affected hy. and. in parts
wildly improbable. II is picturesque and IL il
romantic, as become Its origin. II contains tho
material for n lurd rOmnn'e in the best style of
me story rapcrs -one that would naturally re-
splNr ltsrlt into sections each ending with IN
lrlaslstbc invitation To- buy the next NUMBER
No one cqn mnord not tn witness the episode
between Mr.. Wallnck. or rather tho Count lie
Bedpre and tho tiger He goes through il
WIN supcrrilious imporurbahility and
fine superiority to ordinary hnmnn
emotion that are quite Irresistible. Regarded
! cally Tremendous with The morally lofty nr, "A
little absurd hut Of course when set In dramatic
| form. aud tempered by dramatic nrt. they move
instance It Is Impossible not To feel acuicy
while Mr.. Wnliack is outside with the say
age beast (thc rude details Of the
struggle ,bcing considcratey conceaed)
| Mhich, while. waiting for HIM consents
! aiter thr manner ot people toying with picture
| books in dentists ante-rhambrr. OF course.
Mr. Wnllnck does not seem TO care about
sihihues are. aroused. and they cannot
| understand why All the other people on the
stage take so little interest In the occurrence
| and 90 away hoartiessly aud leave tho hero to
! bleed privately. Indeed. lt would be strange II
anX one understood this part Of it.
]
perby endowed villain is intensely melolrs-
! matte. and he proceeds by easy stages ~ MUIR
der and robbery To- "A highly respectable decrease
/ in u duel. Ii issupposcd 10 be- n canon of tho
! actors art that the highest attainment Omen
| 10 an artist lies IN the prrsona,ion
/ % characters TINT IL his nature. that are con-
/ siStcnt with his own temper. dis position. and
/ inrlinulon. IL is pleasdnt therefore. to- be- able
/ 20 shy that well rs Mr.. WHllark acts de Beau
/ PR there ia no danger ot ones committing tho
| lndiscrrtion OF prnising his performance too
| hiEhlyor 90 regarding it as his highest attain
ment II Is worry fine. no doubt; and there can
/ be- no question that IL Mr.. Walack wore
/ De Be1uprS in private life there would he
/ plenty Of Gdbrielies whom he could ems .ly com
/ pei e. fall IN love with him. and he. Mr.. Wallaek.
/ surrounded 10y all tho advantages Of u high
| form Of civilization. would have ~ remarKVhiy
agreeable time Of II. as. indeed. II appears such
people generally 10.
A 10 tho play. however. which Mr.. Wnlnck
struggles so earnestly to redeem, It cannot be-
| in any sense termed y success. Whatever in
| tercst its sensational, quality and the nov
| city OF seeing Mr. Walack pos,uring ns n
| villain ~ the deepest dye might possess.
| u more than conntrrarted hy the lack ~ proha-
! hility and reasonahless and its general yioln-
| ton Of common sense. II was admirably set
| upon the stage and fairly we'll acted