, 1879-08-03
THE STAGE.
THE DRAMA.



OF the actors and actresses composing the Union
Square Theatre Company, now playing at Hav-
crly's, it is but Just that the canons OF crticism
by which ther are weighed should be clearly
understood.
II is pretty safe to say that twenty ly.; .~-u
this company you'd have been cousidcrei, y.rr
poor and inefficient body Of men and woulen. IL
is also safe to say that the company Il WaiIaek's
Theatre twenty years ago would, to-day, be con-
s:dercd cxa.gcrators il art, fond OF butfooucry
IN comedy and rant in passion. Within the
past quarter Of u century the taste OF the better
portion OF p!ar-eoers in each Of our large cities
has undergone complete change. This change
is due partly to the vast number Of French
plays which, after the success of "CamilIe," :"
began to Hood the stage 1t is also due, in
lesser measure, to the popularity attained by
the dainty work of Robertson. much OF which
found its source in French originals This style
Of drama, almost wholly unideal, bears to the
plays th2t were popular a quarter of century
ago the same relation that photograph by
Sa:ony would bear TO an ideal group by John
Fl2x1nau. The French authors in their plays
aim steadily at philosophic analysis of actual
men and wo1neu,-a0 exposition of existing
evils and their effects upon existing society,"
svnthess which enables them tointercstil,sly re-
feet upon the stage theories heretofore confined
to the closet Of the philosopher. it is by their
capacity TO reflect such plays that we must to-
day judge the abilities OF the Union Square
Company.
Some six years Of almost uninterrupted sue
cess in the metropolis OF the United States in-
evitably throws a stroug glamour over the
rff 0f tic 1,1o,
which their skill aided in making popular, and
1nat glamou1 VIC wish to be rid Of when
weighing the merits and dement's which VIC
think We see in this organization.
Taking each artist iu his turn, We begin with
HE- CHARLES Il. TuoRSR, JR.
Mr. Thorue stands to-day, rightly or wrongly,
the accepted leading actor of the American stage,
Us far us that stage Is given up to the reflection
of plays modern in their character and photo
graphic in their methods. 1t is, therefore, his
abilities in thai school which We are now to con-
sdcr
In the first place he possesses very fine pres
cnce on the stage,-1argc without obesity, and
tall without being out Of keeping with the gen.
crat stage picture. For this fine presence MIR.
Jhoruc may thank Nature. In modern dress,
hc is always well fitted, for which MIR. Thorue
has to thank his tailor. His voice, which eau
scarcely be called musical, is not harsh, aud,
wtleu he is pleased to speak loud enough to be
helrd nil over the house, it is never displeasing
to tic ear. We doubt if Mr. Thorne himself
would lay any claim TO scholarship,-Ihat
is, to such scholarship as distinguished
Macready and Charles Kcan in England and
James e. Murdoch in America. But the stage
is great educator, for in it the actor becomes
familiar with the very noblest products of the
human mind, and such familiarity Is in itself
most liberal education. THIS education has af-
1o=ded MIR. Thorne certain degree Of intcli-
gence which is reflected in almost every role he
plays. and being joined, as it is, to certain
amount Of animal magnetism which he
seems to be able to exercise over an au-
dicnce at will, it has made him the first
stock actor in the English lauguage,-we mean
in the school in which he shines. Still, even in
his own modern school Of sctinsg, we have few
faults to find with Mr., Thorne.
Tie chief OF these faults is mannersm; the
second is frequent tedious slowncss; the
third is q certain, probably UNCONSCIOUS. e.oism
Which on the stage makes him au exceedingly
bad listener to the words which his fellows hare
to deliver.
The mauneriEm :, which we al!ude is that
wringing Of bis hands anil that framing of his
head between them as he shakes them in obedi-
ence to the nervous agitation Of Z supposed or
real passion. Done once or twice at supreme
tn.naents in q play these gestures are eminentlv
c1fectlve, but continued on tEiiliug provocation
through four or i've acts OF 4 play they lose
their force Of climatic expression, aud rob him
OF that full recognition he would otherwise OBJ
tain. For instance, he wrings his hands and
shakes Them beside mis- head almost as much in
l.,e first quiet act OF The Bankers Daugbter''
hIas3 1Kh IL
Joltu Strcbeoto in the fifth act
Edwin Forrest was called by caustic critic
.s'the great American panser.'' His ample
mantel seems to have fallen on the scarce less
not only between important sentences OF q
speech that should be delivered unbroken, but
also between clauses Of sentence Of speech,
often creating feeling Of uneasiness in the
affords opportunity to anticipate what is coming
from, him, when be should surprise them BY its |
revelation. 1t is somewhere stated Of Theo- |
pnlie Gautier that his first expression OF de- |
l1stens!" This same capacity to listen the |
writer Of this article observed in Racheis sue |
ccssor, Sarah Bernhardt, last January, wben he |
lad the pleasure OF seeing her play Fhedre |
Of Upbo'ye was recounted, how, in that |
most wonderful uicce Of French versifcaton, |
her 1aco reflected m image OF the horrible acci
ceut as clear as the pencil OF Gcricourt has fixed
wandering, not turned away from the speaker, |
Eut were fastened on bis lips. and what she did |
by her attentiveDess the audience repeated from |
the sympathy which her attention compelled. |
No actor can expect that an audience will be !
interested 1T story on the stage when the l
characters in that story bctray interest in it
themselves unless when they are given words to
utter.
Eaving pointed out the blemishes which see N |
to US to exist IN most Of the work Of this able |
actor, it is bpt Just that we should call atten- |
1oii to At le8st lew of his excellencics,-his |
exhibition Of suppressed passion in such su- |
premc moments as are afforded to the leading |
nclor III the fifth art Of "Camile,' in the card |
scene OF sled Astray," throughout the third !
act Of *tMoticr and Son. and the repressed |
!,athos which he exhibits, always 10 beautifully
rotnmm.led with manly dignity, in the fifth aci \
of "'he Bankers Daughter"
Tile faults OF Mt. Thorne are moro faults Of |
hapit than faults OF intuition, and it would take
but very little effort Oh his part to wipe them |
of his art work as easily as boy would dust t
bis slate.
MEssns. rlRsELLK, sroDDART. AND LEMoTSE.
During the week the public have been Afford
cd ;te opportunity Of seeing another excellent
stage pcture-Ldacrence Hestbrooke-by Mr..
Johu Parselle. He is the FIRST old man as we'll ]
as the Stage manager OF the Union Square The
atrc company. OF that company be is the chief
schular--said to he a good Grccian, better