The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-01
BROOKKAVEN IN a THEATRICAL
LIGHT.
A brilliant Amateur re,forn,anc

BRooKHAvEN February o. 1879.
To Me Editor of The Comet:
Many n time and oft have | promise
you letter from my unpresuming pen, an
rs many tines have failed to comply wit
my PROMISE until fearing may be denount
ed iryour valuable Journal as unreliable, ha
| prompted me to spur up and iudite the fol
lowing:
What shall be my theme? l will start on
in new departure as dramatic critique
suggested by a complimentary ticket to tn,
B uokhavcn Theater which | visited las
night, and witnessed the five act drama o.
''Enoch Arden" followed by the popular
play of "The Peoples Lawyer where
figures in all is glory the puritanic, honest,
blnndering down east yankee, ''Solon
Shingle."
Now, who, with Ben johnson, may not
say: 81 Thought he would have played the
ignorant critic with everything and per-
haps | have, but such is lite.
Seated IN one of the coslest little seats in
the snuggest little corner, of the prettiest
little theatre in the liveliest little town in
this great State, surrounded by the beauty,
wealth and fashion of the place, the
bell rang and the curtain rose TO scene
on the sea coast in Cornwell, England,
when Tennysons great poem was drama
tized by Matthison, was placed upon the
boards.
The cast was good ne-.ll amateurs
who played not for glory nor remuneration,
but for lnudable object, the benefit OF tho
Presbyterian Church of this place:
ENocH II. Henry.
PHILIP KAf--,'' Becker
DIR. NJ. Martln.
PETER Nj Martin
BEN. .............I. Nj. Henry.
GREGORY. Mclean.
WALTER ARDEN........... ...........J. NJ H. Martin.
FIRST SAILoR... .....................H. Bridges.
SECOND SAILoR.......
NNIE LEE EE-.-.................MisS Hattie Martin.
AiIRIAM LANE.....,..............Mis Fannie Cunning
ESTHER ARDEN. ............ Miss Wessie Martin
Villagers, Sailors, etc.
In net 1st, scene lst after the game of
blind mans buff, and miserable attempt
It a kiss between Peter and Miriam,
by the Shakspcri,tn, DR., Gram
nett, Enoch Arden puts i'll his oar, acco d.
ng to the play, and very effectually kisses
he pretty Annie Lee, who, dressed in white,
ike the bride of Lammermoor, at once +
made an impression its the favori'e among
he audience She maintained d her character
s an amateur artist of the first grade
the play and only needs cultiva-
ion (this being her third appearance on the
tage) to be classed among the stars of the
istrionic galaxy. Mr.. Henry, as Enoch
Irdeu, rendered the character finely. and
5ith one or two exceptions in act second,
night have been taken by theater goers as an
Id stager and especially in the vision under
be palm tree, on the desert island in the
ropics. Then his rcscue and return home,
, find his lovely wife, the beautiful Annie
tho has long mourned him as dead the
life Of Philip Ray. His awful anguish
empered and subdued by almost supcrhu-
ivoness and lastly, his maaterly death
ed scene, stamps him an actor of
lor, than ordinary pretenti ms. Dr. Gram
lett and Miriam Lane played their parts
end called down the applause ;
f the house, while Esther and Walter
rden drew goodly share of praise.
eter Lane, who was ever on big drunk,
.ther over did the thing and [ would adj
se him to get on "high lonesome" once q
r twice, by way of practice. While G
hilip Ray should try and renew his age ,
zen if he had to color his hair to mako !
in appear elder than the grandchild of
noch Arden, ar the son of his wife. Ben, I
e boatswain, will excuse, as learn the G
.rson cast for the part was ill, and he a
lily cxtemporzed for the occasion without
,tice First aud second sailors should e
uiy aud remember sea phrases, while $
regory and Walter Arden would do well Il
practice rolling wheebarrow before v
ltling it on the stage am no grumbler, d
ID taken all ia all, "Enoch Arden was a n
ocess, made more successful by the ma V
pnlations of the cdomplished machinist r
,eepl Brown. who volunteered his servi-
8 for the occasion.
Music By Harmaa's Band.
IL Let's take drink"
- Here's health to thee" "
n. Words by the writer il
PEOPLES LAWYER. g
OF this popular yankee play have but =,
tie TO say, though have seen 1t played a
and with Hill, Owen, Jeffer- l
N, Dayidge, or a Fisk, It's splendid, but k
Brookhaven bad none of these, our y
,lon Shingle surely mistook his character,
III instead of a genuine yankee be used
e clang. adopted the garb and played the ,
,rt IF an Atuekapas COW driver. The
isses Josie Wai rem and Mollie Gartmsn |.
ayed the parts of the Otis family very L
while t. NJ Henry, as Bob. P
oward, was extremely good, so also, was . =
ON. McGrath. as Winslow. The balance 4
the cast was from fair tn middling. 1 I