New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-19
Mr.. Il. .TOseHy
Introduction. 81 act, Die Meistersinser" wagr
Harold symphony Beri
JEFFERSON AS BOB ACRES.

JEFFERSON's ACTIN G-MRs. DREW AS MRS. NAL
APROP-A BRILLIANT SUCCESS.
IRON A STAFF CORRESPONDENT TRIBUNE.
| PHILADELPHIA. Sept. 15.-Mr. Jefferson has ut
| last complied with the desire. generally felt and
frequently expressed within the last two or three
years. that he shouId appear in other part than
Kip Fan Wmkle. He has not tired Of his old char
acter any than the public has tired of It but
he has felt the mental need of change and he has
recognized the claims of the ne generation of play
goers upon that versatility of art, and those
sources of faculty and humOr, which gave enjoy
meut to theatrical audiences Of an earlier time and
which laid the basis Of his professional renown. He
has not been unwilling neither-it is prODabe-tO
correct mistaken contemporary impression cur
rent to extent that he is only Onepart actor.
In former DAYS and long before he took ND Rip Fan
Uinkie Mr.. Jefferson acted many parts and very
early in his career he was recognized by the dra-
matte profession and the discerning part of the
public. a. an actor of great versatility and exceD-
tional clevemess. His presentations of asa TreR-
cbdrd Cadb Plwamer. Dr.. PaRgi0ss Dr.. CidpOd,
Dggorg Salem ScuddeT Mr. GOlghtly. old Phil Std
Dlet0n Mcgrim. GOldfack. Bob Brerly the burlesque
NascppG, and Tobias Shortcut land these are but
few out of the many in which he was excellent and
distinguished long ago. still nger in the memory
of old playgoers. and remembered only TO be
admired and extoled. But since, for the last four
England in 1S66-he has seldom acted anything
but Rip Fan FiRkle, the public conception of him
a general actor has grown dim, has altogether
faded away. In taking the step which he has now
taken, by revving. as q specially. the comedy of
The Rivals" and appearing Bob Acres
lin which part many years ago, he made one
Of his earliest and most brilliant successes, he
affords refreshment 10 his own mind; he decreases
the possibility of his making Rip Fan Uiakle hack
med and tedious; he satisfies a natural craving
for novelty tine part of hfs adnirers he revves,
OF awakens, a Just of the breadth Of his
scope as a cOmediani and, keeping squarely
abreast Of tie progress of modern taste, he
gives his public a new pleasure, new
lesson in dramatic art, aud new subject
for study and thought IL wise thing
10 do; and it will be productive of many
wholesome results, IN its influence upon theatrical
interests throughout the country, OF which its i'm
mediate and brilliant success in this city is the
Inistakable augury.
JEFFERsONs FIDELITY TO THE IDEAL.
Those persons who are acquainted with the pro-
fessional career of Mr. Jefferson aware that 1t
las been marked, all along lite course, Oy extraor
binary wisdom. He has made few mistakes-never
one in an important Juncture Of affairs. He came
t. the capital at the right time. and in the right
way. He very early applied TO the old comedies
the right, because the pure and poetic. method of
treatment. He could look far ahead for the results
of his labor and devotion, and he made fidelity to
the highest ideal of art the first object of his life
He understood perfectly well the nature of the
structure that he was rearing and he trusted
ANYTHING TO chance IL was he who caused the pro-
ducton of Our American Cousin" at Laura
Keene's Theatre. and so made of the greatest
dramatic successes of which there is any record.
He bad the fOres ght to select, while yet a
young man, the character through which
his powers destined to find their
amp,est expression the character of Zip
Vqn RTnkle; and for that he shaped out
an ideal and treatment so original, high, poetic.
fresh and lovely utterly unlike and SO far above
the conception of Washington Irving's sketch and
the embodiment Of previous actors-whether Yates,
or Hackett. or Burke any body else-that he may
he said 10 have created the part. He left America,
and visited Australia at n favorable period for such
an expedition, and with practical view to subse-
auent success upon the London stage. He saga
cousy resorted to Mr.. Boucicaut, in London. when
he deemed it essential that new play
should be built upon the basis of the
old one, and he furnished to that practical
dramatist general outline of the piece. the drift
of the central character and the great situation IN
the second act of L" Rip Van Wrinkle" il now
stands-a dramatic idea which of itself would suf
fee TO prove him OF rare genius. He returned
home OPPORTUNITY after his extraordinary triumphs
III Great Britain and the fame and fortune be has
since acquired, the affection with which his mem
DRY is cherished and the admiration and JOY with
which his name Is spoken everywhere throughout
this country are abundant and sufficient evidence
that his conduct the artist life since them has been
no less prudent and ght than kindly modest, gen.
tie and sincere. Ii is not caprice which shapes |
such career az that of Mr. Jefferson, is it acc
dent that crowned it with the laurels of honor.
A COMEDY WELL ADAPTED FOR HIS TALENT.
The same sagacity that has guided the comedian |
hitherto is emnentlv shown in the choice he has
now made Of piece and character to contrast |
with Rip Van Hinkle. OF all the old comedies The
Riyalsn is obviously the best that this actor could
have selected with a vew-most essential to be
taken of making his particular part in the per-
formance the apex of the entertainment. The piece
is one that has not become antiquated in time Its
nicturr of life and manners is modern and vital
az II is clear rIchly-colored humorous and brilliant
The spirit of it. moreover, Is human kindly and
nure There is no faint of indelicacy in the plot
no streak Of serious and painful righteousness, such
n. smirches the mirror of its great companion piece
- The School fer Scandal and in the style |
there is nothing of the superabundance OF brittle
Wit which i'm parts TO the most of Sher1dans writ
ipgs such tresome glitter OF artIhce. The play Is
fresh, genial, human, Simple anu urolj IL has ih-
terest of story breezy movement, and substantial
welI-contrasted characters; and its theme. incl
dents and atmosphere to Mr JEFF
fersons quality of humor and to his nimbe and sub
tile artistic method. He thus obtains means of
expression by which he can seize and hold the
kindly sympathy Of the spectator-un consciously.
ana therefore the more swoety given-all the while
that he il scattering over him the flowers OF mirth
and waking in his heart the echoes of happy laugh
tar It would be hard to find In all English ''tArA-