, 1880-12-12
Sheridan's "Rivals Accord
ing to Mr.. Jefferson.
A Pertinent Question-The Press
and the Private Life OF
Bern1ardt. :.
Coming Events in the City-The
Actors at Ober-Ammer-
.gau.
Negotia tions for the Union Square
Engagement Next Year in
Chicago.

. tsTII1s RIVALS"
Some little irritation seems to have been
felt at our protest against the mutilation by
Mr.. Jefferson of A1r. Sheridan's classical
}.cosnedy, "The Rivals" We are afraid that
those who are dissatisfied with our protest
do not exactly understand the motives
whence it sprung. Tho tendency Of the
American stage since it has run into the
combination system has been, and is now,
| anything for money or personal aggrandize-
mcnt-vcry little for art. Had Mr.. JOHN A.
Stevens, OF "Unknowu" celebrity, under
! taken to mar the Hamlet ,, Of Shakespeare,
| or 1.-THE School for Scandal - Of Sheridan
as Nr. Jctlcrson has marred the latter
| authors comedy of 'sThe Rivals,'' no word
! Of prntest wDuld have issued from us; but
| Mr.. Jefferson occupies the position Of tile
leading and most refined comedian in
America. It Is not our purpose to contest
whether he fully fills that position.
Suffice it to say he has it, and when one so
highly placed becomes an icouoclast in lieu
of q defender of that WHICH. is best in Our
dramatic literature he sounds note of
| alarm to every critic interested in the real
| welfare Of the drama aud anxious to see its
| higher uses preserved in the theatre
1 S"AA-NAJ
| great work of 1iterary,ar It is not merely 4
! play as a play is now looked upon by many
people,-nereIy something to entertain an
| audience for. an hour or two. 4 work by
Sheridan is something more than that. It isa
historical document, recording the manners,
feelings, and the state of society in one of the
most interesting periods Of our race. It is
not only historical document, but it is q
biographical document, for it illustrates the
mode Of mind-the social philosophy-of one
Of the greatest political orators that
England has produced. The mutilator
OF such work is therefore thrice
guilty, and he betrays lack of understand
Ing Of the very work he pretet,ds to present
to the public If the stage is to have no other
use than to afford gutfaw in comedy or to
rouse thrill Of horror in tragedy, why then
Mr. Jefferson is perfectly entitled to reduce
1.-The Rivals" to the compass of ''The
Spectre Bridegroom" and to make of the
fear and terror of Bob <lcrcs something like
counterpart Of that Of DiDgoyy; but We be-
1ieye that the stage is something more than q
siiow-shop, and it is i'll its interest that we
protest against the mutiation OF works of
such , value, either to lit starring company
and limit its travelling expenses over our rail-
roads or to throw out only one character
among many for the qualification Of any
single actor. We ask those who approve Of
such vandalism whether they believe the
present Mr. Wallack or his father would
have so presented this work OF Sheridan
to New York audience? The gulf between
the intelligence of the better class of play
Eoets in New York and Chicago is fur from
and combinations contempruously seem to
think it. Although for some years. indeed
for very many years, Mr.. Jefferson has not
been Identified with The legitimate or classic
comedy '.'I of our gu langnage' having confined
g. Zip Van Winkle.'' yet there was time,
before he struck that popular and money
making play, when he Was considered one of
the chief pillars Of classic comedy that Amer
ica could boast And it is for this reason
that we should like to have him, when lie
presents such comedies, forget for a moment
the box-ot1lce, and remember his old pride Us
an exponent 0f that which is Worthiest in
dramatic literature
Thus, our protest having been entered
against what we think is a mlutilation Of the
purpose. the scope and aim, Of .Sheridans
WORK, We may say {; word or two in regard
You may take a diamond, break it into little
pieces, and yet each particle will remain n
diamond rs brilliant aud as precious as ever.
So it is with The Rivals" Mr.: Jefferson
las cut out five characters; he has condensed
part Of Lydia LanQnish to a span, he has
eliminated the sentiment which, as we in a
previous notice remarked, served to relieve
@ tue eonsdy Of the ETeat VII EMlkqna is
two scenes merely to act rs a feeder for Bob
Acrcs, anu Bob dcrcs has been elaborated,
often very cleverly it must be admitted.
W 1oE 1aerev nns puapoie m ncen G1 akns n ans cx wt
q star part. Mr.. Jefferson has also here and
there altered the dialog put into the mouth. |
OF Acres BY Sheridan, and made him utter
phrases sometimes OF such a modern char !
1f.fGA3 +S&
spirit Of the play and the dialog Of the other
characters. airs. 1fn{uprop, Capt absolute,
SIR >d4uloa,y, Sir L7tci'ts, DGpid, Fng, and |
Lacy are there, and their individuality has
Mr. Jefferson's version is certainly most |
entertaining play, but it required no particll-
lar ability, with such material at hand, to !
turn M ont most entertaining play. And, in |
small l,nercies, We may feel grateful to Mr. !
Jefferson for preserving as much Of the orig |
inal its he las. 4 little Of q good thing is !
better than none at all, and the admira-
the characters are taken may COM
pensatc with many people for the n,t-
tilation. Mr. Jefferson has grouped about
him All admirable company for this kind OF
these days Of getting actors and actresses
who have the faintest itie:. OF 4 style of COM
edy which during the past ten years In this
country has become almost obsolete Taste
We have seen more .unctuous Mrs. 1fuld-
1rop than Mrs. John Drew, but the meaning
OF the character could. scarcely be more ey-
qulslny grasped than it is BY this admirable |
actress. She gives to the role just that ar1i-
iIcial refinement Of manner, that vanity, that
antique ami ludicrous coQnetry which make
her lnlsapplcation of words irrcsistiDly
comic III effect In the letter scene with
f;tt}n fG;H ~ hDsot1tc st she is particularly fine \
ltrE, by the W1v which xt 1n MT |