Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-10-06
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE,
THE DRAMA.


Il
Joseph JeffersOn's impersonatiOn Of Bob
Ae,es in Brinsley Sheridan's comedy OF
1.-The Rivals was the largest as it was
the most cultured that has gathered there
during the present season, and the fact
that every seat in the house was occupied
was not less creditable to the people who
filled them than it was complimentary to
the eminent actor whose name constituted
the magnet Of attraction. Mr.. Jeter-
son is pre- emiuently a favoIite with
our play-going people, and his sue
cessive appearances i'll this city-always
heretofore, as far.back as the memory Of
the majority Of his admirers hereabouts
extends, at least, in the character Of Rip
Van Winkle-have been uniformly greeted
with large audiences, comprising in urge
measure the best cultivated local dramatic
taste. The announcement that he was to
favor his friends here with 4 new impsr.
sOnation served in addition to whet their
appetites for the feast which the mere fact
of his coming assured, while ut the same
time, it must be confessed, it served to
dispel the impression that Mr.. Jefferson
was one-part actor, which existed very
generally in the minds Of those who were
unacquainted with this versatile actors
bygOne triumphs as Asa Trenchard Calei
Rummer, DR.. Panglcss, Salem Scudder,
.M. Golighhy. and dozen other per.
sonatiOns that still linger in the mem.
Ory Of old play-soers and are remembered
only to be admired and extolled.
THE Rivals" as every one who has
read that delightful offspring OF the
same witty pen that gave birth to the
''SchOOl for Scandal is Il sterl-
ing comedy that ranks in merit
with the latter work. The wit OF
its dialogue. the humor of its situations,
the felicitous conception and arrangement
Of its characters, all place it above any
necessity for the sensational and advent
tiOus features characteristic of more
modern comedy, and the refreshing
breeze Of good old-fashioncd humOr that
swept through the house from the time
the curtain rolled up on the scene which
discovers Sir Anthony absolute in con
versatiOn with Hrs. .M,laprop til
it fell upon the epilogue was a
most grateful relief from the atmosphere o.
burlesque b,lrdened so heavily with fOrceC
fun that has of late been filling the nOstriL
of our people until they are wcll-niyh sick
ened by the lOud-smellinS infiiction. The
cOmical antics and grOteSque aifectatiuns
of Bob Acres, whose arrant cOwardice and
braggatlOciO would in any one else be Con
temptible, but in Bob are Only ludicrous
the linguistic eccentricities and self-sup-
posed shrewdness Of dear, delightful old
Hrs. Malaprap the buster and fiery tenn
per of Sir 1ntAony ABSOLUTE, and the base
deception of his hopeful son Jack;, all con-
tribute their peculiar phases OF humor t.
"a a IS tr in
of mirth. Mr.. JetfersOn's Bob Acres is the
finished production that every one ac-
quainted with his capacity would expect
it to be. He has the happy faculty o
grasping the animating spirit of the role
he undertakes and rejecting with all the
beauty of outline and strength of substance
the authors meaning his fidelity to the
ideal is proverbial, and the piece OF work
that leaves his hand is fashioned with the
skill of the true artist, shapely and beau
tiful. The play-wright's purpose in his
creation Of the character OF Bob Acres is
completely developed in the impersonatio,
of Mr.. Jefferson, the good-natured country
squire, possessed of the desire fol
"polish" and affecting the ways Of the
city; a jolly fellow in his way, who only
needs to be seen to be liked, but upon
whom the sObriquet of Fighting Bob "
sets with the awkwar(lness of Il garment
intended for a man ter times as big and !,
thousand times more belligcrent. In the
challenge scene Mr.. JefiersOn's apprccia-
tion of the humor of his role is conspicu.
GUS, and his desperate efforts to retain his
courage in the face of his pumpkin ser
wants terror were intensely amusing.
MIR. Jefferson is to be congratulated OH
his good sense in surrounding himself with
such thoroughly competent support for
1.-THE Rivals is one Of those exacting
pieces that demands thorough attention to
all it's details and prominent as is Mr..
JefferSOn's part it is not So allimpOrtant
as to obviate the necessity for a
full cast of almost equal merit to slls.
tain the performance at uniform strength.
Mr.. Jefferson's impersonation, COM
prising rs it does one OF the best pieces OF
pure fun to he seen OH the stage, shines
like star, but it's luStrc does not dim the
brilliant performance Of the excellent
actors about him. Mrs. John Drew, as
Mrs. Malaprop, carried off a good portion
of tie hOnors SO literally bestowed during
the evening. The stately decOrum with
which she slaughters the kings Eng
lish is the refinement OF appreciaIive hu-
NOR, and every b!under is made in the
spirit Of fervcnt conviction. The scene
between Hrs. Mulaprop and Captain
ABSOLUTE is one of the clevcrest
things in the whole piece, and the
Captains loud ha ha, showing how
keenly he appreciates the ludicrous humor
of the affair. communicated to the audi
ence and set the house in a roar. The bit
of illustrative stage business with the let
ter, she giving to Absolute by mistake one of
the love letters of C1rigger instead of
the intercepted epistle OF the mythical
Becerly, was done with y bridling simpcr
that were simply irresistible. Mr.. Barry
more's Capt. ABSOLUTE, while Mr.. Frederick
Robinson as Sir Anthony absolute gave 4
most excellent piece of cOmedy-acting. In
the quarrel scene with his son, no less than
in his subsequent discovery of the sharp
trick that hopeful has played upon him,
and his enjoyment of the joke,
he furnished 4 very clear idea Of
his capabilities. Mr.. Charles Waverly
as Sir Lucius OIriyger, proved himself a
of genuine merit, and mauifests
a thorough apprehension of his part. Miss
Rosa Rand scarcely developed all the poss-
Utilities of her role of Lydia LanguisA, and
the addition Of a little ginger would not
affect her rendition Of the part.
The less important characters were sus-
tanned in satisf actory style, and the entire
performance was one that will linger pleas
lntly in the memories of those whose good
fortune it was to be present.
Reformed Chassis.
The Synod of the Reformed church in
the United States will convene in Meyers
town, Pa, October Goth. Following are
The delegates from Lancaster classis !:
RcyS w n II SNYDER I p Moore -