The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-11-06
Theatre.

Last evening the long expected per
torrance of "Guy Faux" took place
and was witnessed by a fair-.ized
audience. The performance was no,
success, and again demonstrates 4
TACT which time out of mind has been
established when put to the test-tbat
mere Is no royal road to excellence.
IL makes no difference how much
ability an individual may possess Is
an actor, he cannot star it without
experience. True. instances are re-
ported where persons have shown
marked dramatic ability from TIE
hrst, such as enabled them to UNDER
take leading parts. and who have
wrought out with astonishing rapidity
the most profound secrets of that
art which 10, or rather should hs
llkest to nature; but such instances
are the rare exceptions of genius, and
Mr.. w. II. Evans. the debutAnte and
hero OF last night, is not = genius. he
should not have been 60 O7srconfident
ss to be unwilling to 70 to q professor
OF elooution and stk If be we're cana
able of rendering bis linss properly.
Had be done 90 and needed the re-
Spouse be would not hEve appeared
last night. Had be appealed 10 an
actor, and taken the advice
Of an intelligent and expert
enced stager, his appearance
would have been indefinitely post
poned. With one or two rare
exceptions, these remarks will apply
to all who appeared with him. We
do not desire to be nDjuetly severe,
but We do desire to impress upon the |
minds OF all persons, whether Young
or old, and be the profession chosen |
what il may, that exoellepce and sue
cess can be secured in but ono way
which il by years Of patient study
and hard and thsnkless toll. Were
il otherwise, labor would lose It's ex
eel ence, it's honor. The piece lAst
evening Was remarkable only as .
failure, such As the experience OF
ages goes to prove it muSt necessarily
have been, and such as any disintersst-
ed and intelligent person could have
predicted. Il must be borne IN nina
that We do not say the performers
Of last evening do not possess natural
ability; many, perhaps all, may be
gifted with every inherent endow-
meDt requisite to make them the
most profound and consummste
artists; but they have not yet learned
the A B O o! this mysterious at, and
should not hope in an hour to display
the ability and ease that can be de
veloped only by hard work and long
practice. This applies to all ANA
teurs, wherever they may be. Il is
best that they should know the
truth at once. and not be be-
guiled into the belief that in
q day they can secure the
coveted prizs of the actor who
feels the inspiration OF bis profession
and whose constant hope is that in
yesrs and by undivided love and
labor he may attain to a satisfactory
degree OF perfection. Those who
cherish any other hope are foolish;
those who are unwilling to work
for success do not deserve it, and kind
and just nature rarely gives it to
hem. L must not be inferred from
Ibis that laot nights performance was
without merit. but the merits we're
lar from sufficient to overcome its
defects, and it is a kindness not TO
make any comparisons. II Mr.. Evans
and his supporters, outside of those
who have had experience, hope to be
come actors, they must commence
where all great actors have COM
the bottom. These re.
marks, while severe. are kindly
meant, and il taken in the spirit in
Ehich they are given, will prove a
benefit inoomparably greater than
hs most elaborate puff or excuse
hat could be given. Our young
riends may not see the truth of this
low, but good sense and time will
how its correctness.