The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-11-10
KEENE, THE TKAGEDIAN.
ChicugO's Fnror Repeated In ST. Louis
Over His Appearance.
He is Compared to the Elder Kean and
the Elder Booth.
His Richard ILL.,, Hamlet, Shyloek and
Riehelieu Revelations in Art.
MEMPHIS, Nov. 9th

AEAFAlss NOV DAA
The Chicago rush to see the great American
Iragedian, Ihos. " keene, has been repeated
In this city, where al Leubries Theatre last
Monday, he made his initial bow before s
memphis audience. In spite of q rainy week
the weeks business has been enormous and
every evening long before the curtain rose the
management were compelled TO place at the
door the legend standing room only" This
was exactly the case in Chicago. ST. Louis,
Louisville, Nashville and this will or | am
very much mistaken, be the case in your
town, and In every city in the country where
he viii appear during the season In Chicago
and St. Louis he became the fashion Just as
I Edwin Booth became the IA shion some years
ago, and as Sara Bernhardt will become
should her American manager be clever
enough to get her TO this country and, when
/ an artist becomes the pet of society the mass
/ es Immediately take TO him and make of him
lido.
1 Thomas ". Keene, of course could never
have aroused the stir that has been created
/ ha1 not possessed two things-frst, he Is en-
lowed with those qualities that make great
artists, and, second, he is blessed with a man
ager IN whom the entire country has full con-
n fence. They know what they owe him in
bringing to their notice Modjeska for really
he was the handspring of that venture and
they also know how much he had to do in plac-
lag Robson and Crane before the American
people. He has been associated only With the
best theatrical enterprises and the quality of
these enterprises has left confident feeling
IN the minds OF play -goers that whatever he
touches will be worthy of their best patronage.
The people of Chicago and St. Louis knew com
paratively little Of Keene for his great per-
tormances during the last years have been
IN The East and in San Francisco, and in
England; but the man was endorsed By Hay
den, and the people, remembering his record
went IN thousands to see him. What did they
ma They found in keene a trage.lian who I
revived the glories of the legitimate drama /
and who aroused the theatrical Ell thusiasm /
that used to be aroused by the elder Kean and |
the elder Booth. They found in Keene the /
nall yH4Jp do 4
the father of Edwin Booth figures that will /
stand prominently in the historic pages IF the /
drama as long as the drama exists. As in the |
acting of Edmund Kean and the elder Booth
so there Is in the acting of Thomas w. Keene |
that magnetism which enthralls audience,
that power which awes, that subtlety which
charms, that refinement which captivates,
that electric spark which thrills, and that i'm
agInation which sways at will humanity. I'm
like these great tragediaus of the past, how
ever, Mr.. keenes acting is not characteriz-
ed by that amplitude of action and that ex-
travaganc" of gesture which belongs to an
etete theatrical school, bnt partakes of
that artistic hnesse pertaining to the French
school of the Nineteenth century. On Mon
day night he opened Richard Ill No such
enthusiasm was ever witnessed as wit
messed during that performance. When he
came upon the stage the audience at once felt |
themselves in the presence of the Richard
drawn by the poet-the Richard who was born
to play the dog, the Richard who is subtle,
has and treacherous," the Richard who has
hIled the happy earth with ''cursing cries and
deep exclaims, and who with ''well-gov
erned arm carves his way to the throne of
England. The verdict of Chicago has been
lndorsed here-that there has been no such
of the part in this country
and that if he never played another part he
could realize gigantic fortune out of this one
But several of his other
Characters are equally good. No such Shy
lock as Keenes is on the stage to-day. 1t is
skillfui, bold ard original His Hamlet is ,
ntr6spective-a picture of princely dignity,
hlial love, ineffable grace, and bears the :
stamp of lofty and poetic Imagination. His :
Ricnelieu may well be ranged with Edwin :
3ooth 8 acting in the first three acts, for the
subtlety with which he brings out the satiri-
cal cunning of the Cardinal and the conspic
lous manner in which he exhibits the domi-
nant passion of Frances ruler--love of coun-
Try; while in the great curse-scene, where he :
saves ulia from the licentious king he reveals
4 power and tragic force possessed by no
other actor on the American stage. His Othello 7
? the weakest performance in my judgment, {
n his whole repertoire yet it has been well S
received and applaudei by the critics. !
Keene's wonderful success is gratifying in 1
wo 1t is gratifying to all lovers of r
lrt, and it is gratifying to those who believe t
'ecognize genius whenever it comes before t
hem.
Mr.. Keene will appear at Rohinsons Opera !
House, in this city, on Monday evening, Nov. i
9TH appearing in his great representation of
Richard III. I
Seats can now be secured at Ledbetters 7
Drug Store. 4