Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-05
THE DRAMA.
Mr.. and MRS. George s. Knight In Baron
NudOlph.''

Mr.. and MRS. George s. Knight In "BxrOn
kudOlPh.''
1t was a subject of general regret that
| such a clever pair of actors as Mr.. ami
Mrs. Geo. s. Knight should have been
suffered to make their bow to the Lancas-
| ter public before such a slender audience
as that which last night assembled at
Fulton opera mouse to witness the rendi-
tion of Bronson Howard's comedy I" Baron
Rudolph" Without dwelling upon this
phase Of the matter, which was one not
complimentary to the dramatic intelligence
| and discrimination Of our people. who
ought to have known the Knights by repu-
tatiOn if not from previous persona! ac-
quaintance. it may be freely admitted that
the entertainment was one Of the pleasant
est and most satisfying that has been pre-
sented here. Of the piece itself it is not
necessary to speak at length. 1t is 4
comedy of the modern school, lacking
i'll the rounded proportions and nice
finish that were once the char
teristic Of this class Of dra.
matte production, but composition emi-
nently adapted to the taste OF this latter
day civilization, to which the public sense
has become accustomed and which it man
ifestly likes and Graves. There is an oc-
casional slight incOherency in the run of
things, and once in while the broad vein
Of improbability that pcrvades the entiro
work is not SO deftly concealed as might
he but after all the story Of the young
German who loses his estates in the old
country, comes to this side of the Atlantic
marries poor girl, goes to the bad and
finally blossoms into full-b!oOdcd speci-
men Of that national type, the American
tramp, only to ultimately recover his ba-
rOnial rank, is for the most part wcll-tOld,
and there is q blending of pathOs and humOr
in its development that play alternately
upon the sensibilities in = manner that
does not fail to touch rcspon-
sive chord in :. nature Of ordinary
imprcssibility. MIR. Knight gives u cap
ital representation of tho titla role. He
has caught the spirit of the part and pre-
scnts it with all the originality of native
genius. As Dancing Rudy. the tramp, he
is veritab!e thing Of shrets and patches
his proud nature all but destroyed !; con-
tinually wearing tho mask of outward
merrimcnt to hide tho broken heart and
the humliated spirit. with only here and
there i, gleam of his patrician birth. Mr..
Knight can fairly no said to equal Joe
Emmett in hiSklelineatiOn Of the German
character, lacking only the latter's re-
markable voice. His dialect is neat.
and there is the same artistic finish in his
work. His humOr is OF fine texture
and in striking contrast with much
that is d;siied up rs character acting"
nowadays and in the mOrc dramatic situa-
tions of the play he showed himself the
pOssessOr of histrionic ability that has tho
ring of the true metal. Mrs Knight, his
charming and talented wife, was as cllccry
and chic as the character Of the daslling
young Widou Dushwood could possibly be
made. The rOlo, it is true, doe: not afford
scope for the display of that round Of va
ried accomplishments of which SO much has
been heard, but the song or two with
which the audience was favored during
the evening displayed an excellent voice,
and in the rendition of the part through
out there S:,s an exuberance Ofspirits that
infected the audience and kept the people
in the merriast of moods during her pres
ence upon tic stage. Mrs. Knight dressed
the part of the cOquettish widow in admir-
able taste, her costumes all being rich and
elegant. +. l.. Walton, as the jolly
Judge .MrribOne, contributed not u
little to the fun, and to his high spirits
and good humOr the saturnine disposition
Of Gen. MtcaLt, a rival suitOr Of the .Judge
for the WdO,c DdshnooTs hand, operated
as an admin able foil. Mr.. G. Str.thmOro
Paxton needs to brush up some Oh
his part Of tho hish-bred villain, whilst
tho remainder Of the cast performed all
that could ,e expected of them in Il very
satisfactory manner.