Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-01
FRANK MAYO.

His Merits a. an Actor In the Legitimate
and the Injustice Of Crities-His Mac
beth Last Evening.
The faults and weaknesses of Frank Mayo.
acting have been pointed out and dwelt upor
Of late with persistency suggestive of mslev
olence. The excellencies Of his art have,
on the other hand, been unwillingly acknowl
edged, or have passed without recognition
1t is understood of course that we refer to Mr.
Mayo's treatment during his present season
for every newspaper reader knows that hardly
any other actor had received more cordial
welcome or been more highly praised than he
up to the time when he abandoned Crockett
and started out to win for himself
that reputation as portrayer Of
Shakespearean character to which every
ambitious actor aspires. That Frank Mayo il
possessed of strong dramatic talent was long
since conceded by the very critics who now
but a second edition Of Crockett, and who fol
his especial discontinue and injury have
given us new word Crockettisms.
We say that these criticisms, unrelieved by
a single word of commendatioD, are suggest
i've molevolence, and yet upon second thought
we incline to the opinion that while malice
may have been the first cause, the love OF the
immitative has really had much to
do with the matter. Some writer
such a violent transition as that from the SEN
sational to the legitimate fell upon Mayo at the
beginning of the season, and straighway the
other so-called critics along the line took their
cue and began the work of limitation. It is
time that different course should be pur-
sued. Faults and weaknesses Mr.. Mayo un.
doubtedly has in common with his fellows OF
the stage, but like them also he has his excel
lencies and the former by no means overbal-
be odious, and yet we believe
that the best way of determining an actors
merits is not per Sc, but by comparison. Com
pared with Booth and Barrett and McC ullough,
Mr.. MAYO would undoubtedly be the sufferer,
but these are the three greatest names on the
the American stage. Compare him, however,
with any of the other tragedlans, who win ap-
plause and shekels from the public, and the
positions are reversed.
Any candid person, who witnessed Mayo's
ippersonation of Macbeth last night, would
no more think of comparing it to that of Tom.
Keen, than he would OF comparing q
diamond to dunghill, and it is not too much
to say that in the banquet scene no more DOW
erful and realistic stimulation of terror than
that at the Opera house last night, was ever
before seen on the local stage. Nor is it not
too much to say that in spite of some defects,
the Macbeth OF Mayo Is, as . whole, an ad-
mirably balanced, well conceived and artistic
personation, rising at times to the topmost
heights of dramatic art, and never sinking
to the level Of mediocrity. The audience evf-
IDENTIFY forgot the critics for the nonce, for the
applause was frequent and the recalls we're
numerous. The support, as whole, was far
above the averages, and George G. Boniface
and Jennie Jewell Hotchkiss, are deserving of
special mention for the really clever work
they did in their respective roles Of MacDa1f
and Lady Macbeth. 55.sr~ -
This evening" Mr.. Mayo sppslfs - Hamlet.