New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-15
- & IlA71fa - = 9
THE DRAMA.
,,,c,,-1 oIrcU IN LONDON.

l.. nt
sa,ved most enthusiastic welcome at the hands OF
~ audience representing every branch Of art ana
,,..a+,re Int he scored really legitimate success
m ondon newspapers with their notices OF hiln'
- since then been received and it is easy To See
~ reading Of them, that, while the English crit
+. "a is psnal are reserved, and somewhat inclined
notronizng airs and hair-splitting logic Inc gen
.ral verdict is one Of respect and suprScd aoi''i"
80 NI. Mccullough, in fact, has won hio'o III
80 DAYS than Edwin Booth won IN seveiai ",cNN-
.hrcb now the latter has established MS Nc'"iS
,arond question OF dispute the transition rom VIZ
fo,5-st 10 the ncighborhoOd of the strand IaNi"t'
,trough climatic influence, changed ms O"e'o ln''
aTeat work 1.....;.,. lie had
NJ Mccullough came forth in Jirg"'S. lie n"u
acted in Drury Lane Theatre and was hot
ooorainted with the acoustic properties o. '"'
Ionse and il appears that he did NOT ~ alI mo-
-. pi,cb his voice in Tie right key hi' low
,crs almost inaudible. Most observers "oHlu
-, ,,;e nc o temporary blemish, to be removed
- so,,l,less II was.-the next night. MI Mc'ui-
IL rossesses n Great voice and has given careful
,,;oc and sindv 10 the training OF It, ana '' inc
,,roner pronnnciation of the English ianSna-. ="
tlot II may safely he assumed that The s'h'I' ~
oe Of his critics as to his alleged weakness III ''.'
,,articrl.r. basby this time boon removed In'"
nrinions are interesting however, ana s""''''i'"'
amusing. ,.-.t ~, .,ro,rc
ne Timois saddcnod by thoughts OF INC ."'nH'
negligence Of M Mccullough as 10 The ca'| '"""
ofhi> voice but it was moved tothe loIo'I"b sum"
of recommendation Of the work in general;
Mr.. NcCnllcuehs TrqiHirs was on ne Wl,. Woe 4
-o,rcrfnI if rot always q pleasing. prlvl'H' ..'''
tls oppcarance was manly and impress. r ".7 H.
xbere he aid NOT strain il too far, despite i"it'I
id acceut wa. clear and fun his siura> often
s;,',,orlr. natural qud striking. Uls tt-i g,-.'
We're vii n his daughter. and after MS :. ,o,|
II was I'm the longer speeches ttr more lh-
,o.sioped passages that VI. Meg uiouf1 i'i,
Simoet every actor mist fan M the C!tN "-'" ,"'
art Of sI,cal,Incis q lost art. Here ms H1l','
came laborcd ms action sometimes 1niUN H1Ir"
nor always appropriated % the tcN' Aa u "'
tiue. almost song vl.houj Nout-, an " Hii.s .'
,.h"t harsh and unnu,cal Bnt regarding
The performance generally. to,alhngH ait'I"Hl" '-
whole II left sense of pOwcrana luiclhs'iCr .h"'
l,,avs 1ry highly tutoTcd. and here and th.r.
I;t-ie In, violent too CXtPvgg1ut Tor lt1t -t't-
uess hrr on tine whole, wcighty and STRIKING
The l,loyaph is more explicit; " hrr once ne
tr1gcdian warmed thoroughly To Ia, work, pulcI
ont the stops Of his splendid voice iT'I 'i' o.u
boards of prury lane with s9icI9, 81 aao u'E,lS
In which this weak and hau-heuJitd age l- uhi'-
crstomed filled The stare with his pres ir', .no
sp rgostel 10 us what the tragedy OF another iiht
MIGHT have re,einhlcd, then the cheers raued down
,,1Cn him and the stranger was made az home "ith
calls and congratulations again and agtn rcr''r''
IL Is MOI too nilch 10 say tnal d i.icI u ,
had If We are to believe statues, coins, picture,
and all that has been handed down 10 Us from "I
II.
IN lis sandals The well-mOuided classical features
the thick bun neck. the fine torso, the s@pey arms
and limbs the massive alIearano', a' p,, 'lo
pure and absolute. And he IS more than mere pc
fure of Roman: there is nobility and there is gran
w;rc,pd sarSasm rage and forced quiet Of the scene
where TirginiBs hears of his daughter danger ~
III be patient will be SO patient. ne curse on
Appias ClaHdius the thrilling sneer M his guinness,
an these broad effects told far better than thos dli-
cate lights and shades in the first domestic scene
with Tirqind, the agony of the murder, or all ue
waived and beautiful points in the madness. II ~
easy TO see that Mr.. Mccullough could huSh an
audience 10 silence with those deep tones % Nhl'h
the voice constantly sinks; but they pass 81 ava
10 the back of the stage and were lost only at NJ
ful intervals the actor seemed g master the apathy
nj MS audience. but ne was NJ his best artist
and q thinker when he made the least erect
The Post-implyIng the erroneous doctrine that
acting should be Observation-Disclosures that;
Mr. Mccullough is not 20 much an actor as an elo-
euti0nst. He gives distinct and correct uttcI0hcr
"a the text and that no doubt IS something 10 hc
thankful for in these days of sloyenly, ssh0d de-
livery when so much Of what Is spoken on me
stage is not heard clearly elsewhere III the house; II
an actor at all he Is certainly an octnr on sunni
plan. His measured cadence, MS slow prtmtdltdltu
action-eyerythng about HIM bcspeaks "a iofE'Ac
conclusion. Hence his Performance wants spgniAn-
civ and freshness OF light and shade lac knows
but little, of middle tones still less lushi"d IN 'hc
treatment of hucs and the contrast and comhga-
ton of delicate tints, he is not what painters can
"cOlOiist though not without merit a. tiliurii ~
man. In the earlier scenes OF the tragedy l7 81 tl
was correct enough IN all that related To- ie simple
recitation of the poets words. IN when II was
"letter-perfcct' lint II had no CLEAN OF fancy, %.
glow Of poetic imagination. rs The yl4v proceeded
he actor rose at times To the toTVor OF tir tr1ilo
md There were now and then occasions SO 20 lt
seemed 10 lIndle wthtHc Ere of trlr passion. Ntl
again did he excite So much enthusiasm q. ~ I,'
ardent delivery of the indignant speech "ltl1 WINCH
the third act closes =
Paucncci Prudence!
Nay. prudence, but nc patience.
This was spoken not only with judiciors cmrho D.,
but also with intense earnC tncss and brilliant al
Uation. But with the exception Of TIA, and o4'
other 0uthurst of genuine emotion, that 3D. Wfnru
having slain bis doug.ttT ne G''1lD -!FElF
Ciogd,Bs with her innocent blood To- ne ni,lh"
gods there was nothing in Nh NctuIough~ pr
Torrance 20 raise II above the dull level %, m,di'c
Tie Globe affords this testimony: a brilliant
success was scored For The warm VI uu' ar
corded Nj Mccullough as a stranger when De- ii-i
came upon The stage There was substituted before
The fall Of the curtain enthusiastic AND cIinoi.u
applause, and tine actor, as soon "a, the ntr'uuci"
scenes were over ana ne s1loN"E s.'t'al,'G We ~
reached. was summoned eioro tic cuman lr'e oi
four times at the end Of every act. Inc signs o
approval. moreover. proceeded from no Clique "i "i
house Very special gifts are possessed 10y Mr. Ne
CUlOuCh, and the more notable OF thcs" are
seen to advantage in tho part be nov
essays. Mr. McCulOughs style IS Hrc, ht
: ' good. He has command of facial PLAY
his compass of voice is extensive ms reading IS IN
tegeni and he is free from all tendency To eXtrav
agancc. Against these advantages, or posse -siOiS
II may DC urged that the lower range OF VOC oi
which in the early scenes Mr.. Mccullough relies, j.
not too audible in theatre like Drury Lane {; tina
dignity is accompanied with something not unlike
1omality and that the acting, even when mos
powerful ia deficient in electricity WheI
the tide of passion stirred Mr.. Mccullough
though still selfcontaincd, showed the value of l
powers and the worth Of his training and the grca
scene in the forum, In which the immOlatiOn of BIZ
daughtcrwaS accomplished. had somcthiugm sic
The pOint then reached was maintained through The
concluding scenes of madness. and the strangliug O
4PPlus ClasdiRs produced a strong effect
The Dale hGrs says: Mr. Mccullough Il no
ON actor OF very commanding presence, nor doe
his countenanee ktrike Tire hehnldrr M I'm.