The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-03-31
"a CELEBRATED CASE"

/ Mr.. John S. Lindsay made his first
appearance in two years at the
Theatre last evening, as Jean Re
maud in "a Celebrated Case" There
was not very large audience, GER
tainly not as large as the piece and
the whole performance merited, but
those present gave Mr.. Lindsay a
very hearty welcome on his en-
trance. "A Calculated Case" is one
of the finest dramas of the kind ever
put upon the boards here, and has
so much of merit in it that an entire
stock company could be cast and
each given a fine part. The plot is
intensely interesting, Is the most
reasonable, and is worked out with
the skill of a cOnSummate artist.
Many of the scenes are tOuchingly
beautiful; and the whole is mas
terpiece. Mr.. Lindsay's absence has
secured for him polish and ease in
manner, as notable results, with
many details that add to an actors
popularity by saving him from that
which is unpopular; yet he is not so
much changed that he would not be
readily recognized. He played the
part Of Jean Renaud, with care, and
in his delineations could be traced
the evidence of a thoughtful cOncep-
ton and a feeling and discriminate
ing execution. 1t was fine piece of
acting, and he well deserved the
call he received at the end of the
third act, (which, however, was Justly
shared with Miss Edith Clawson,
who enacted the part of Ardrienne,
his daughter. Miss Clawson evinces
a rare order of talent, is beautiful,
graceful, easy and possesses force
and vigor, which she uses judici-
ously: while of pathetic emotions
and womanly traits she seems to
possess an unbounded fullness.
Her performance last evening, was
wholly free from the anything of
the amateur, and she appeared like
an old and able artistic. If she con-
tinues in these rapids strides Salt
Lake will be the possessor of a fine
lady actress. Mrs. Ardelle Cummings
played carefully and with rare
effect, a thing she always does, and
in some of the touching and beauti-
full scenes between the sisters-the
most affectionate friends in the piece
the eyes of nearly every person in
the house were filled with tears. InI
many parts there was sly use of
kerchiefs on the part of the ladies,
while the sterner sex found it diff
cult to repress tears. Mr.. A Lee
Clair, as Sergeant, simply eclipsed
himself, and it is in all earnestness
stated that he carried off a big share
of the honors. All his speeches
were well delivered and were re-
productive of unstinted laughter,
while his business was very fine. |
Mr.. LeClair proved that there
was a vast deal more in
him than had been be |
lieved by many. He surprised !
his best friends. Mr.. Harry
Taylor did very well. He
is steadily improving, and is rapidly |
up; a thing we are pleased |
to note. Mr. J. N. Hardie, for one |
inexperienced, played his part very
well. The other characters, eX-
cepting Miss Ruth Jones, who did
well, and Miss LeClair,
were but indifferently per-
formed. Some of the lesser char
acters did not know their lines,
and caused several disagreeable de-
lays in consequence. Little Miss
Tessie Clawson must not be over
looked. She did remarkably well
also. On the whole the perform
ance was a marked success, and the
audience was kept in a state Of
wrapt attention to the close. The
only thing to be regretted is that
the house was not larger.