Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-15
THE DRAMA.
Mrs. ssott-S,ddons rs Kos.iiDd.

The severe criticism which the dramatic
work of Mrs. Scott -SiddOns has undergone
during the past week in the Philadelphia
press prepared those Of our people who
have read the extended reviews that daily
appeared in the columns OF the newspapers
OF that city for = very unsatisfactory and
imperfect performance last evening,
when this lady appeared at the opera
house III Shakspeare's comedy Of As
You Like IT, The ccnsoriOus Judgment
Of these Philadelphia critics. however, did
not suffice to prevent a large and cultured
audience from assembling to witness the
production of the comedy with Mrs. Scott
SiddOns in the role OF its charming hero
inc. For the lady has strong and
kindly following among our people, who
probably took this means oil attesting
their continued friendship and q purpose
to accord her fair hearing in spite Of the
pillows of adversely that have rolled over
her devoted head from tho rude ocean Of
Philadelphia criticism. To be fOrewarned.
however, is to be fOrearmed, and whilst
Mrs. Scots-SiddOns is liked and admired
here, many Of our people have an implicit
faith i'll the Oracular uttersnces Of some
of the Philadelphia papers upon all sub
jects, whether they relate to politics,
science, art, the drama. or what and
it was III consequence Of this faculty Of
unbOunded belief that last nights audi
ence, after the exuberance of its first cor
dial recognition had subsidized, settled itself
back suspicious'y and cautiously awaited
developments. At the Ortsct Of her
acting Mrs.. Scott-Sil,lons gave promise
of justifyins the lctt-handed compli-
mcnts that had been SD unreservedly
bestowed by her august Philadelphia
critics. She surprised all who have been
charmed with her almost perfect elOcutiOn
upon the rostrum by hurried and alto
gether mOnotonOus delivery Of her lines
that even the best trained ear failed to
catch entirely. There was manifest ncr-
vOus fear that the words were about to
flee her memory before she had time to
utter them and with no thonght of their
true mcanin" she gave them free flight
in q tolie Of voice that must have been to-
tally inaudible i dozen rows from tho
fOOtlishts. 1t was palpable case Of
| stage fright. wl.icl, did not, however, long
continue. Mrs. Scott -SildOns gradually
gained cOniid nee in herself, and the i'm
prOvement in her defamation, which was
noticeable III the second scene in which she
appeared, increased with the progress If
the play the beautifully rounded sentences
OF the text took on i meaning as they fell
from her lips. and their mOdulated ex-
preston found reflection in the delicate
play of her features. Soon tho audience
began to catch glimpses Of the ROsalind of
Shakespeare, and to recognize the evidence
of dramatic genius OF which the earlier
scenes had given no token. The fair
heroine seemed to gather strength from
the moment she dunned male at
tire, and her impersOnation Of the
merry, capricious boy was an excel
lent piece of work out and out. She gives
the masculine phase Of the character
q prominence not customary with the ira
ditiOual conceptions of the part. In the
Rosalind Of Mrs. ScOtt-SiddOns We have
the playful, light hearted, quick-witted lad,
full Of sunshiny words, wilful wayward-
ness, and merry laugh that betrays how
thoroughly she is enjoying her masquerade;
while the feminine element underlying the
character is Eot overlooked, and was skill
fully developed in some of the scenes with
Orlando, in which there is some charming
by play and rapid changes of facial ex-
preston finely Indicative of the con-
flicting emotions that fll the
breast o. the heroine, whose very
efforts to repress her wOmanly in.
stincts so nearly betray her ON more Oc-
casiOns than one. Notably excellent was
her action in the scene where she mischiev-
Ously banters the love .lOrn Orlando to i'm
| agine her to be his ROsdltnd, and to make
love to her, and the ecstatic expression Of
her cnuntenance when the youth laugh
ingly kisses the hand Of his supposed male
companion as he leaves her was not lost
upon the audience, whose sympathies had
been quickly engaged. The scene in
which the fair masqucrader is rendered
the handkerchief stained with her hcrO's
blood was Il capital piece of acting, and
as the curtain descended upon it the lady
was rapturOusly called before the curtain,
as she had also been at 4 previous stage
of the play.
All in all, Mrs. Scott-SiddOns, while not
presenting Il thoroughly finished piece of
work. may be said to have totally dis
proved the exceedingly harsh judgment Of
some of her Philadelphia critics. There
are indeed some faults which she should
devote herself to overcoming, chief
anon. which is that alluded to at the out
set Of this article {; her defamation, though
it showed wonderful improvement in the
latter stages Of the performance, was still
marrcd by Il too rapid delivery ; earnest
study will enable y lady of Mrs. Scott
Siddons's natural gifts and endOwments
to speedily overcome this Obsta-
Gle to the perfect enjoyment of
her acting. The entire command of facial
expression which she possesses in such an
eminent gree will not avail where the
words oi :iIe text are spoken too fast and
with imperfect enunciatiOn. Then she
needs t" more thoroughly sink her own
identity into the character which she is
representing. SO Us at no time to leave her
| audience in doubt as to whether it is the
dainty Mrs. Scott SitlliOns or tho lovely
Rosalind in the disguise of boys apparel.
| Her long absence from the dramatic stage
and habits formed upon the platform
readily account for these imperfectiOns,
and renewed familiarity with the exacting
requirements of the drama and intelligent
application may be relied upon to soon
give Ecran enviable position among the stars
Of Shakspearean comedy. She supplements
native histrinnic talent with apparent
youth undOubted beauty and grace pos
sesses an artist eye to effect, and is fully
capable OF distinguishing what is purely
conventional from what is positively dra-
| matte.
Mrs. Scott-Siddons is fortunate in a
thoroughly competent support. The
Orlando of Mr.. Luigi Lablache was
manly and really artistic impersOnation.
Mr.. CoOpcr's I0uchstone evinced careful
study of the part and developed consider
able humor. Mr.. Pearson gave a fiI5t-ratc
Interpretation of the part Of Adam, and
the other members OF the cast filed out
the bill quite satisfactorily Miss Isabel
Morris, lady apparently new to the stage,
s.,AD