, 1881-10-30
Some Comments on Joseph
Jefferson in "The
Rivals.''
Comedy Returns to Haverly's,
and the Irish Drama
to Hooley's.
Other Announcements -- Home
Notes and General Dra-
matte News.

Ono short week was all that Mr.. Jefferson
would give lis. and only three nights of one
| Of the most delightful Of old plays at that.
1t is true Ut many of the standard comedies
! that when indilferently acted they fall very
| flat, but in the hands OF competent actors
arc most delightful and enjoyable. This is
| the cast. witt ''Thc Riyals,;' which requires
| Of every member Of the east Ills or her best
work to insure the success of the whole.
Probably the most effective and nearest per-
feet representations Shcrilall's comedy has
| ever Had in this country were ut WallAck's
several years nga Wien John Gilbert, lester
| Wai!ack, Harry l'eckctt, and Nine. Pouisi
| filled the leading parts. There was in that
| east no "star'' role. 1t WAS the did COM
cdy substantially us written, and its
success then us we'll as the present
SUCCESS or John S. Clarke with the unaltcred
"Riyass" Ii 4 sufficient answcr to tho plea that
All audience woul not Sit through the entire
Eve acts or listen patiently to tho monotonous
speeches NJ F'a!ldni,t tho scntinenta1ity OF tho
love scenes with Julia, or the examinations aud
recrininntons between Lucy and Fay 1t Is
we'll known that Mr. Jefferson has made very
radical changes i'll tho play. lie has cnt it down
from tiyn 10 three acts, has cur out the part of
Jntia entirely, reduced the parts Of Falkland
and Fuy tn very r1o,icst proportions, and has
I4iltlS 1stt} 4fEjLS lIlStEu VI
the leading character in the piece, although hc
l.us left him really only three scenes. There is
much that might he said both for and against
Mr.. .|e!fersons revision. lie himself defends
it stouty and With coEcnr reasoning, and that
tho public approve OF it seems evident from the
largo houses drawn by its representation and
tho enthusiasm with which it is everywhere
greeted. We see no particular reason why the
low comedy part should be exalted above all
~ r},cr tR1 th, nf I'm
wits fully uhont him, nude him 4 subordinate
creation. Hy parity Of reasoning any other
character might 20 alter and rearrange the psNy
That it woltl.l become II ''Ear" piece for Hrs.
aafn S;r inony ,ns sir tMcIx ;'ot or h
the part of Falkland, and III emitting his l'otnt-
less. rambling speeches. the PLEASURE with which
1t, us Leigh Hunt suggests, tho character or
-Ftlstn'l Wis suggested to the author by some
'culpcrs of his own during co.lrtship. sad in-
nlptial lot.
It is interesting; to note that " Tho Rivals
WIS Il success from the start. Df its first repre-
sentatiou i'll Bath in l..a the authors slster-in-
law wrote: There wls very full house; the
play WAS performed nimitably welt; nor did
hear. TO the honor of our Bath actors. one sin-
gle pra:spt the whole night: but suppose tho
poor creatures never acted with such shouts uf
Il e. ne9 The tSs
sooa sayings by tho npplilusc; i'll short never !
saw or heard anything like il: before the actors
opE1Ats la3atf HC&u91 tt4Eil GlaAAliuE.
=" Mr., .tferson's pcrsonatlOn OF Bob Aerss is |
very nearly Il perfect performance. Hazitts !
criticism of the part was that - it was lnade |
fittc Of III the stage, and wheu left to shift fos
itself seem: yapa us it Is forced. llnw llit-
1cren1 nw! 1t is II most finished rendition Of Il
CHARACTER freed from its coarsrucss and cxag- |
ycr>tions AMI raised to Importance by the genius
II its interpreter And Mrs: John Drew ti's. !
-M.airnp> shlrcs with M:: Jefferson tho honors
IF the performance. The part has bccu termed !
"a surE or cross between Strolictts Tdlthd
I's'''n'd: Una Fichlny's Mrs. Slu,sfop." In Mrs.
Drtws huuas ii is 4 most delightful creation. |
Mr.. .lrtycrsnn has interpolattsl some mnlaprop-
islns into tho part. which nro effective
an.l III harmony with it, One instance
which recall is: " There he stands
like Patience on II manteIpiccc." The cpilog was |
MISC written hy Mr.. jefferson. The other pnrts |
were taken by Frederick Robinson, Mark Pen
.lteton. C!mries Wuverlcy, j. T. Galloway.
Thomas Jefferson, II. F. Tnylor, Miss Rose " ood, |
and E'1yena Paul Mrs. Thomas .De!ferson}. J.
Thursday. Friday, and Saturday nights rip
Van Winkle' w:lS viycn to crowded houses All
tho members OF the company except Mrs John
Drew aud Frederick Itobns0n we're in the cast
- Tomorrow hight The Verdi will begin am
other briGi engagement at this theatre, with all |
tho mechanical and scenic effects With which it
was iits; produced ut Walinck's Theatre. New
1urk. aud during tho summer nr McEicker's |
Theatre In this city. In the cnst are Harry |
crisp. Roland Reed, George Morton, II. j. Jor-
lan Miss Grace ltotH, aid Hetty Tracy.