The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-26
Tnr Tuglrer LAST NJour-Mrss CAL


HoUy.-As for excellence In tue rhetorlca
art the first point to be considered i Il
! gain the good will OF ones hearers, so with
! the actor or actress his or her success In 8
first performance depends greatly upon the
humor In which be caicbss the audience
! And the fair dfbutdnte Miss Eleanor Cal
boun who IN the role OF Juliet trod for the
first time our Richmond boards, was wei.
comPd last evening by large and brilliant
audience, who were so well and fayOrabIy
disposed towards the young actress that
they seemed ready 10 make her simple
entrance upon the stage very ovation. In
deed, when Lady Capuet miss Blanche
Thompson. whose makeup" and action
was. by the way, rather youthful 10 be In
keeping with the r6ie) C ime on she received
burst OF applause from the many who
mistoOk her for the "new Juliet" they
seemed so anxious 10 honor. When Juliet
did appear The energetic applause which
had beer expended in disappointment was
slow In rigbting itself by giving the young
si2r the generous welcome which had been
intended. Finally, when the seIf-posses-
sion OF the house was reganed The peni.up
feelings, especially 10 the gallery, found
vent for applause in The entrance OF The
popular comedian and old favorite, George
Denham. who persoEated Peter.
To handle so charming a young lady as
The fair df5utdnte, who is just budding into
beautiful wOmanhOod, with the cold, icy
finger OF the critic, is a cruel task; yet we
must confess that the praise which heralded
her coming, sprIngiDg doubtless, a. it did,
from generous hearts. raised our expecta-
ton beyond that which the reality fur
nished. Miss Calhoun i pretty, not beau
tiful. Her aching is careful, well conceived.
and, indeed, 10 a remarkable degree free
from glarng faults for zone so new TO the
stage. Her voice is strong. and even musi-
cal; her actions sometimes exhibiting n
want Of confidence, but never awk-
wardness yet, withal, we cannot say
with truthful conviction from this her first
appearance with us that she has genius.
UnquestiOnably she possesses great dra-
matte talent, and we only wish we could
with unerrlng certainty predict greatness
for the sweet juliet OF last evening. she
was called before The curtain at The end Of
the second and fifth acts, though after the
FIRST erecting the audience did not seem
enthusiastic. Her visit to Friar Lawrence
was perhaps one OF her bestrendercd
scenes. The portion scene was well set,
and her Stage business in ii rather original.
Mr.. j. Il. Malone made typical Romeo,
and while bis acting was acceptable, he was
wanting in force and ardOr for the passion.
ate lover. MI. Barton Hil's Mercutio was
TO our mind graceful and intelligent piece
o! acting, while the Friar Lawrence Of Mr..
ELerle was very good. But excepting these,
and Mr.. Denham as Peter and Mrs. GermOn
as The nurse, the cast w&s about rs ill.,uted
TO support young actress, or indeed any
actress, in such play, as could have been
gotten together. The number Of comedians
IN tragic r6'eS was truly distressing.
We were leased to see the OF chcStra i'm
proved in size. Time and time again have
we been tempted to censule the lack Of
respectable orchestra in the Theatre, and
we are only too pleased that the manage
ment has seen lit to remedy the fault with.
out complaint having been made.
Tonight Miss Calhoun will appear as
julia, i'm "Tbe Hupchback," a play much
better suited to the ability Of the company.