Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-01-06
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THE DRAMA.
Last Nights Play at tho Opera House.

Last 1SlSHG D flay at the Spera mousse
Perhaps it is it's similarity of theme and
identity Of purpose with the latest produc
tion of Mr.. Gilbert's humorous conceit
that gives to Mr. Burnand's comedy Of
"The Colonel - the warmed.up flavor that
such 4 large proportion OF last nights
goodly audience at the opera house de-
tected to greater Or less degree in the
performance by Mr.. Eric Bayley's COM
pany. Tho funny London editor, when he
started out to make game Of tho false
considerable portion of fashionable society
across the Atlantic, and upon this side of it
too, failed to bring to his work that faculty
Of original design which is such Il marked
characteristic of his more acute confrere
From the musty records Of the old English
drama he tished cut q disused play,
dressed it up in transcendental dialogue
with the necessary adjuncts of sun
flowers and water lilies, and sent it
out to the world rs y satirical bur
!! lesque of 4 prevailing popular folly. 1t
is unnecessary to institute comparison to
show wherein his performance pales in the
light of the superior genius of the author
of "Patience,' and yet people who have
witnessed both could not help mentally
making tho contrast even while laughing
their merriest over the iudicrous situations
which last nights play undoubtedly oxhih-
its. Burnand is grOtesquely funny where
Gilbert is subtly satirical, and not infre-
quently does the contrast become still
more sharply defined when in the minds
eye of the observant spectator the coarse
conceit of the English joker is reflected
upon the background of the Scotchman's
refined humor. At the same time there is
no denying the characters in 'Tha Colonel
are quite skillfully drawn, the dialogue,
though for the most part "Only idle chat
ter,' is of the transcendental kind which
our t!eshly poet pronOunces so potent with
the devOtees Of true high art, and which
surely served to amuse the commonplace
type who made up last nights audience.
The action is slow, lacking visihly in dra
matte effect, save in one two instances
where it is made to trench somewhat closely
upon the Ausustin Daily style OF business,
and where too is notable something OF 4
similarity to a recent production of that
clever dramatist and poet, Mr. Sims.
Mr.. Bayley's company includes q num-
Der of very competent players, but he him
self carried off tho greater portion of the
honors of the evening. AS Col. WooH-
cool ". IF0odd, {. 8. Cngalry, he gave all
altogether refreshing impersonation. and
was about rs commonplace q person, OF
the earth earthly, as the most material dis
position would care to see. The offhand,
frank, clever gentleman from the outset,
with {. keen apprehension of the difficult
ties environing his old-time friend, the
brusquc manner in which he sets about
relieving him is at once characteristic and
effective. His little catch phrase, "Why,
'nly,' did not obtrude itself extensively
upon the audience, but on the contrary
invariably came with 50 much natnralnoss
that it constituted quite point in the
dialogue, and made a hit. Tie support
was all that could have been reasonably
desired, notably worthy of praise being
Mr.. &. Z. FlOckston, whose Lambert
Streyhe, the apostle of;estileticism, was an
clever Characterization Leslie |
Edmunds, as BosN Geo'gione, also all
:esthete and only less Of a humbug than !
his monumental uncle, was a very funny |
person, and Mr.. T. f. Webber, as
RschGrd Forester, victim of mother
in law, gave very fair representation of
the popular conception of that character,
OF the ladies, Miss Maria Davis was
massive and intensely utter Miss Mindha |
Bayley was very ethereal in the role of |
Wire, and there was sprightliness about
Miss Therese Walden's Nellie and Miss
Rachel Sanger's Mrs. Blythe, both Of whom
were anything but aesthetic, that Won for
them plenty of favor with the audience.