New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-25
THE DRAMA.
,,p 1rrrrpsoN AS DIR. OLLAPOD.

Colman's comedy of 1.-THE Poor Gentle
man was produced by Mr.. Jefferson on inc o'n ii''
at the Arch Street Theatre Philadelphia ana 'hc
dian enacted Dr. ORapod for the hrst time N yeaS
The Philadelphia Inquirer gives this account Vi 'o ia
teTesting event: -, a.
manner as 60 make II conform somewhat 10 the IeIi
ments Of for eo ane emraed Of
one of its fair propsrSns nor cs 80 eIaenS scker
the sanctity OF the Legitimate text a ,,h,,o we
Or OInDod must be always Colmans, anu Will VIII VI
may lanyb M him up6n the stage, should prefer no'
30 Savs him either compound our sleeping Potos com
mand armies or thrust his egs unle e,i of ynear
presnmnton dull ms )lence tricky; playing upon Wo,I
TO cheaper wit of the raggedest mora. ~ non with
pliciously drol and grotesque manner OF man Mat
whom ON aidience NAV enjoy excellent tooing II geat
artist like Mr. Jefferson, discalng his oN FIotrv that
Coman drew That was what Mr. jefferson qua as wc y,
as It possible for one OF his t h anu ose bumor
do He was in full sympathy WIN Tue Iod then,
~ the nartsaw ali its capabilities ana eXpesseu m
in such fashion to conyulse the audence hnmoT
Of the paTt is lost but the Buronian breadth is happS
through all, softenng the color ana reilhins 'u' "a
preston ,,, q ,rasonted in three acts
IN has bee, unable recast it In the spirit of
tbe nrosept time. 1t has an ancient ana usty naNon
abont il still and. though the HarrowDy fanny nIo
get away there vet remain the stepping measure
of the comedy of hundred years ago. ana tDe sentiment
witch II NOT in itself artificial, at least seems so 10 ears
70 the quick patter of tO-days society com
edy But this old comedy Is rarely g0Od one, anu ~
no always is the attractive figure of the stage; but
was not until the second that lie seemed to feel the
sronnd firm under his feet his grasp upon the part
ossnre1 In the first act he appeared at odds with all
the theatres traditions OF OUdDOd His tOnch was TOO
light and uncertain; he hundred years younger
than the honorable Lucrehd Mac Tai Mrs Drew who
in part speech dress and address the very Mnesa
that Colman dreamed and schemed-th Is to say Mr.
Jefferson playing modern comedy during nuel ol
the first act while Mrs. Drew was playing old comedy
In the second act Mr. jefferson was master OF hhsei
and Of the character He bad got firm grip upon II,
and did not previously permit the part 10 clu9e MN
for single instant A fine spirit OF mpudent, quzLchi
drOery pervsded every speech and line OF IT. eNoKnS
tumults of laughter. -
Nothing finer In the way of comedy acting has ever
been upon stage than the first scene between
Ollap0d and NiSs Mac TAB All that genius ana expe-
rcnce could do TO make acting perfect was done III tns
between those two great artists OF COMEDY ey
took up the ball OF wit and hnOr and tossed from one
to the other with such skill, grace and brliancy OF
speech and act 20 dazzle the crowded. dehghtcu
house. In all subsequent scenes, when MT Jeneisoh
and Drew had the stage 10 themselves they 1uucu
new aurcs already wOn Their successes pelhs
many great and cumulative. TO praise elther ABOVE
desert would he IMPOSSIBLE for they reached again ana
again the point of excellence beyond whlch the mimic
art cannot go. The comedy well cast throughout,
and among those who distinguished themselves were
Mr. Robinson Sir Robert Brdnbte ana MI MdNeIly az
Humphrey DOGbins. They won great applause ana
deserved IT, Miss Rose Wood, MI ShewGI, Mr.
Hemple Mr.. TAYLOR, Mr. knggOld ana Mr.. InQinds
Jefferson filed with more than common acceptaput!'
their respective parts