The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-12-19
ADJUSTMENTS.
Miss Bertha Welby In "OliveI
Twist
A Fine Performance Spoiled by Lament
able Display Of Ignorance And
BOorishness

very, very small audience ii was
that gathered in the Opera House last
Saturday evening to witness the pre-
sentatiOn of "0liVer Twist" by Miss
Bertha Welby and her excellent dram
attic company. Small audiences were
the rule last week, but unlike most
rules, it was without one solitary re-
deeming exception. A vast, painful and
depressing number of empty seats stared
the different companies exaspeTatingly
in the face at each performance. This is
greatly to be deplOred, as better round
of entertainments has seldom, if ever,
been given here in one week as were
those of last week, particularly the
plays presented by Miss Welby and her
company, which are all of the highest
order. and were performed in "a style
and manner that meTited far more
liberal amount of patronage than was
accorded the company.
1t is true four companies and six per-
fOTmances in one week is little more
than Canton can conveniently stand at
this stage of its growth and in its pres
ent financial condition; still, in the gem
eTal nature of things, one at least of
these performances ought to have at
tracted a respectfully sized audience, but
not one of them did, and mOre's the
pity. Those who failed to attend the
performance of "Oliver Twist" SatuT-
day night, missed a rare dramatic treat,
as the representation of the play was a
splendid one throughout its entire
length. Miss Welby as Nancy Sykes"
rendered the part i'll very fine manner,
and in the tragic scenes she displayed
great power, particularly so in the muir
der scene, where her acting was thrill
ling, and far SurpaS 5ed anything IN the
tragic line that has been seen here for
some time. The "Bill Sykes" of Mt.
John HazelTigg was exceptionally good,
and brutal enough for all purposes, Mr..
Robert p. Gibbs did the "ATtful DOdger"
to perfection, while Mr.. Chas. HOward's
"Fagin" was also good, as was the
"Oliver Twist" of Miss Eta Mizener.
Yet all this fine acting went
for naught, and the many humOT-
Gus and highly pathetic points of
the play fell as fiat as the traditional
pancake. The audience present num-
beTed abOutA15O persons, the greater part
of which was little bit the worst in
point of common deceucy that ever dis
graced the inside of an Opera House.
Such outrageous conduct as was mani
tested by these mullet-heads was never
seen; brutal is no name for it; lot of
dwelling idiots could not have acted
worse than they did. Hhey seemed to
have no conception of the nature of the
play that was being performed for their
benefit, and laughed outright at all the
most touching scenes. The superb act
ing of Miss Welby and Mr.. Hazelrigg
in the terrible scene where Nancy Sykes
is murdered by her husband, they
thought extremely funny, and greeted
it with loud outlaws, good many men
and women who lay claim to the possess
afn NJ fnC nd nj fnfp -,
the Hnseemly mirth. But we are happy
to state there were some among the au-
dience who were thoroughly disgusted
at the Ignorance and Tudeness displayed
by their bOOrish neighbOrs, and who did
not hesitate to express their feelings in
pretty strong language. These few
were acquainted with the play, and
were we'll pleased with the way in
which its scenes were acted by Miss
Welby aud her company; but their en-
jOyment was greatly marTed by the ILL
hammered demonstrations of the gil
lys" who thought they were being re-
galed with the performance of farci-
cal comedy. 1t was a sad, very sad COM
mentaTy on the dramatic taste of Can
ton audience, and the most charitable
construction that can be placed upon it
is, that 1t was caused by sheer ignOr-
ance of the character of the play, and
the source from which the scenes were
drawn.
We would respectfully recommend to
these br8iDl less b8rbarlans a perusal of
Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist, 80
that IL at any future time the play of
the same name is given here, they will
be in a proper condition to witness
its representation.
The Opera House wss pretty we'll
filled with good sized audience last
night, to witness the performance of
Joshua WhitcOmbe"by Deuman ThOmp-
son and his company. MIR. Thompson
as "Uncle Josh" was iTresistab e, and
kept the audience screwed up to the
laughing point from the beginning to
the end of the piece. His support was
of the very best kind, and the whole
company deserve nothing but the high
est praise for its fine. spirited acting.
And, Oh, what an orchestra that wasl
What JOY and pleasure its splendid mu
sic awakened III the breasts Of its audi
tOrsl 1t was simplya new revelation in
the music line, aGd every selection was
received with loud bursts of TapturOus
applause. We shall sadly miss its pres
enee.
THE RENTz-SANTLY BURLESQUE COMPANY
Will appear this evening, i'll a very anu
SluR buEeGldiuulBul, anu no uOuDb Will
be greeted with full house. The Buff
falO Courier speaks as follows in regard
to this company:
"A musical interlude. entitled "Our
Social Club" opens the entertainment,
and it Is Teplete with humOr, comic and
sentimental songs, followed by strong
OliO of speeialties, represented by Euro
pean and American artists, among
whom may be mentioned Mss Alice
Townsend, the fayorite OpeTa-b -bOuffe and
burlesque artistic, whose handsome pres
ence, sweet voice and winning ways
we'll entitle her to the leading position
in this organization.
The programme closes with a sensa-
tiOnal burlesque, founded on the Opera
of Carmen, entitled Don jose" (the
Spanish Dude). with Miss Townsend as
Don Jose"
HOOP OF GOLD.
On tomorrow, Thursday evening,
Mortimer MurdOch's drama entitled the
Hoop Of Gold" will be given by a splen
did company, who have met with great
success wherever they appeared. The
Hoop Of Gold is said to be an exception
ally strong play, and was originally