Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-10-15
Al TnE OPERA ii,,IIAE-

TiliotsOn's play "Beimont's BRIDE"
The audience which assembled in Fulton
opera house Saturday evening to witness
the presentation of J. X. Tillotson's new
play, Bolmont's Brido,' was u very
small one, but it was also quito cuthusias.
tic. That it was pleased with tho pieco
whilo it's rendition was in progress is GER
tain Aud yet Mr.. Tillotson's latest effort
may iudiciously DO cassed among some
very yaluelcss dramatic presentations. 1t
has a semblauco of plot, which is ofton
lost sight Of, though II crops out
sufficiently to develop tho fact that
right is about to become trium.
phant over wrong, and the oppressed in
noocnt relieved of all his narrowing an
guiSh by u most happy .hHdl6. This iuco-
hercuco OF plot is not atonod for by
tho dialogue, which is often vapid and is
never brilliant, and, what Is less easily
forgiven IL drags tediously in various parts.
which fault even tho several sensational
incidents cannot brighton up for any con.
tiuuOus period. There is no secret in tho
reason why II catches popular fancy, when
1t is remembered that the gallery gives
most of the applause, aud tho judicious
grieyo for lack of opportunity To present
their merited appreciation. There are some
startling situations, which frequently are
interesting but generally 80 improbable
that this garing defect prodominates over
much of the good that the play possesses,
the amount of which on the whole is not
exceedingly great. lot rs weak as tho
play is, It could bear in several parts ablcr
interpreters. Jirgie Montgomery is tho
heroine, and Marie Prescott essays the
role. Miss Prescott has not made folici
tous selection in choosing the play or
II. ...11
tional actress, but her dolineation of
PlrgIt, albeit il is part calling into
play emotional ability, is not pleasing.
Miss Prescott has somehow got the idea
that she is able TO secure the pIaudts and
the praise OF an audience more 10y actions
than by words, and in her rendition of the
role she presumes to hold the spectators in
breathleSs suspense, by prolonged sup
preston of emotion. She lamcntably fails
in this, because she has not sufficient his.
trionic gcniCuS to depict suffering, pathos
aud anger by action alone with
that naturalness that ia tho result
OF intelligent training and high
dramatic ability. The absence Of
adequate artistic method in her acting
initiates against tho talent she has Of
emotional power, and compcls her 10 rely
more upon studied attitude or gesture
than upon the ability To present the cpl
sodes in her part with that fully realistic
and truthful persOuatiOn which alone is
the happy indication of great acting. In "A
rolo that calls for lighter sontimentalty
than that Of IUgIG Montgomery,
she could do as we'll If not bet
ter. As Clarence Belmont, MIR. Ebon
Plymptou gives a manly and strong delin
cation Of tho character, but he would be
more fortunate and more sensible If he
would mark his false infection upon
certain words and the habit OF halting in
the middle OF a sentence without any Just
reason whatever. The remainder of the
company are variously able in their 70.
spcctiye parts.