New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-04
THE DRAMA.
RE.ENrRANcE OF MR.. JEFFERSON.

The Third Avenue Theatre was opened last niehA
and Mr. Jefferson appeared there as Rip Pan WimkH
in this way giving valuable emphasis to an inn
portant event. and beginning tho work Of his ne y
season. The now house 10 situated in Third-svs..
near the southeast corner Of that avenue and
Thirty-first-st and it Is under the management Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Mckee RANKIN.
The structure Is not ono Of exceptional beauty.
either inside or outside; but 1t is commodlous and
comfortable and when lighted, a. 1t was last night
by the electric process. 1t presents cheerful aud
sufficiently handsome appearance. The building
measures go feet 'front.' by 100 feet IN DEPTH and 81
feet from the centre of tho floor to the centre Of the
ceiling. The auditorium Is SO feet wide and ~
feet Deep and it consists Of pit and two galleries.
The stage 40 feet wide, go feet Deep and IS feet
high The opening or frame for the stage pictures,
is SO feet inches wide and 81 feet In height The
stage is level. There are four private boxes The
house contains 1000 seats $50 more than were in
Booths Theatre), and it would hold nearly
2.4OO persons. The lobby is spacious, and
it Is entered b. three large doors. The
woodwork is of California redwood, vanished.
The walls are decorated in panels OF chocolate
brown sprinkled with dots of gold. The illumina-
ton is furnished by many electric lamps made Oh
brass and porcelain, which look like lilies aud
very pretty. Tho exits ample and the ventila-
ton is good. drop curtain, painted by Mr. Hoyt
presents the subject of rehearsal in wood. The
house was crowded last night and the asssmblage
manifested its good. will toward Mr. and Mrs. Ran.
KIN aud their new enterprise in a cordial manner
and with vocferous plaudits Mr. Jefferson. like
wise was hailed with great enthusiasm. and three
or four times recalled, Altogether this occasion was
equally agreeable and suspicious.
Mr. Jeffers0ns impsrsonatiOn of Rip Yam Hinkh
is perfectly we'll known-f not always rightly I'M
derstoOdby all classes OF the play-going public.
In this journal it hailed many years ago, one
of the great works of the century. destined to az
high fame any piece of comedy acting can
acquire. As great work it is now known and
recognized throughout the English-speaking
world Mr. Jefferson is an actor in whom the 70.
mantle ardor of devotion to the dramatic art has
never dropped Youth is gone. but neither Its en-
thusiasm its faith nor its fire. In him there
ia no sign of that pathetic apathy which steals
upon the mind when I'm the words OF Byron) the
glow OF early thought declines In feelings dull
dscavv He acted Rip Yam Winkle last night with
n sincerity as intense and with artistic execution
as thorough assiduous. and finished as II the part
| were new and the effort were made for the first
| time. There was the same spontaneous, bubbling
| playluness the same wildwood freedom, the same
| tender almost passionate humanity, the same snA
dearing genteness, the same pathetic admixture OF
forlorn wstfulness and awe-strcken apprehension.
| the same unconcious, almost qulzzical humor the
same dazed helpless, Submissive drifting down tho
current of fate, and the same apparently careless
bnt beautifully precise, firm, and cean-cut artistic
| execution, which charmed us in the long ago. and
which can never lose their charm. Ii Is not needfui
again to analyze the details OF those familiar sltua-
| tious-the expulsion from home the meeting With
the spirits the return of the wanderer the recognl'
lion between father aud daughter. Irradiated as
they long have been by the genius oil MI JEFFERSON
| they never can be forgotten.
There 10. however, one lesson in particular, that
Taught by the acting of Mr.. Jefferson, which. II
nor new ia nevertheless especially relevant TO GER
| tain aspects of contemporary thought Much has
| been said and written, of late respecting natu-
ralness y in acting. and accuracy" In the scenic
illustration and the dressing of PLAYS, Mr. Jener'
| sons performance of Rip would probable be named
by most persons who have seen 1t, as essentially
most natural piece of acting. This Is true-and nos
true. In its effect Mr. Jefersons beautiful aud adj
| mirable work is absolutely natural; but In iu
method. in the process by which 1t is wrought IL "a
inst as absolutely artificial In this VIII be 1ound
the secret of power aud in this resides the secr
of all good acting The actor who Is perfectly oatu-
| raj IN his demeanor and speech upon the stage
who acts and speaks. that is precisely as De woua
act and speak in the street or in room-does not
produce the effect of nature upon bis audience no
must use artificial means. and he must do this with
srfoct taste and harmony, if he would appear to DO
| natural. Sir. Jefferson, as Rip presents among
IT, rhoses of experience nature afflicted with
| the infrmity of an appetite for drink. Ids Id
actuaI lfe-in nature-is obnoxious; but tnis' as
used bv this actor when it reaches the auuienco'
reaches them merely as the sign or suggestion Oh an
| amiable weakness of character The hiccup wiz"
which Rim looks in at the window OF MS cottage
il not the offensive hccup of sot; ana Tue iea''I
is that although natural in effect IL Is not hA'uiA'
| in process. The actor constantly addresses @
| unaglnatlon and he uses the imagnatio. n
| which TO address it. In nature, IN actuai iie Wv
| clothing worn by Rip VGa UtRee wouiu 10 ~
In Mr. Jeerson's artistic scheme the s'uueu '"A"'
bipess and carefully selected tatters are s'rupu'
Ionsv clean. and are made not only harmonious l"
| coIor and thus so pleasing to the eye that '"os
attract no especial attention, but, likewise acc"iu
ant with the sweet drollery and hstiess' 'nuo''A"
dreamy, drifting temperament OF tue cnafao'ei
No idea could well be suggested more iheons'u.uS
unnatural and fantastic than the IDEA Vi ny
varabond, encircled by ring OF ghosts On 'n0 wy
of a mountain, in the middle oil the n'gh'. Dus W.
Nv Ieffsrsop by his wonderful acting-by the pro-
s,,.'1 foeIng and aiilnent magination with which
ne fills the scene. and the vgilant, hrm, unerr,aK
technical skill with which he controls ana gu'u''
h;s .facts-has made this idea living reality; ho
.noo,otor of this weird lovely and pathetic pictur'
oar thinks of il as unnatural The Illusion Is per
Ca, ord II ia perfectly maintained. All along ITO
line ,be character of Rip Pan Uinkle-the lmpoSs,'
lilo hero of All impossible experiments 80 esseh"'
lv unnatural that were it personated IN the Ite'A.
manner of nature it would produce the efiec, %
extravaganza, barlesque or coarse defcrmlty .i,.
Jefferson, pouring his soul into an ideal o. wn.va
he is himself the creator-an ideal whicn oni's
neither in Washington Evine's story nor III pios
Boucicaut's play-and treating that IDEAL III . US
80 ',n;rt as IN avery fibre. and tone. and nue.