National Republican., 1883-01-03
ADJUSTMENTS.


Moro distinctly than in any other Of her
plays, Miss Anderson must depend for success
in "Tho Countess" upon her own efforts.
Not only has the piece itself so fallen into
dcsuetude that very few people remem-
bor eit, but the character of the
Countess suffers under serious disadvantages,
both intrinsic and external, from which
no merit Of acting can altogether redeem it.
Although it is a fine and lofty type, and
used with great effect to depict measure
mcnt of strength between two primary
attributes of humankind, it is SO nodded
and so surrounded that to the general
mass of people it is less an object OF
sympathy than of curious interest. The
hand it camo from was a master hand, that
stopped not for any consideration other than
to serve best the main purpose of the drama
and this was best accomplished by throwing
sympathy upon Huon, who stands in the
foreground the most attractive figure in
n picture Of which the Countess is
the splendid CENTER but not the
dominating quantity. Against this meeting
Of difficulties Miss Anderson contends with
most creditably good effect. Thatsshe is able
to realize the character to the eye is pri-
mary advantage of which she avails herself
to the utmost yet were this lacking, there is
virtue enough in tho alternate delicacy,
dignity, and power with which she
delivers it to carry her safely through. The
merit Of tho performance lies far less in her
use of the adventitious aids her personality
lends to it than to refinement and accuracy
of apprehension and very natural fitness of
word to action, action TO word, and look and
tone to both.
In no particular is Miss Anderson's advance
ment more decided than in her use of face
and voice. Immobility Of feature once her
most distinguished fault has given way to a
facility of expression that runs concurrent,
not merely with tho spoken sentiment, but
with the changing thought and spirit of the
scene. Miss Anderson has learned to listen
and to act while others speak; and this is
lessen her earlier years gave little prom
Use she would ever learn. With the
same schooling that gave her flexibility of
face came also some knowledge in the use of
her voice, the rich and varied qualities of
which have been brought into most effective
play. The scene with Huon, in the second
act, last evening drew half its value from the
melting Tenderness of her tones. Speech
so musical is seldom heard. 1t may be
due to discovery of this power
aud disposition to give it use that the old
declaimings have faded from among her
methods. Not that she fails to give scope
and volume to her voice when she chooses.
but that she has grown temperate of sound,
and reserves force for forcible needs.
Mr. Downing, the Huon Of the cast, dis
tinguished himselfby few strokes of remark
ably bad Judgment as well as by many of de-
cided excellence. 1t ltissurprising an actor so OBJ
viously intelligent should roar hisside speeches
in such manner as to forodo all possibility of
illusion in the scene. Yet this did Mr..
Downing not once or twice, but several times.
Let him correct tho fault and then learn how
to get modulations of tone from his chest
without using the muscles of his neck and
putting his vocal cords to ruinous strain,
and he will have added his name
to the very short list of American young
actors who are worth going to sec and who
can be heard with positive pleasure. He has
good appearance, youth, a decided magnetism,
an evident love for his art, and no mean skill
in it oven now. His Huon had many good
qualities, and his work in the plays to come
will be watched with interest.
FoRps.
Tho only matinee in the city to-day will be
at Fords, where George II. Adams and his
pantomime troupe will so through Humpty
Dumpty,"
e.