Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-01-24
THE GERMAN VOLUNTEER.

II is not in good taste, ever, to criticise an
amateur performance given in the interest
of charity or Tor the amusement of friends.
yet. having witnessed the last night of the
German Volunteer and wanting local
material we viii say something, which, if
| not taken for any thing will hurt nobody
The performers al DID splendidly-spien
didiy without single "but," but we must
beg the privilege OF interfering that saving
conjunction, il for no other purpose than to
see il anybody else saw the thing in the
same light. With this introduction, which
win be found longer than the body of the
article, We proceed with the observation
that performers should never forget that
they are posing and talking for the enter
tainment of people who are not on the stage,
and that while they should, SO far as posi-.
BILE, forget the audience, that it is in ex-
ceedingiy bad taste to make the personeE of
the play their audience. Performers are
not spectators but actors, and while an act
or should be obliyious to the fact that
thousand eyes are upon him or her, he or
she should only recognize those behind the
foot-ligbis in their assumed characters.
Another thing: play is not arehearsal nor
any thing like it. We don't want TO flatter
Col. ii. w. Lewis, nor do We believe that
the highest success in such role would be
by him considered great attainment, bui
none of the above criticisms apply 10 him.
He embodied his character and, obliy-
ious TO all, and everything except his ideal,
acted. lie did not speak his piece and then
relapse into IL. W. Lewis, but held to and
maintained, in repose u well as in action,
his conception of Walter Morton. lie is in
all respects better actor than ninety-niDe
out OF every hundred Of the professionals
that visit our city. Charles Hatton, Esq,
had the true conception of his Character
and some OF his sentences were finely rem
dered as to intonation and infection. but he
never for single instant forgot that both
the eyes of the great audience and OF his
companions on the stage were watching
him. The restraint that Expresses the am
ateur was upon him like a mountain-and
he lawyer, at that. His appeal TO heaven,
for instance, was beautiful; but it was
Charley Hatton appealing TO the ears Of the
crowd around him, and not st. Clair, the
Belle Isle prisoner, to his God. Mrs. Col. |
Stewart is a more than ordinarily fine actor
and for an amateur charming in many re-
spects. She sustained her part well-yigor- |
ously aud touchingly, SO long as words were
upon her lips, but, in repose. she relapsed |
into Mrs. Col. Stewart. Amateur actors |
are so prone TO play as though as soon as
their "piece' is spoken the subsequent pro- |
eeedings interest them no further, when in |
fact, from the moment they appear from be-
hind the wings until they disappear, wheth-
er in repose or in delivering their "cue," |
they must embody their character act |
every moment. Saphar is professional, as |
must have been the boy dancer. Johnny |
Allen made a fair micky, but his mouth |
lacked redness aud loudness, and there was |
no hair on his teeth. Ketzler was a good |
antiquated darkey. Sherman, Ask, Shelton,
et al showed that they enjoyed the fun as
much as anybody. stuIing ST. Glars cloth |
ing with Limburger cheese or asafetida, SO
that the weeping women, bending over |
the defunct colonel, might the more wildly |
realize the genuine deafness of the corpse |
by bis live smell, WAS all well enough as
by-play, but the company should have done
their laughing at the spectacle, behind the
scenes.
The play ran five nights and was inn
mensely popular. and patronized without
stint. The iableaux were well set, suggest
i've and beautiful. Taken all together, we
opiDe that the company had as much fun or
more out ef it than did the public, which
was more than satisfied, while it paid,
After all, it was the finest
amateur performances ever given in this
city.