The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-02-23

PREsrN7rDAT.rA THE OPERA HOUSE
Last Evening BY M. Edward Latkin and a Com.
pany Composed Of lioms TAlent-A ys,y
CreditAbls Performance and Apprs.
ciatsd by . large Audience.

Tho opera House last evening held ns large
and fine mn audience RS has been seen IN that
place Of amusement this season. The event
was a notable ont; It was the presentation OF
.shakespeare's grand tragedy Hamlet" by
home talent, under tho direction OF Mr.. Ed.
ward Larkin, with that gentleman In the Il.
lie role. for the hsneilG Of the sufferers OF tho
great flood Of 81 For several months past
,helndIes and gentlemen whose ran,es appear
In the cast given below, have been hard at
work Studying their paris. The rttult Us
shown last night waH a remarkably good III.
ateur performance; one that rtllectfd great
credit on e4ch and every one. Tho paris were
elegantly dres Ied; l o 81 ak asp a ian play eyet
presented hero was better ccstumed, oil were
we'll up In their liaes and the play through.
out worked very smoothly. This IL saying a
great deal when II IL remembered that the
players are not professionals and Tint this
was their frat public appearance in the play.
The cast was az follows:
MI. Edward Larkiu as.....-.. zee. ........ .. ....... Hamlet
kiug Clandlns. Of Denmsrk."..Mr. Geo. Matni.on
p%olonils. Chhmoef.ain .""..".....M J. sCharkolr
ilorA.io; Friend q 4 amleL....Mr; Evan F. DArdlnc
Ghost OF llamlct's Father Charles L.at4in
SSsiisIsss''s'D, ]con,'s:, : =:: N: 1T / i H H $s;;:
s.ccnl Grave DlGgcr...m..."""ME. WIN. i Wins
Matcellus, (oiicSts) .".".~""-.Mt: Jfs D. Nix
mneIseS;, c CO !as S.""..- ~. SGs; cSs1Ies passS
Extraordinarily. NJ. 4. Owens
Flnt Ac!or...".""...-".."............! Mr: Howard kcene
Second Actor".."................:.Mr: Martin lIlron
.tuscn uue'..s....'.".."..". 'alL@ M0llle kuAell
ophelia' Henn House
AEltlSs.btstss.sss .ts.,sps ~, s,t,,ss ,sst. ..,ts N lS LlQA iYlurS
Mr.. Larkin has u nice appreciation OF the
character lie appeared In, as we'll with re.
gard to Hamlet as the embodiment OF Il meta
physical speculation, rs In lis regard to the
other paris. His PRESERVATION has, over that
OF many professional stars this conspicuous
merit-:hat In right places Hamlet Is kept at
the front, and again in right placcs lie is
given due snbordination. The obvious re-
suit OF this Ia 10 give to each player an op.
portuuity 10 do hiH best in his part and 10
treat it with tho Importance which
the dramstist attaches 10 1t be the same much
or little. Mr.. Larkin has grace OF posture
md OF movement, arrest merit in any actor.
He ia so much In love with the play US well
as with his own part, that BIO gives great at.
tent,on TO every detiil, sacrificing nothing
to the general prophecies for the sake Of his
own Personal SUCCESS,
The close study which he has given TO the
part and play Is evident from the time he
hia frat appearance until his final exit.
He has n fine sense OF every situation which
would become still more apparent upon ex-
tended experience. His voice ia good and
more cultivation will make 1t better. Hs
might easily avoid the prolonged
head tones which take from the
voice the power to command vol.
ume and to shade with nice discrimins.
ton. His reading in many places Is almos.
essentially his owE-tbat is not necessarily
a demerit. Much the same may be said OF
his business, mechanical movements, atti.
tudes, and the like-aud this, too, imparts
the interest of freshness aud novelty 10 his
impersonation Of q much done part.
In tbs tender scenes, as at times with
Ophelia, and in the conclusion OF the areas
scene, his voice saows a fine sympathetic
quality and his action is suited to the word.
In short, It may be said Of Mr.. Larkin's
Hamlet that 1t Is also Shakespesre's Hamlet;
that it hiss dignity, subtlety, some power and
a gentle finish, all OF which no,iceably good
qualities, study and practice would improve.
In this connection it may be said that The
honors Of the evening were shared with Mr..
Lsrkin by Miss House, as Opheiia. Her part
admits OF no criticism ss played by hes.
Mr.. L1rkin and his company deserve the
liberal commend ltion they received from
tue very large aud intelligent audience, not
only because OF their patient and persistent
labor but because OF the very marked succtsl
they achieved. A Hamlet not 30 good has
often been eeen, and IL support SO excellent
all through is not always the fortune of the
best Hamlet's. The friends and ad.
m'rers Of these Wheeling ladies and
gentlemen who see so much Il praise
in their amateur performance are hoping
that they may appear elsewhere that the yer.
dict ofs!rangers may be had upon their on.
deavors. While there are soae advantages
in appearing before a n audience OF home
folk there nra also some marked disadyan.
tages readily understood and not necessary
10 point out here.
There is yet another reason why the ladies'
and gentlemen should receive encourage
ment. The net proceeds are devoted TO q
most worthy cause. The ringing speech made
by Mr.. Larkin In their behalf ut the first re-
meeting won the applause and admirs-
ton the performers deserve for their
unsslish work. The play 70 10 hs re.
peated st. a matinee this afternoon,
Another PACKED hou g should greet them.
Seats can DO secured without extra change st
Wileon L. Banners. The Citiz,us Enter
tainhient Committee, into whose hands MI,
I.arkin turned the financial part, report that
the p-ocseds from last nights performance
will amount 10 about 500.