Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-02-08
IRVING In CHICAGO.
The English Star Closes Four
Weeks Engagement.
The Lesson Of Refinement Our Amer.
can Actors Are Learning,


Special.
CHICAGO, ILL, Feb. 4.-"Mr. Henry
Irving, Miss Ellen Terry and the Ly-
ceum company have come and gone
the third time. The Eastern papers
had predicted that at Chicago this
time, Irving would meet his Water.
loo.n Some OF these wise critics
seemed to know as little about IL az
some of the weather prophets know
about the weather; because the four
weeks season was one of the most sue. |
cessful of their second American tour. |
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Try.
ing was rather partial TO Chicago
when here before, and he proved his
faith by resolving TO make as long
season here rs In New York, right In
the face of the unfrlendly predictions.
What makes Irving attractive2 His
New York critics concluded that IL
was novelty, and that he would not
be twice successful I'm novelty-lOving
Chicago. II ia true tina great many
have gone to hear him out ofcuriosity,
the first time, but most OF them have
gone out OF admiration, thes second and
! third times. What Is the charm? la
| Mr.. Irving 80 far superior TO our Bar.
rett, Keene, Booth and beloved Nc
! Cullough2 Not as an individual actor,
Oh no. 1t is simply this: Irving Tre-
sents the great plays as II they were
written for star in cOnstel
latiOn of stars OF about equal magni-
tude; while the others seem To have
conceived the notion that they were
written for meteors or planets, whose
brilliancy was to only seem the greater
by contrast with the surrounding I'M
Significant twinklers. When you ee
play Of Irving, you feel that you have
seen more than star you have seen
play, strong and rounded in all Uf
its details,
! Actually there was mo- satisfaction
in seeing Anna Dickinson assume the
unsupported role OF Hamlet, than
TO see the same as played by Booth,
with his ridiculous, mediocre support.
But our American actors are learn
ing valuable lesson from these En-
glish people. We shall in short
time be able to see more than one part
In play properly taken. So we have
gained more than merely having the
pleasure Of witnessing the artistic
work OF this strong and deservedly
popular company
Last year IL was cOnsidered that
Irvlng's strongest play was that Of
"The Bells,n but the critics now seem
/, to praise more highly his production
the latter Is peculiarly weird, and well
suited to the great actor. 1t il under
stood TO be largely his own creation.
Ellen Terry Is essentially come
dienne. She Is married and has u
young son, Edward Wardell, who
made his first public appearance here,
under the name of Master u q. Craig
Mr. Irving Is u great student, and Is
"a rema kably delightful person 70 meet
socially. He Is making n large collec
ton for his library and while here this
time spent over 5000 at one store for
) books He buys none but the best
editions OF the standard authors.
The drama In America, taken In its
entirety, is having q bad influence
upon the people There 10 q prepOn'
dtrance OF the light and trashy pro
auctions, and the whole tendency Is "a
produce something so broad and
coarse as TO strike the popular vein al
once and for the hour, The theater II
run too much In the oatohpenny
: style, and yet when II depends upon
the people for support and does no
> bring out worthy productions, IL woult
s,eem that the people and not the the
alters are wrong. But the trou
ble Ia the American people vii
patronize and encourage In wa,
= theatrical productions which are reall'
not up to their tastes production
which they tolerate, rather thar, up
prove, and yet they go and pay thel
money for this trash, and the small
minded and generally loose-moraie'
=. people who seek to please the populh
fancy are substantially Endorsed !
myself, have paid 10 see trashy noth
inps that were for the time all the rage
which knew to be unworthy OF paa
tronage. Thus It is as Portia says:
ia easier to give advice to twenty mel
than TO be one Of the twenty to TAX
your own advice.
But the American people have.
grave responsibility in keeping Ia
founiAin.heads of their amusemenl
elear and healthful. II do my duty
I will carefully avoid all plays that al
In any sense immoral In tone or pufel
sensational in makeup, and give M
strongest support to those actors Wh
y are striving TO elevate the stage b
clinging TO the legitimate drama, an
frowning upon all such unsound a.
morally weakening customs AZ playil
on Sunday. "a - 80