The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-03
ADJUSTMENTS.
GRAND OPERA -HoUsE-BARRE IN FRANCESCA


prince, betrothed to the beautiful, but weak and
amorous Francesca, by MIR. Lawrence Barrett,
last night, was even more finished and more
powerful than the occasion of his last visit to
this city. He is accompanied by many of the
same people who took part in this strong drama
then, though the Francesca of Marie Vain
wright is missing. A large, fashionable audience
filed the house and attssted its appreciation by
frequent applause, Mr. Barrett being recalled
the third time at the end of the third act and at
the conclusion of all the acts.
His conception of the character is the true
one, that of noble minded, brave, coniding
but disappointed man; prince imbued with the
loftiest ideas of personal honor, and above even
the suspicion of treachery and deceit. In bring
ing out the strong points of this man Mr.. Bar
rett is dignfed while earnest incredulous that
anyone should think of him forming love
alliance. and anxious above all things that it be
entered upon, if entered upon at ALL in thor
oughly honorable manner. That Francesca
should come to him in any manner
sents to WOO her, in soldierly fashion, that she
should harbor thoughts disoyal to her pro-
fessions is something thatneye enters his mind;
and when in the supreme moment, in the third
act, when he discovers that his brother has not
spoken to her of his deformity, he beseeches her
to think well of it ALL and offers her her freedom,
1t is apparent that Lanciotto places manly honor
above all thought of happiness. But when the
ready to proceed with the marriage, he acceptsher
decision without the thought of question in his
mind OF her sincerity, evidently gauging her char
acter by his own which has in it trace of deceit
double dealing His declaration of his great joy
upon hearing her decision is one of the most I'M
passioned pieces Of acting the stage, be-
ing exhibition Of the deepest moving OF
nature slow to emotions of that kind but once
stirred filed with a pathetic and tragic essence
that betokens i'll to any one who awakens him to
a realization of the truth that he has been
Knocked and led into false and Illuminating
position.
At times there were suggestions of the truth,
though mis- nature was above taking the broad
hints dropped by the crafty fool Beppo, it seem
ing never to occur to him to pay any attent ton
to this fellow. The impressions made are more
like lurid than luminous flashes upon his half
awakened suspicious. The man seems dazed by
| something he scarce knows what, and the near
est he approaches the truth is in the chapel
scene, where, Immediately succeeding the mar
riage, and after he has felt the lip of the bride
! tremble on his and heard her sigh as he
kissed her in a soldierly manner, according to
custom, he turns again to Paolo, his
| brother, to question him severely If
| there be anything he knows that
| he has concealed from him regarding Frances
| cas- feeling toward him, Being assured that all
| is right he accepts it as the truth, but, as
| though the approaching storm had already made
impression on him, he gladly ruShes off to war
with the Ghibelins. feeling that he can longer
suffers
The finest feature of this character is In the
fact that it is above listening to the apparent
empty vaporings of the TOOL Beppo, and of this
Mr.. Barrett makes the most, to the immense ad-
vantage of the moral and mental constitution
of the soldier. But when, at last,
he is forced, by the crafty and re-
| vengeful Beppo, to harbor q suspicion and
he indignantly murders him for his impudence
and his insinuatons against the fidelity of his
wife and the honor of his brother. he rises to a
righteous and overwhelming wrath most moving
to behold, though there, at all other points in
tragedy, he never loses that lofty and heroic
dignity that clothes the character. And in tho
last act when his slow suspicious last
iied and he is no longer left in doubt his love
for his brother compels him to plead with him
that he deny his palpable guilt that he would
accept as acqulttal of suspicion. It is there
made apparent that his fraternal love
is greater in his humiliation than
is that tenderer affection he felt for
the fair, false Francesca, and he would like to
acquit his family name of the dishonor that |
must attach TO it if the charge be not denied. |
This sentiment OF family pride and honor is |
splendidly portrayed at this point, and the eli |
max is reached with effect marvelously strong |
and realistic In all parts of the play he Is fol-
lowed with quick sympathy and pathetic ad !
miraton for his noble qualities, that becomes !
intense when at last there is nothing left to his
soldierly impulses than to put an end |
to the lives that have so treacherousy /
and. to him, incomprehensibly compromised |
their honor and his. But even at that moment |
the nobility of the man is again apparent in his |
deep affection for those who have 80 murdered |
his peace of mind and his manly pride Viewed |
character actuated by the Hottest ideals of |
honor and saddened by an atfiiction that could !
befal such nature Mr.. Barrett's personation is |
very faultless, and there is nothing to seri
ously criticise. 1t Is pathetic to a degree, and
the general effect leaves nothing to be desired to
finish one Of the most artistic pictures the drama
presents
Tha
cesca of Miss Minna K. Gale was we'll conceived
and artistically presented. A little more ami
nation would add to it, especially in the i'm
passoned last scene, and after her treachery has
become known to her outras ed husband. The
same criticism attaches to the Paolo of Mr.
Charles Wells, who at times was little care
less, especially when he was not in the action of
the play, but must have been al intensely in
terested spectator of what was going on. This is
particularly true IN the great third act, when
his crippled brother manfully offers to re-
lease the lady from her obligation to
marry him. AS for Mr.. Springer's Beppo there
will doubtless be q diversity of opinion. 1t
should be born in mind that this fool is some
what more of knave than fool a crafty, re-
sentful fellow, with the capabiity of feeling an
insult and of treasuring up the determination to
be revenged. In personating such creature
Mr.. Springer does remarkably we'll. and it were
difficult to improve on it. The Guido of Mr. |
Rogers was good, and the play as whole was
presented in thoroughly artistic manner. The |
cuedEem0Ab cloSSs Win CO-nlRQCS pr6SeDtaCO0 |
of the double bill, Shylock and David Garrick.
A GREAT PRODUCTION OF ''RoMEo AND JULIET
In many respects the most notable dramatic
and fashionable event of the season will be the
brief engagement of Miss Margaret Mather, at
the grand the first three nights of next week,
for which elaborate preparations are now being
made. She viii appear as Juliet in Romeo and |
Juliet" The same scenery. costumes effects
and music will be used here as were employed at |
the original presentation at the Union-square |
Theater, New York, where the play was present |
ed for seventeen consecutive weeks to immense
audiences One hundred and twenty ladies, |
gentlemen and children compose the company, |