Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-24
aIofrnnnlitan Theater

very full house greeted Mr.. James and his
company on the rise of the curtain last night
upon Shskespeare's sparkling comedy,
"Much Ado About Nothing" Mr. James
was the Benedek of the play. He
read and acted the part in an easy,
natural, manly way; not as it has been given,
as jester, but as q man of.high spirit. keen but
kindly wit, and q roble and chiyalrous soul.
Marie Wainwright was o charming Beatrice
1t will be said OF her rendition that it lacked
womGnly dignity, was too frivolous and mock
ing, too ebullient and too girlish. But we con-
celve her Interpretation to be justified by
the text. 1t certainly was one refreshing,
innocent and sparkling in its raillery. 1t was
Illustrative OF many a human experience on
which genuine affection has been born of the
clash of wit and the challenge OF harmless
mockeTy. Miss Wainwrights AIT was in no lin s
more justified or better manifested than in the
scene in which she demands of Benedict that
he shall kill Claudio. She spoke the line and
accompanied it BY the action that testified 10
the doubt in Beatrice's mind whether, in her
anger, she really intended her words to be
taken literally. 1t was a new reading of the
text, but one more consistent with the scheme of
the play than that given it by convention
sllty. While other artists have interpreted
the part as that OF a woman won by device and
much against her wi |, she makes it clear from
the outset that Benedict was more than kind Y
in her thought Her inquiry for him under
another name is made to appear a confession of
an interest in him deeper than she knew per
maps, Out still one ABOVE the mere trtllng desire
to renew the merry war; in which, Leonsto
explains to the messenger, the two wits en-
gage whenever they meet. Miss Wainwright S
success was uamistakable. She won her
audience heartily and merrily, and a comedy
artist needs no better proof of the correctness of
the means employed. she identified herself
completely with the character, giving no
thought to conventional methods but drawing
the part Of Beatrice as she felt it, presenting a
beautiful dramatic pictme-one not robust nor
strong but full Of the rich color of beauty and
poetry, and distinguished by the grsces of a
high-bred, daring. witty and Lure woman. The
support afforded by Mr. boyle. as the Prince,
was level with the character. Mr. Mosely was
less feeling as Claudio than is excusable
his Unconditional reception OF the news of
Heros death, and later of her vindi-
cation, was not in keeping with the
character of a man who could be loved by
Hero or love her as he prottssed The D0gberry
oi Mr. LaDgton was an admi able piece OF work.
and Dunhers Leonato was thai of = high
minded, refined gentleman, NOT hasty to anger
nor slow to avenge his daughters wrongs Be
sides these, the support was but ordinary, but
the superiority of the leading people, the
bril- fancy of the Bertrice AMI the nianiiness ot
the Benedick so iliumiled the play that mi
nor Characters were not of much moment in the
eyes of the audience. Tonight will be the
last, when Sheridans comedy, THE School
Tor Scandal viii be played, vita Mr.. james as
Charles Surface, Mr.. Mosely as Jo,eph Mr..
lanston as Sir Peter TeGzle, Miss Wainwright as
Lacy Ieazle and Miss Meek as Mrs Csndour, five
ailotments that from what hiss been seen OF the
troupe, alone justify the promise of an evening
OF comedy OF rare worth. l. i very much TO Be
regretted that the season OF the legit mate. bv
this company is so hrief, and th4t the likelihood
is hat such yisitations III be far apart.
\ correspondent calls attention to the fact
that It was error to say Much Ado About Moth
ing had not been played in Sacramento before
last night. Ii was played at the Old MetFopoli.
tan in 1871 by the Proctor company, with Rose
Evans as Beatrice, Jennie Vaudeville as Hero
James +. Cathcart as Benedick, Walter Lelnan
as Leonato and fierrepont Thayer as Claudio.