The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-21
ADJUSTMENTS.

OsNEILb's MONTE CEIsTo.-A great
surging audience, black with numbers
above and below, assembled at the
Theatre last e,enjng to say welcome TO
Mr.. James O'NeiIl ON the occasion of
his long-dsferred but esgerly-expected
first visit to this city There had been
the old experience of delay on the
Central Pacific, and bu. for special
sent up by the Utah Central, the people,
due here in the morning, would not
have reached town in time to perform
last night. But by hard endeayors they
and their wealth of trunks and scenery
were landed at the Theatre just before
7, and small army of men ct
once started to put things in
place. e. 1t was close upon 8 o'clock
before the curtain was lifted, but as the
play progre- sed, the grand scenery
made the audience marvel how it had
been gotten into shape in time to play
at all. 1t was near midnight when the
| final curtain fell, but it is safe to say no
one took note of the time, and that no
one had any thought except for the ex-
| ceeding strength, beauty and hnish OF
| the performance.
If there are any who remained away
last evening under the impression that
| they had before seen Monte Crlsto,
they should visit the. Theatre this
evening and be undeceived. They Will
find that they may have seen outlines
or suggestions of Dumas wonderful
story presented by various road
| MI HIT Hok OINa,t
gives tNemN for the first time
the real Monte Cristo. This is true, not
only of his own fine charaetariza ton of
the leading part, but of the support, t e
mountinGs, the scenery, and the details
throughout. 1t is such presentation
in all these rsgards-and particularly in
the scenery-as one would expect to see
in the metropolis, when the play was up
for q run; it is great performance
throughout, and one that cannot fail to
stimulate interest in the work from,
which it is so well adapted; for al
though there is necessarily great deal
in the novel-such as the character OF
Haydee left untouched the adapter
has seized SO we'll the dramatic parts
andScennected the main threads of the
story, that Dumas himself could hardly
suggest how the stage version could be
bettered. The copy used by Mr.. O'Neill
we understand, is almost identical with
that SO long played by the iamented
/ FechNF.
MIR. U'NellJ's school is the bign class
quiet and polished style of acting, made
familiar to US by Charles r. Thorne, Jr.
and the Union Square artists OF his pc
rod. By many he is thought TO be the
best actor of his style since Thorne, and
1t is certain that in magnetism and gen
eral Ell ctiveness he sways an audience
greatly like Thorns used to in the DAN
iehsff and the Chsvalier, though his
methods are somewhat more fiery. In
the various phases OF character created
IN Monte CristO, first as the free-hearted
Gantes, next as the prisoner r, then as
the able, and finally as the avenger, he
bore himself SIS the ideal of the author
and was rewarded with many bursts OF
applause and curtain calls without
number. 1t is difficult TO see how the
role throughout could have been i'm
proved. His support has some excel
lent features. though not beSond the
possibility of improvements TAe Noir,
tier of Mr.. Shannon. the E6Esrousse
of Mr.. Shewell, the VIlIef6TsSof Mr..
Gould, he Mercedes Of May Wilkes and
the Caresnte of Kate Fletcher, were all
happy instances of intelligent acting
and handsome dressing; the Danglars
of Mr.. Manning was somewhat wooden
and the Fernando of Mr. Dana might
have been improved. The scenery was
most magnificent, and the sky eff, ct in
the night scene at Dantes' Wedding, the
storm and the rolling of the waters
when he escapes. aud the gorgeous
Illuminated gardens were all received
with deserved rounds of applause. The
play is on again tonight and despite
the wish to see Mr.. O'Neill in An
American King, Monte Crlsto made so
great an impression la,t evening that it
cannot fail to draw heavily again.
There was good deal of complaint
last evening over the closing of the east
doors, and the large south doors in the
interior. The large audience took an
intsrminabls time to disIerss cut of
the narrow means of egress provided.