Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-21
ESMERALDA NICELY ENACTED.
The Sewickley Valley Club in Mrs. Burnett's
Romantic Piay-Pittsburger and Alle'
RhenIana in Attendance.

The Sewickley Valley Club in Mrs. Burnetts
Romantic Piay-Pirtsburgers and Alle-
ghenIans in Attendance.
The Sewickley Valley Club could hardly
afford room for its friends in its hall at
Sewickley last night, when "Esmeralda, +"
the romantic drama by Mrs. Hodgson Bur
nett and W. h. Gillette, was given in ex-
cellent style. 1t was the largest audience
the dramatic performances of the club has
attracted this season, and included a great
many Pittsburg and Allegheny society
people.
Before the curtain rose for the first time,
Mr.. o. S. Richardson appeared upon the
stage and asked the indulgence of the audi
ence for Mr.. Booth, to whom the part of
Josiah Rodgers was lntrusted, and whose
voice had threatened to desert him. The
full cast of "Esmeralda" was as follows:
Josiah Rodgers a North Carolina farmer.
Mr.. Booth; Lydia ATln, his wife, Mrs. Burrows;
Esn1erGLdd, Miss Whiting; DdUe Hdrdu, a
young North Carolinlan, Mr.. Carpenter; EStd-
brook, a man Of leisure, Mr.. Townley; Jack
Desmond, a young American artist in Paris,
Mr. Nevin; Nora Desmond Jacks sister, Mrs.
Adair; Kate Desmond. Jacks sister, Miss An
dersou; Marquis MonteSSfn, an adventurer,
Mr.. Richardson; George DresO, an American
speculator. Mr. Starr.
In the first act the fears concerning Mr..
Booths voice were happily proven un-
founded, and beyond a certain degree of
hoarseness that clever actors voice was
about what North Carolina farmer like
Josiah Rodgers would be content to call his
own. Mr.. Booths makeup was astonish-
inply good, and he showed real art in SIM
ulating that physical feebleness which so
nicely reflects the moral weakness OF the
husband and slave Of Lydia Ann. Inter-
esting as the whole story Of " Esmeralda" is
the character of Josiah stands out with great
distinctness. 1t is the most truthful picture
ofhuman character In the play. The pathos
of it is deep and true.
Very seldom indeed, have we seen upon
the amateur stage snch an artistic perform
anee as Mr.. Booths last night. In the
pathetic finale of the first act, where the
old farmer vainly protests against giving
up his humble home, Mr.. Booth was par
ticularly powerful. The humor which pro-
vides the sunlight for the picture lost
nothing in Mr.. Booths hands. In such a
brief review as this it is not possible to
identify and commend the many points in
which Mr.. Booths mastery of the character
was shown. All his work testified to an
industrious study of the character.
The harsh and offensive lines upon which
the character OF Lydia AnR is planned
hardly suited Mrs. Burrows, to whom the
part fell. She acted it, however, with great
spirit and intelligence. For once Mrs. Bur-
rows pleasant and musical voice was draw
back to her. The cruelty and sting of the
selfish woman's words were weakened BY the
amiable personality of the actress.
In the third act Mrs. Burrows achieved
fair measure of vindictiveness. The title role
is not large part, but it affords considera-
BILE opportunity for gentle pathos, and one
situation at least in which it is powerfully
dominant In this character Miss Whiting
was very much at home, and her simple and
unaffected acting eliminating in the tour de
force with which the third act closes
brought eat the grace of ESnaeraldo in a
very pretty way. Miss Whiting made very
pretty ESnlerGldd.
Q Mrs. Adair was a very Vivacious and
charming Nora Desmond, and Miss Ander-
son as the other sister of the amiable Jack
Desmond was also graceful. Mr.. Carpen-
ter showed plainly very careful preparation
for his portrayal OF the picturesque DGUe.
The other characters were really admirably
filled, Mr.. o. S. Richardson making a
dreadfully wicked and good looking French
count, and Mr.. Robert Nevin, Jr, was
perfectly unacceptable as the bearded
artist.
The exquisite taste which characterized
the arrangement of the mise-en-scene, and
the realistic decorations of the studio scene,
which was filled with valuable bric-a-brac,
are due to the generous help and hard work
of Mrs. Halsey Williams, Mrs. D. Leet
Wilson and Miss Dickson. The next play
will be given on January 81.