New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-11
THE DRAMA.
MIR WILLARD IN THE MIDDLEMAN. ~

bieice a
est and gentle strangcr,-who has made bis advent
hos. 90 ouetly and in a manner so pleasing WIFI re-
-, and taste--and the greeting that hailed him
u,.s that OF earnest respect and cordial FAVOR MI
willard has long been known ana esteemed mere 10y
tho dramatic profession and by those persons WHO
haMtnaIly observe the changeful aspects Of the con-
,,norarv stage on both sides of the ocean: but to
,ho ,erican public in general his name has hitherto
- coronaratively strange Ii is strange no longer
In continent of kindness with which he received
soonenea into admiration as the night wore on, ana
nforo the last curtain fell upon his magnificent per
,ormance of Cyrus Benkarn he had gained an uDeQuvo
sol and al picOus victory. In no case has the DrN'
,rneararce OF new actor been accompanied here with
more brilliant eXemplifca;ion of simple and sterling
rotb. and in no has its conquest OF the puDhc
enthusiasm been decisive. Not the least I'M
oressive feature of the night the steadily mcreas
r sunrise Of the audience this performance pro-
coded II is Mr.. WIZARDS way to build slowly, ana
a, the opening of this piece the poor inventors blind
IGNORANCE of the calamity that is impending is chieny
,,,s,ed 10 create the essential sympathy. through
oil these moments Of approaching sorrow the sweet
uncopsciousness Of the loving fat was expressed
,r Mr. Willard with absolute and touching truth
In ALL this he astonished much a. he pleased
his auditors. for they not expecting it, lie had
EXCELLENT cooperation likewise. especially from Mr.
,,ar,,rv and Mr. Cane, as old Chandler and his agent
persons whom it may be hoped are exaggerations-
and from Miss Marie Burroughs, whose simple acrion
in The scene of the daughters parting from her father
"a hint borrowed from "The Vicar of Waketeld"l
touched every heart.
One of the most exquisite enjoymentS provided by
the stage is the advent Of new actor, who Is not
opy new but good. 1t is the pleasure OF discovery
II is the pleasure of contact with rich mind hitherto
,uexplored The personal appearance the power On
The eve the variety of the facial expression. the tones
NJ the voice. the carriage of the person, the salient
attributes OF the individual character the attitude OF
the Intellectual development the quality OF the spirit
the extent and the nature of those artistic faculties
and resources which constitute the professional equip
men,-ar these things become the subject first OF
Interested inquiry and next Of pleased recognition
Mr. Willard is neither Of the weird the mysterious,
nor the ferocious order Of actor There is nothing in
him Of either the Werner, the Manfred, or the Sir
Giles Overreach. lie belongs not - either the trad
ticn Of John Kembe of Edmund Kean. His person
atty nevertheless is of distinctive and most interest
ing kind lie has the self poise and the exalted calm
Of immense reserve power and of tender and tiemu-
Ions sensibity perfectly controlled. His acting is
conspcuously marked by two OF the loveest attributes
Of art-smplicity and sincerity lie conccals neither
the face nor the heart His figure is fine. and his
deeanor is that Of vigorous mental authority informed
BY moral purity and by the quiet serespect of manly
spirit. Goodness, although a quality seldom taken
into the critical estimate nevertheless has its part
in spiritual constitution and in consequent effect 1t
was for instance element of the artistic potenay
Of the late John Mccullough. II operated spon-
taneo,rsly and inst 1t does in the acting OF Mr.
Wiard-who, first Of all. gives the satisfying I'M
preston OF being absolutely genuine. \ direct and
thorough method of expression naturally accompanies
this order OF mind and this quality of temperament
Every movement that Mr.. Willard makes upon the
stage is clear, free open, firm and OF an obvious
significance. Every tone Of his rich and resonant
voice is distinctly intended and is distinctly heard
There are 10 flaws and starts" He has formed q
tlr hon tn m
body and 10 utter it. and he makes the
manifestation OF IL sharp defined, positive and cogent
His meaning cannot be missed. lie has the finest
possible Of proportion and symmetry. The
characte that he represents is shown. indeed all a.
once separate and unique identity: but II is not
all at once developcd-the manifestation of 1t being
made gradually 10 proceed under the stress OF expert
ence and of emotion. lie rises with the occasion.
His feelings are very deep and he possessed OF ex
traordnaly power for the utterance of then-not sim
ply vocal power. although that In his case, IS eAcep
tonal but the rare faculty Of becoming CONFUSED In
spircd TRANSPORTED, by tremendous passion. and oil
being swept along by il. and Of sweeping along his
hearers as by a whirlwind His quiet manner covers.
without concesling. great intensity. This is such
combination of traits must have existed-f the old
records read arightn that fine and famous actor
John Henderson. and which certainly existed IN the
late BENJAMIN Webster. II has however, always beer
rare upon the stage. and like all rare jewels. ii is
precious Mr.. Willard is the finest type OF ii that has
been seen here for many years, and the more he if
known the more warmly will lie be admired The
actor who from an habtual mood Of sweet gravity and
patient genteness rise 10 the height OF d'lr0ns
passion and there sustain himself al pose OF ten
pestuous concentration which is the fulhlment OF
nature and either udcrous or extavs-
CANT is an actor Of splendid power and extraor-
binary self discipline Such actor is Mr.. Willard.
The blue eyes the slightly olive complexion the com
pact person. the picturesque appearance the mcOdious
voice. the fexbility OF natural action and the gradual
and easy ascent from the calm level of domestic peaae
to the stormy summit Of passionate ecstscy recall
personal pecuIiaIities and artistic methods long passed
away. The best days of Edwin L. Davenport and the
younger James walack brought to mind by 1t,
In the drama OF The Middleman7 (Which has al
ready been described in this journal Mr.. Willard has 10
irpersonate inventor, of the absorbed. en-
thusiastic, sefregardless, fa1stical Kind. Cyru,
Blenkarn is. by trade. potter His genius ana
his toll have enriched two persons named Chandler,
father and son, who own and conduct porcelain
factory In an English town OF the present day Blcn-
karin has two daughters, and one OF them is taken from
him by the younger Chandler. The circumstances OF
this deprivation point at disgrace, and the inventor
conceives himself have suffered odious ignomny
and irreparable wrong. Young Chandler has departed
and so has Mary Benkarn, and they are eventually
60 return as husband and wife; but Cyrus Blonkarn
has been aroused from his reverics the cTcible
md furnace wherein he is striving to discover lost
secret in the potter's art that will make him
bo.h rich and famOus-and he uttefs LIS prayer
for vengeance upon these ChandleT>, and he part
from them. time Of restitution and OF pltl-
FIJI struggle with dire necessity, sleepe's gHef,
and the maddening impulse OF vengeance now
CONS upon him, so that he Is wasted almost to
seath He will not. however. abandon his quest for
The secret of his art He may dc OF munger ana
wrotchedncss: he will not yield. AT the last moment
Of hi, trial and his misery-alonc-at nlsht-in the
alternate lurid blaze and murby gloom OF his hrin2
house-succe,s il conquered and the secret Is found
This climax 10 which all the prcliminarles gradually
and artfally lead affords great opportunity to the
actor: and Mr.. Willard greatly fills it. The Old III
venor has been bowed down almost to despair "flei
and want and the sight OF his remaining daughter >
poverty and the conflict of many feelings nave made
him a wreck But his will remains firm IL is not,
however until his last hope has been abandoned iat
his suddenly cOmesand the result OF ths -
delrium This situation is one Of the best III monerii
drama and il has been treated by the author IN SUN
manner AS 10 sustain for long time the fcelng o. SUI
pense and to put all enormous strain upon tnc ehouo
and the resources of actor. MI Mlliards present
ment Of the gadnt. atenuated inquire OF CyTils biei