Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Dealing This Time Exclusively With
Plays and Players.

NEW.
In my periodical families o. lat,
l have been privileged TO witnes
the admirable acting Of Booth a
''Shylock" and Barrett as s.Rieuri .
probably two Of the mc~t oha.rmin.
performances eScf placed upon tn,
stage. / have also seen Sullivan il
"H0nest Hearts and Willing
Hands, ''and the inimitable 81 .otta'
IN her new and fascinating charae
ter Of Gina" Such q variety n,
this ought certainly &c essi.fs one
Theatrical pa.s,e fes HE season
Cnmpsri-ous, however, are not al
Iowaoie between such separate and
utterly distinct schools Of acting.
booth, the refined, histrionic mode.
OF dramatic genius; Barrett with his
thrilling bursts Of fiery enthusiasm:
Sullivan with his pugilistic poses
anu pfiZe ring peculiarities,
and Lolita" with her merry
mixing mimicry OF wild anu
giddy girihcvt, all 30 diff.
ferert ant yet each furnishing an
attraction 10 its spesiai admirers,
must insure 90 marax-.s full houses
anu large frodts % themselves.
III wesc % compare these '1stars'
| should siultify myself, as they are
not alike, anu 10 10; cain 10 be
For instance, hear Buoth's-"I
want my bond. Give me my bonu,,
And then Suiiivan's-"ili choke
him." and laugh igvolar..nfc
rises TO the surface lie ire g.ost Sc
riods scene of the isttef's Perform
tnce. In fact, ripple after ripple of
merrin,eut rolle'i through the audi
5ncv when sullivan, striving To be
dramatic or profound, uttered even
a single word. 1t was very few
verbs, however, that he had to say,
aud very little TO do for that mat
Ter, except fight the hired ''bully',
in the prize-ring scene; but
when he did speak, his voice
anu manner were 20 suggestive of
MS past record that no une coulu
nelp smiling at his attempt to make
a mark" on the stage. 1t is not
strange, however, vita his pogilis-
nc propensities that he should make
A "hit'' anywhere, ami he has
certainly made one in appearing
where the more respectable classes
IAN get look at his physioce anu
So him box withes. S.lng con
sidered Vulgar
a. "tsI-nzi'' has not, / believe,
yet been seen by "a Salt Lake
audience, | will speak more Of this
aeiig hliul tragedy, that j. IL ,rafely
an ever Ice d.-iishtfr'. the play is
svidentlyirsvn Ike BulwerLy tton's
novel 1ths same name, from Roman
history, and introduces some of the
main features OF the turbulent peri
81, when the Ursini and Colonna
nobility held tyrlnnical sway.
RisnEi, as one of the people. so
moves them ~ action that they rise
ana threw or the yoke Of el..vry,
t.Ii he taxes mis- seat a. the last Of
the Tribune. fhe drst scene
ti,er lee reaches this power is grand
in the extreme. Bshind the scenes,
accompanied by mufiiei music, this
brother Of the noble rsce
s on mis- way 10 the scatioid, while
ou the stage RIsnsi "tt.fs his telling
words, "Thc music that you
hear accompanies the condemned
e his rightful loom. 1t is the
voice of justice, and when that
voice speaks, all others should be
lumb.'' Then Rienzi's daughter.
IN love with the son of Colonna,
sueels and pleads, Father, hear
ne, through your daughteT-rhe
laughter Of the people--wBo kneels
n pur feet; they ash Tor the life
2hich your sols ~Jri can spare.v
The Trii,one weeps at this, "Ah.
he Pee piv.' These words move one
more than all that has been
itt-rel, Then turning to the
ioales he demands that If
his lie be sparrd Colonna
,hall permit his son TO marry Thu
daughter Of che people" IL is at
irst reused, bat in order 10 save
he c0nienaed the MOBILES consent
% the marriage AMI 10 swear fIel- !
ty to the fribans and the prisoner
$ set free. Then ron,es the scene
Df The cathedral AID the false oath
IF the ncG;es, preceded by the wed
ling banquet and the conspiracy.
in which the Tribune fOils an az
.empted assassination. The closing /
act introduces the final triumph Of
me mobiles aud The death oil
RisnZi 10y their hands. In this act a
scene is presented between
RienEi aud his son-in-law, vino has
uraed against him, also between
ne Tribune and his daughter after
10 has coniemued her husband TO
l-aih for treason aud rebellion.
As is naturally to be expected,
he piece is a very strong one, and
gives Mr.. Barrett the opportunity
o display those powers of dramatic !
for which he j. so
acted. His portrayal ofthe conflict
~ emotions Of love, anger, patriot
s.m aud sorrow was artistic, and
faithful to nature-at least to the |
Roman nature as We read Of IL in |
ne times represented IL Iscyident |
hat Mr.. B5rrett's association with |
NJ Booth has tended 10 polish and |
one down any superfiuous inclina- !
ion TO rant that may have msrreJ |
MS earlier performances. In fact, |
" the time that the great Hamlet |
ASSES over 10 YOrick and ODhelia,
lawrence Barrett may lie looked |
lpOn as the greatest actor OF the |
iay. Ben LOIoNb.
WASHINGTON, ID. e, December |
0ln. ISgu.