The critic., 1891-01-06
ADJUSTMENTS.
"TI,c Master of Woodbarrow" at the
National.

"Thc Master of Woodbarrow" at the
National.
The extraordinary popularity of young
Mr.. Sothern, if there were any doubt of it
before, was most undcniably demon
strated at the National last evening.
Every seat was filled before the curtain
went up, and standing army" almost
as large as that of the United States,
formed q close Gordon around the circles.
Aside from the interest in the bright
young actor, on whom has fallen with
some few folds and creases as yet) the
mantle of the talent and popularity of
his distinguished father, there was doubt
less general desire to see the play itself,
the work Of Mr.. Jerome n. Jerome, the
clever Englishmpn, whose double-bar-
relied name, which somehow always sug-
gests pair of opera-glasscs, has become
so prime and sudden favorite with
modern readers. "rhe Master of Wood
barrow" is hardly so funny as "Threo
Men in Boat" but, for all reason
able dramatic demands, it will
serve. 1t is thoroughly clean,
wholesome and sanitary drama; brings
the sweet, fresh breath of the moors to
purify the sickly and superheatcd air of
the salon, and returning, none too soon
for his moral ell-being, the honest,
manly. solmd-hearted young countryman
from the corruptions Of the town to the
purer joys of hisrustic home. The story
and characters are well worked ont,
though with perhaps noticeable lack of
movement and incident until the last act
The dialogue is closely and cleverly writ
ten and would possibly read evcn better
than 1t talks. But the success of a play of
this particular sort is peculiarly depend
cnt upon the ability Of the actors, and
Mr.. Sothern and his always excellent
company, be II said, are fully equal to the
emergency. In the title role the capable
young comedian displays the same ten
dcncy to over-olaboration of the humor-
Gus scenes, and an excess of facial busi-
ness which has characterized his work in
other parts The emotional passages were,
indeed, perhaps the best But it was on
the whole u very distinct, consistent
and interesting impersOnation, which
engaged the sympathy Of the audi
cnce from entrance TO exit. The
work OF the support was exceptionally
good. The most emphatic applause of the
evening, indeed, was given To the SEN
sational ,GnGle Of the drunken old repro
hate, Cc'9ge! Jaet pegtcr, @ characteristic
study Of realistic alcoholism by Mr..
Roland Blackstone. Miss VirginiaIIarned
as the beautiful adventures, his daughter,
was q delightiO the eye, and a most al
mirable exponent of f0te which might
easily have been vulgari2ed by less COM
| petent treatment The Ms. R0Wt OF Kate
| Patison Selten, who will be remembered
as one of the pretty Englishwomen who
came over with Mrs, l.angtry, and the
Dtb0I0h of Miss Jenny Dunbar, We're re-
| fIeshingly natural and attractive types OF
| rural truth and goodness. Mr.. Cook as
the Overpowcring Pi0tR, Mr.. Selten as the
sCoundrel of the play, Owen Fawcett as
| the old attorney, and In fact the whole
cast in general were excellent in their
rCits, and the entire production had the
smoothncss and finish which only such q
combination can secure, "The Master
will bo seen every evening and matinee
through The week.
"Uaudius Sero" at Albaugh's.
good house and an admirable spec
tacular drama, for which no house could
be too good, were the features last night
at the Grand Opera House "Claulu'
Nero,n indeed, wears its spectacular garb
with u difference, in that unlike the
majority Of It's kind, IL possesses dramatic
| and even literary merits Of no mean order,
yet not sufficiently emphasized to distract
attention from its allurements rs a spec
tGclc. The story turns upon u romantic
| passion Of the very wel-abused imperial
incendary for lovely Christian maiden
and the marches. the massaercs, thu
famous "turches of Nero" the arena, tn.
lions, the burning Of the Eternal CRY
and all the rest of IL follow in natural
sequence, The mildor, aesthetic side o.
the tyrants character is given som aWhai
unusual prominence, and the au1ien3'
gets a sort Of vague, all-around i'm
preston that he wasn't q halt.ba'
kind Of fellow after all. Mr. Wlltor