Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09

Joe" Jefferson Talks About the Drama.
From the Baltimore Sun.
No one, perhaps at Ford's Opera House last
night enjoyed the subtle wit and charming
vivacity of The Rivals" more than Joseph
Jefferson, the actor. When not himself driving
all care away from his hearers by his own de-
lightful humor he watched the scenes now and
then from one of the boxes with twinkling eyes
and appreciative applause. than which no
sweeter tribute of praise Sheridan, the play
wright of DID, ever received. Bob Acres, di-
vested of blond hair and towering curl papers.
though still III the huntsmans pink" was con-
verified into the gentle, kindly man, as modest
and retiring as if no laurels had ever been
won. as If no storm of public applause had
ever filed his ears. Truly, gentleman of the
old school, If by the old school is meant all
that Is courteous, generous and true. The
audience was. perhaps, witnessing the last sea-
son OF The Rivals in Baltimore by the great
comedian, fog next winter he will bend his eff
forts to a revival of Grip Van Winkle"-dear
old Rip. gentle, dreamy, tonder-hearted old
Rip-from whose identity the actors earlier
admirers struggle in vain to separate him.
When asked about his plans for the produc-
ton OF the play which made Joseph Jefferson's
name u household word, he said: The priuci-
pal change that will be noticed in the produce
ton will be in the scenic effects, which will be
much more elaborately and carefully wrought
Not SO much as to overshadow the motive and
interest OF the play, however, for i do not be-
lieve in making the spectacular effect so promi-
nent that real art Is thrown into insignificance
BY this do not mean that the spectacular and
the sensational, in which much Of the drama of
today deals SO largely. have not their uses and
mission to fulfill. The theater-going public is
not simply one class of thinkers, but many
and to please all there must be all sorts and
conditions of the drama, which serves its good
purpose In its own way, provided that its style
Is not degrading. We cannot give the people
all pure, refined, intellectual comedy, for they
would not have it. II we are to give this style
only, we should not be doing an educa tional work
among the masses, but instead we should be de-
priving many classes of healthful entertain
ment. The same thing applies to all of the
arts. AS to the decline of the drama-so ready
a theme now-I would say that in every branch
OF art there can be distinctly traced periods of
depression and elevation. The one comes from
a surfeit of the other. Recall the time, for
example, when Shakespeare was laid aside for
Tom and jerry The Bleeding Nun and many
more such atrocities in the drama, and GAYS
'Bcggars OPERA with Newgate thief for the
leading role, was drawing the musical world to
the theater where the inspiring strains of
Mozart's and Weber's operas before had held
attention. The reyulsion invariably comes in
the drama and music, as it does in literature,
painting. journalism and SO on. Pure comedy
Is not dead by any means The Rivals is as
much appreciated now as ever and is being
given in better style tonight than when was q
young man."