Evening journal., 1892-12-06

oi delivering every speech. SERIOUS OF olnff
wise, Ia soft Of strained monotone. Mr.
Millsrd's work in ihe trying role of Cyrus
Blmkard was perfect
Mr. Wizards strongest point is Dis
naturalness. Tie never rants. and be never
whines, neither does DE care a continental
who has the middle ol the stnC6. lie is
able 30 keep his end up on any part Of it.
''I'he Middleman" s. on excellent vchi-
Gle ilr the ozAibitdn of Alr. Nilard's per
feet powers. Tor while 10 i technically
rather poor sort az play % ab0unds in
strong lights and shadows, which are STAT"
TO on Intelligent actor. lt seems 10 De the
general opinion ol the critics thnt Mr. VIII
lard's methods have mellowel somewhat
since De was last seon in New York
and that while mol SO asscrivc now as
then De has improved percepably. This
IS gratifying, FOR Willard does not appeal
to the critics in advance 81 bis coming
with lurid souvenirs and booklets contain
ing notices of The numerous occasions on
which the crowned heads of nnropo were
moved to tenrs ly bis acting He prefers
% bet his work speak for ITSELF and even
his wall paper IS simple Ga The extreme.
containing only his name and very small
portrait oi himself
40 AINN ANt|IIIN lNNNIlNi NNNIr IN NiiN iiIIINN
unique figure among the playwrghts OF
the world. He possesses a strong dramatic
instincts be- writes cxctllcit dialogue. his
comedy Is naturally evolved; De knows how
TO work up to n STRONG. intense climax. and
yet ! 90 NOT know Of amy really good play
written hy him. lie thas just escaped
greatness as a dramatic author Ail of
his works contain The material lor power
aIH 81 a. I.I.Inna 3.
spots.
Another drawback 10 Mr. Jones' work Is
that De doesn't seem % DE able 10 write a
good fourth act "lhe Dancing Girl" IS a
very good play for three acts, but the
fourth aat serves 10 destroy the excellent
impression left hy TIE others IT is in TIE
nature OF on anticnmay. ana just escapes
the designation ridiculous The same
criticism. ia a mildcr form perhaps, ap-
plies Do "rhe NidGleman."
When Alr Jones sticks to straight mclo-
drama he gels along wei enough. but
when be attempts 90 he Gidauic he be.
comes amusing. This IS thc case iu "I'he
Middlemn" He seeks 10 make villain
oi a man who has for twenty years slD-
ported a visionary ola potter, who once in-
vented the process which made the mann.
facturer wealthy. During al these years
the old man has been provided With mc7ns
20 carry on bis experiments This IS GER.
taiuly not particularly rough OK ungfatelul
treatment, and Ar. doncs therefore lsll.
wide 81 the mark when be attempts 10 use
these characters as an argument against
The middleman, who IS, in real lie, an in
cispcnsah'c ln modern business methods
Nr. Joncs work gives the impression OF
'slipshodness. as in "lhe Aiddlcman. 2
after taueliug things up lfiEhmully. be ap.
pears % have suddenly remembered that
Sc was about time Cor the final curtain. and
thcnopan proceeded % march the absent
couple back upon The stage with scarcely .
wora of explanation, and On face ol th,
tact that thc plot 90 keep The people apar,
was successfully executed and has ncve.
been unlcno The whole thing IS So bare
faced - almost 90 mar The elect of ih,
excellent acting of theNory good comnQas
which supports Nr. Willard az the Stat.
Conservative theatrical managers ar.
beginning 10 Viewwiih alarm the tandenc,
70 orcrcrowd in The matter of places d
amusemonL Evory b0ildng devoted 90 CD,
cntcrtainment 90 the public must draw
somethinF-no matter how iiitle-irom ih.
ou houses. which are now doing none 90.
wel in fact ID is no secret that tho leas
oi q New YORK thcatcr IS no longer thc snu
road 20 wealth. ln many cases ID IS jus
thc reverse
10 is generally admitted that this cni
alneady has TOO many thcaicIs and mus
balls, and SUN Charles Frohman IS to hav
tac hmrire ~ Henry French IS puuing ul
rival % Jay Gonid's Grand opera horse
Henry y Abbey Is said 70 be contemplat