The record-union., 1893-02-27
ADJUSTMENTS

Messrs. Stockwell, Osbourne and Jew
EFT, and Misses Ethel Brandon and Fanny
1oung are too skilled in dramatic art, too
experienced and accomplished in their
profession, not to be ashamed of the
Uncle Toms Cabin" they have "tried
on the dog" in the interior of the State,
if the samples given here Saturday and
last night at the Metropolitan were fair.
The people named are artists; they do
nothing dramatically Y i'll, and little George
Cooper is a wonderful child-actress; her
equal is rarely seen; she is very
nearly the ideal, and her painstaking,
sincerity and earnestness shame some OF
her elders. But not even "Uncle Tom s
Cabin" simple, easy and touching drama
as 1t is, can be saved by talented people
under such circumstances as those of
Saturday and Sunday nights. Peter
Jackson was Uncle Tom; a phonograph
would have done as well; his hulking
form dwaried the other people, and his
figure was all there was of him. He has
no more conception of the part than a
post; he does not even try TO throw bit
of feeling into it, and he is utterly ire
sponsive to those who play with him. 1t
is dear price to pay to slaughter the
was Uncle Tom with even 1.-The Crowns
of Glory" and "New Jerusalem lines
droned out in recital, though anyb body
with wit enough to breathe can be taught
to sing them. We were given Topsy
who missed the best points in her part !;
Topsy. without Topsy's song, the one
thing that keeps it in sympathy with the
cling g-a-ring-a-ring-a We were given a
Legree without the remorse scene, the
best opportunity Legree has. We were
bored by st. Clair, in the person of Mr..
Kirkland, who had not spirit enough to
kiss his wife on return from a long
journey, and who mumbled his lines in
so spiritless manner that the wonder is
he was not hissed. Classy was listed in
the csst, but did not appear, and thus one
OF the best melo-dramatic scenes was lost.
General looSeneSS and the don't-care-a-
cuss spirit pervaded most of the perform
ance, until it even reached Mr.. Stockwell,
who was plainly not at his best, though
when he tries he has no superior as
Marks. "Topsy," Miss Ellsworth, and
"Emeline," Miss Hastings, have good
voices, and that they might prove it were
given songs that have no relation to the
play ana do not correspond in date with
1t. Parson Davies, who is not an actor,
was better than most of those in the sup
port, and did remarkably well. The col
ored group of eleven men and women
were good and has several good ballad
Mrs. Young as Ophelia, and Mr.. Jewett
in dual role. Miss Brandon made an
excellent Eliza. But they played i'll the
frigid atmosphere of an iceberg for Tom,
and under the cloud of slashed and
patched-up play from which the planta-
ton warmth and homeliness was elimi-
mated. The people went through the mo-
tions, but no one put any heart into the
performance except Georgia Cooper as
Eva, and the chill fairly froze her young
blood. Two very handsome drops lighted
up the scenery well. But the play could not
be warmed or lighted with such Tom,
such Topsy, such st. Clair, and such a
general chill, to say nothing of the black
eye given the whole thing by introducing
boxing bout between acts in Mrs.
Stoves wonderful story. The troupe
must do better in San Francisco than it
did here, if San Francisco's commenda-
ton is worth having.