New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-10
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
DALYS THEATRE-SOL SMITH RUSSELL IN
PEACEFUL VALLEY

Mr.. Sol Smltn RuSSeI came 10 Ddly tnedtW
last night and presented his embodiment OF the
humorous rustic, Hosea Howe. with which. in
other cities he has for some time been contribute
ing to the public pleasure. and enhancing his owa
excellent repute. Mr.. Russells performance Is q
more than common value to the community. for
the that its influence is distinctly the humap
and gentle influence of charity and love. and be-
cause it's art.-whe somewhat deficient In brill
fancy. distinction. and color,-discloses a comedian
Of a high order. The play In which Mr.. Russell
has made this interesting and valuable msnifestS
ton of exceptional talent Is serio-comic am
domestic composition called Peaceful Valley,
which impresses thoughtful attention as having
been constructed without regard to dramatic put-
pose principle. and solely with reference to thu
personal requirements of an individual performe:
Movement, substance and momentous incident am
not provided by it, neither is probability much r.
spected Events are permitted to shamble TN
style Is diffuse. An air OF crudity oversprea6
the whole structure. The piece is an entertainment
rather than a play. and. beyond the disclosure o.
its central figure. nothing Is accomplished by j.
The observer. accordingly. when all is over, fees
that a character has been shown. not in action BIZ
In picture. and he regrets that comedian so clever
should not have had something more importan
to do In one word Peaceful Valley Is destitute
of viscera and therefore ii Is weak On the othef
hand Mr.. Russell nanifests the strength OF re
pose the variety of humor and pathos. hdelity y
nature and the art 10 sustain distinct identit.
in a manner that Is fluent and apparently spontane
GUS HIS impersonaton would be more effective II :
less and II at times IL were mor
emphatic: but it Is original. quaint. sincere, humar
and artsticay Il is very delicate. Passion ana
grief-such passion and grief as would naturai,
show themselves in the countenance, deIneanor ana
walk of long and sorrowfully questant OK
lost sister seduced and abandoned-it lacks III
path is not strong as It's humor
Mr. Russell appears TO be more an eccentric ths'
2 universal comedian-more a specialist than al
al-round actor: yet he Is not alone In that and
he Is not to be less esteemed for that reason Ht
would doubtless be excellent in such character
as Peter Pon,eroy. in Mr.. Charles Gayler's come1
Of Taking the Chances" ard John Unit. in Mn
Bateman's comedy of Self; he might not Prov
convincing as Mr. Pegotty, or as Caleb Plummer' G.
as Enoch Arden or as Dr. Primrose or anywher
in the line thus denoted. He possesses, howeve,
the exquisite faculty OF making his auditors laugh
while at the moment he almost makes then
cry This is a great talent and 1t is individual
II is not an attribute OF the play or OF the char
acter it is an attribute Of the man; and since NJ
Russell has cultivated that faculty and has &C
quircd the power and the skill requisite for TN
application OF il. he merits the amplest publb
recognition fine comedian. As Hosea How
he is made to utter some platitudes. and he
placed in rather mawkish environment OF rudt
mentary virtue and perspicuous and preposterou
vice. yet he is also made TO utter droll rejoindeo
In pungent and piquant strain satirical playful
ness and he is made to express right mind,
pure heart and an afectonate temperament. In tn
direct. forcibe and impressive manner OF natup
made effective by art Sterling integrity. innac
goodness benevoence and sweet good humor, u
attributes OF the man, show themselves, YER
clearly. through the performance OF the actor. IN
embodiment is incarnate moral and genial worth
with rustic unga.ny. almost uncouth but come
exterior. Rehearsal of Hosea Howcs story would b
-f,r faI artf.
would be OF no service. lie meets the betrayer o
his sister and he losses him over cliff. He hS
"A sort of Modus scene. which is very funny. win
A city girl. who loves him. and with whom he
unconsciously in love. lie prociaims his intentio.
to walk man. miles. in quest Of is lost sister IL
IS discovered in the act Of shaving. He sings q
Methodist hymn in the received Methodist manrr.
He is declared victorious In a lawsuit: and VINCE
as at first he had been shown waiter in
summer hotel he is shown at last, in ailiuence an
happiness. with his kind. garruous old mother ad
his recovered sister-who. like Olivia in The War
OF Wakefield" proves to have been lawfully mr.
red all the while.
Mr.. Russells rustic is not mere "hayseed'
He aggregates qualities that, doubtless. might
found, distributed through many individuals. In tie
agricultural parts OF New-Ensland To
actor has selected those qualities and has fusf
them into type. and the spectator carries ava.
from Mr. Russells representation the memory of
y.
with the thought that beneath ali the asperities
life there is much Kindness In the world mucl
solid goodness. and. blended Herewith, the in
exhaustlble stream OF humor-wlthout which tie
earth would indeed be a wilderness. Mr.. Russell
was welcomed and applsuded by an audience tha
crowded Days Theatre in every part. Peaceful
Valley" Is the work OF Mr.. Edward f.. Kidder ne
author of many plays: and it should be write,
that with a single view to his apparently sole pub
pose of providing Mr.. Russell with serio-comb
the work has been done with serviceabb
skill. a fine actor. however. always shows TO thu
finest advantage In circumstances that are IS
sentiay dramatic Reproduction OF the common
places Of actual life is not art neither does 1t Pre-
duce the effect OF nature Aside from Mr.. RussellS
spirit and manner. much that he says and dos
would be inane. The American public. however y
not in the habit of considering closely the plays
that set before 1t. and ebullition OF comc,l
is just good the most exquisln
work of art, to persons by whom work OF art
would not. under ~ circumstances. be appreciates.
The constitution Z. Mr.. Russel!s company is show,
by the appended cast of parts in Peaceful Valley
man IRON, the mountains. WHO avs what he
Jack Farquhar whom nature intended FOR a.,
Taa aI Rand s%ssua's
Charles Rand. with more sense than dollars
yrs S Rand %i pearl Of vomannood Mimi Fadess
MODS fafpuHaT p,s"'no
Phyllis Howe, Ho.eas mother Mrs Marion Lester
Martina Howe. '..''-ha'e b'"che
REENTRANCE OF MR.. AND MRS. kendall
Mr. and Mrs Kendall. making their re-entrancs
on the American stage appeared last night at the
Star Theatre. and presented, for the first time In
America Mr. A. ". Pinero's play called The
Second Mrs. Tanqueray." The house was crowded.
The public of NewYork is glad TO welcome Mr..
and Mrs Kendall. They are artists of fine intelli-
sence large experience. delightful refinement and
brilliant ability. In whatever play they might
choose TO appear they would impart pleasure ana
they would elicit sympathy and admiration. Their
personal success was uncqulvocal. They were once
more taken to the popular heart and once more
,heered with popular acclaim and that honor
they deserved-for their acting was flexible IN
,isi,.. aud crisn. q delight 10 the sense OF ade-