The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-20
AMUSEMENTS.

Some of those who learned to love E.. H.
Sothern in 1.-THE Highest Bidder" do not
believe that he will ever do so well or &C
ceptably again. For this reason, and this
alone, it was heard in the foyer of the
Grand, last night, that there was some
doubt of his Sheridan coming up to the
high degree Of excellence established in his
first star success. This will not hold.
Sheridan offers possibilities that were not
permitted or dreamed of in 1.-THE Highest
Bidder" and Sothern met the requirements
with a far more complete and stronger con-
ception. The new play. for the authorship of
which Paul Potter receives the highest COM
mendation, places another American and
a newspaper man at that, on a level with
the best playwrights on this side of the
water. 1t deals with one of the most diff
cult subjects the author could have
selected, treating, as it does. with
the lives of men made famous
on the stage, and having seen 1t. 1t is not
TO Re wondered that Stuart Robson has
signed a contract with Mr.. Potter to write
a play that will suit that comedians various
and distinctive proclivities. Mr.. Berrie Jar
rett, Robson's agent, was here on a special
mission to see the performance, and ex-
pressed himself as thoroughly charmed
with the piece. The large audience was
equally and justly of a like opinion. Fol-
lowing the pathetic climax at the close of
the second act Mr.. Sothern received a
veritable ovation, necessitating twice rails
ing the curtain. A like demonstrative out
burst rewarded the whirldwind OF absorbing
incidents in which the full cast participated
at the roundup Of the next act. The char
acter of Sheridan necessarily partakes of a
high flight &C III fO1phfpolu Da;ote ~ .4.-
ringly dramatic and trying events in the
life OF Richard Brinsiey Sheridan, and
Sothern is taxed near to his limit for a
proper portrayal. Whatever of disappoint-
mg and hard struggles that saddened
the perplexing endeavors of this eighteenth
century author TO whom We are eyerlasf-
lngly indebted for The Rivals and The
Scnool Tor scandal, are herein treated with
what one is almost tempted to saw a mas
ter hand. How much is due to Paul Potter
ana = now much ha to the stage genius who in
DCt the two together have Certainly
wrought a wonderful work. The first act.
though far from strong, was Immediately
the story was hardly touched on until the
second act A scrubbed account, written
in all the hurry and noise of a morning
newspaper office. cannot pretend to 90 JUS
uce 10 the strong and interesting features
OF so interesting and pregnant a work.
Mr.. Sothern gives the part a shade of
NCAA4N = hE6Nh VIII lie a VI the
man whose character he assumes.
The somber cloud of daily hardships over
rides the comedy. features. Tears and laugh
ter are delightfully."- blended, insuring a
splendid play of emotion, furnishing the
strongest of all attributes for success. Soth-
ern has gagged his part we'll. The climaXes
are reached by a constantly increasing
ratio. with nothing too extravagant. The
strongest and most difficult act is the third,
built on the production Of THE Rivals"
supposed 10 be going on off the stage with
the scene laid in the managers room of the
Covent Garden Theater, London In this
the characters are made to appear and dis
appear with 4 rapidity of movement that
becomes a dramatic maelstrom. Through
II all. in a frenzy Of excitement and nerv-
Gus tremor that is next to brain racking,
Sothern remains the all-absorbing and dis
traught central figure. 1t is here that he
best displays his ability and right TO play
the difficult role. The love story that runs
through IL all is a make-shift OF the author.
not laid down in the Sheridan chronicles. Ii
adds n delicate interest to the production
and gives occasion for an excellently we'll
executed duel scene in the last act.
The introduction OF a character imperson-
ating the renowned David Garrick was a
bold play on the part OF the author, but IL
Is handled with such dignity by Charles
Earbury as TO make IL "a striking and not
unnatural part. Mr.. Blackstone, as Michael
Kelly, the impulsive Irish friend of Sheri-
dan, either hasn't the opportunity or fails
TO endow the part with any great impor-
lance. Veteran Flockton Is a good DIR.
Lindley, and Morton Selten a handsome