The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-11
effisDryGOOds CO
ADJUSTMENTS.

~Grnnd-"The school for Scandal
As an ingenue LRdy Teazle Julia Mar
lowe Taber captivated her friends who
turned out In fairly large numbers 70 wit
ness her performance In "The School for
ScandaP' at the Grand last night. That she
has yet much TO grasp in the character as
It Is portrayed in the lines OF Sheridan she
herself Is doubtless very well aware.
Rather than ~criticise the ambitious and
winsome Marlowe one should rather seek
the best TO say OF her careful efforts to
produce a play IN which so many older
and, not at all to her discredit, more ex-
perienced actresses have made remarkable
hits. The Sheridan wit, whether 1t be In
'@fhe Critic" The Rivals or THE School
for Scandal, is OF such an appetizing
nature that when the spirit of 1t has been
once fairly caught, an audience is never
satiated. But to properly produce this de-
sired effect there is nothing more essential
than that there should be no drones in the
cast. Mrs. Taber lacked little In meeting
the ordinary artistic requirements of the
Teazle character. A more graceful and
bewitching Marlowe with her eighteenth
century bag" wig and her pretty gowns
the critic does not recall during the years
that she has been before the public. Her
oval features and dark eyes are brought
AANO RACoSAA6 prominence Oy VI lHt
wreath OF blonde curls that help her dress
the character of Lady Teazle. But for the
painful effort In her voice and perhaps the
nervous frequent gestures which seem to
be a mannerism. for they are apparent in
whatever character assumed by the little
artistic, Mrs. Tabor's Lady Teazle would
pass for a meaSurably complete persona
ton. The dashing and sometimes ridicu-
ious rudeness in the character that Sheri-
dan drew in his comedy are only touched
on or else entirely CLOSED over. Further
study will lead to a deeper understanding
OF the role.
Mr.. Taber's handling OF the difficult role
OF Joseph Surface gave frequent evidence
Of much careful study; il anything, a trihe
too careful. This conscientious actor has
caught the spirit OF sir Hypocrite'' to a
nicely In his facial expression, and with
perhaps, a little. less studied action could
defy criticism. r. A. Everilfs Sir Peter,
the man OF fifty, whose seven months ex-
perience as husband OF the country girl
that has become Lady Teazle, is made up
for a character of at least Sixty-five. A
voice totally lacking In the finer dramatic
disadvantage and In no little degree fails
20 give color to the piquant scenes between
Sir Peter and LADY Teazle that would
Taber's plan 10 have Mr.. Everhi in the
part for the purpose OF discountins any al
sacrifice has resulted to her detriment. II
certainly handicaps her own efforts.
Charles Collins's Sir Oliver speaks out In
heavy in weight and large In stature for
little Premium which the plot neces-
states his representing, his Sir Oliver was
a fine natured and adequate performance.
But the character hat swept through the
few scenes in which the author has given
him authority. taking the audience into
his confidence and winning repeated APP
plause., beyond that even Of the precious
star herself, was Thomas Coleman's
Charles Surface. A popular part and one in
which the interest has been %craftily
aroused In every prior scene, Coleman
played 1t for all his strength. Though a
little bombastic, the fault was not marring,
more because of the dizziness and feeble
much that had gone before. OF the sip
porrEg feminine roles that of the we'll
draw Mrs. Candour, whose reputation
was fortunately In the hands OF Rose
standard. In picturing .hS back-biting
women who are the most interesting per-
sonages in The School Ter Scandal" Rich
ard Brinsley Sheridan employed his best
wit and most discerning sense Of satire.
Lady Teazle was only a pupil In the
y wiiS a spirit f" OF ana ABANDON ienea and d la prsrdfp Of
consequences intended to arouse a feeling
Of sympathy for her misguided folly. But
art OF assassinating character, and she hid
beneath the cloak OF good Will and un-
biased motives None could have carried
out the design better than Rose Eytinge.
Eugenih Woodward I'm the wooden and
stock character OF Maria is to be com
mended for her well-attempted effort TO
arouse some interest In a part that. while
being essential to the plot. was given very
little prominence by the author. Evidently
unmarried girls I'm society In the days OF
Sheridan were not very important people.
Dodson Mitchelrs Crabtree was a drooling.
unintelligible being. and William Owens
Sir BENJAMIN Backbite, though more pre-