The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-13
PLAYS AND PLAYERS.
The Potter Bellew Engagement
an Artistic Success vs.
=. wALLAce's LAsrs8ouTsursr.
-. Sensational Utser.nces. In which
newspaper Men ss wsli - shs
stage Are scorsd.zs-sszs7s.zsa=s

sasxs outsh0ne IN orilllancy the euorS OF
- twin stars seen At this theater this
-~<.on. Financially also. when the gem
- hard times are considered, the en-
~.~snent was a success. the audiences
NADIA and Tuesday night being NOT only
,srxr but exceedingly fashionable. and
- the management not made tbs mis-
>.ks Of putting on Camille" an old stock
800 worn threadbare for Wednesday.
- The mistake of repeating "In Society"
4knrsday evening, the attendance the two
a.. nights would have been as large as on
=. frst night. This mistake Of the Pot
- Below manager is one that too many
cher managers make in coming TO Seattle
ar the first time. They forget that the
tbsa,es-goers of this city are well educated
4 mays and players. and owirg TO their
cosmopolitan character are better Judges
.rd critics than ia many larger cities.
Tbey know all the old plays and are eager
a. new ones. Mrs. Potter had other more
attractive plays in her repertoire, among
tb<In being new historical piece founded
"a the life and death Of Charlotte Cor
dray. This would have insured full house
snd undoubtedly given satisfaction. g
OF Mrs. Potter's talent as an actress
fhere can be no question. She Is . great
sesress. though her style is one that has
q Be understood before It's fully APP
,r~cIsted. helacks the power Of attrac-
ion on first sight, and possesses a peculiar
mapEerism that leaves an unfavorabie
impression until after one or two acts,
when She warns up TO the force Of her
character and comes into closer sympathy
with her audience. As an emotional
actress Mrs. Potter will never be9a sue
cess: her style 10 more of the classical
order. and in oforcible dramatic declama-
ton she should score . marked success.
Her Claire was an illustration of this. It
lacked the pathose and sympathy with
which Clara Morris imbued the part. Her
best part was Franeine in, Society" the
character being that Of an eccentric
woman who teaches her husband q lesson
by assuming part cold, cynical, which
iust about fitted Mrs. Potter's tempsra-
ment OF her mannerism. there is an APP
parent studied attempt toimitate in tone
and SETON SEINE of the eccentrititses THAT
are pardonable In Sarah Bsrnhardt but
not in Mrs. Potter 10 @ Q
Mr.. Kyrle Bellew made d most favorable
impression In every part in which he APP
peared, his polished manners. ease aud
grace captivating all alike. His statHre
lacks about two inches in heightt to i'm
prove his stage presence, but what he
laeks In height he makes mp in voice and
face. the first being wonderfully SYM
pathetic and the second handsome, with .
strong resemblance TO Edwin Booth when
in repose. 8
The dramatic reporter of the Posr-Is-
SslLIeEScER called on Mrs. Potter and
Mr.. Bellew bet ween the acts the first
night OF their engagement to- interview
hem on the sensational attack made by
Dr.. Wallace in Portland on both them
srlves and their plays. Mr.. Bellew spoke
for Mrs. Potter, and positively refused TO
he quoted on the subject pending their
Engagement, but now thar the engage
nent Is over. the remarks may be pub
lnhed. He said: o0
This preacher has seen fit 10 make an
attack on plays he never saw andoon PEG.
yls be knows nothing OF. Q He did itfor
lie purpose Of drawing people to his
thnrch, and he succeeded. He expected
We would fall into his trap and respond IN
kind. and keep up controversy that
would keep his church full for some time
70 come. but IL 10 our wish TO treat the fell
Low with the utter contempt that silence
tloae can give. HIS attack is that of a
ksckgnard, and we will treat IL as such.
His statement that Mrs. Potter and were
present az his ifarangue Is in keeping with
The rest Of his false allegations. Does it
stand TO reason that sane persons
With any degree of self-respect would
deliberately attend a church where they
had been openly advertised for an attack
Neither Mrs. Potter nor | was at the
church that night, and no one knows 10
better than that fellow Two Of our peo-
PIE were there. Miss Hudspeth and Mr.
Nichols. but neither of them heard him
point them out as they went out, so that
there 10 another contradiction Of that SEN
bAilonaI preachers many-sided statements
The poor fellow wants no,oriety, he is
seeking il at any cost and he is getting,
think. little too much of II for his own
peace Of mind. if | may judge from the
many condemnations of his course pub
hshed throughout the Sound papers"
The fact that Mrs. Potter aud Mr.. Bel
kw we're not in the church that evening
ED that DIR. Wallace does not know them
By sight has been attested by so many
proofs that there Is no room 20 doubt the
wracity Of Mrs. Potter and Mr.. Bellew,
cad every reason 20 believe that Dr. Wal
isee was suffering that night from q severe
attack OF optical illusion.
THIS Doctor of Divinity Wallace, of the
first Congregational church Of Portland.
Vas In this city last week, and Wednesday
evening gave the writer Of this article an
Interview lasting over half an hour, in
which he reviewed IN detail the alleged
Potter Bellsw incident IN his church. Civ
he synopsis of his attack on both them
md their plays. When be came 10 the
point where the two persons arose 10 leave
We church, the reporter polniedly in-
enired:
You are sure it was Mrs. Potter and
n. Beilewg %
"oh, yesl | knew them. had seen
Mem come in"
"Had you ever seen them before thssf"
Yes; had seen them in the East long
hsore that"
pr. Wallace did not hesitate to give the
ehutess details and 10 answer al aues-
sens put. though when fret approached
ssoiiered faint protest against talking.
vas Interview, through lack OF space, Was
ses published until Saturday morning
i@sa Sunday evening the reverend doctor
sade another viralent attack on Mrs.
aas'sr and Mr.. Bellew, called the editor OF
We Oregenaaa mo gentleman" and mis-
sa!sd the facts as 10 the interview which
spneArea in the PosT-ISFKLLEsEScKE
Asss are some of his words.
II the stage cannot be discussed from
- pulpit II has no right 90 exist. SUCH
ssAsm Is only an admission that there
10 eouscience on the stage. / have
go misFepresentet ir my life many
49, sna ! want 20 say that no man "a
world regards the STAGE higher than
80, oat the Stage must give 10 the pub
pays that are eievating and pure. The
Lss a. The MagQuAm Grand that | re
~ TO were vie, indecent, a6ominahle;