The record-union., 1894-12-04
ADJUSTMENTS

The largest frst-night audience seen in
the Clunie Opera-house in a long time
was that OF last evening, when Albert
dosmer's comedy drama, 1.-The Night
Shift" was produced with the author in
the leading role. He is better actor
than dramatist. He is excellent in the
nrst relation, but not strikingly graceful
or original in text composition in the
latter The play runs upon worn, old
lines; villain who has a father in his
power, and as the price of mercy insists
upon the hand OF his victims daughter,
who loves another, the hero OF the
play, who, of course, is perSe-
cuted by the rascal, but finally rises
superior to injustice, and brings the viii
lain to bay, who gets his deserts, and two
loving hearts are then united. But the
scenes are ia several respects very orig
Inal, as the descent into the mine. an ex-
plos!on on low level of the mine and
the rescue of the hero by the daring of
the heroine, who goes down the shaft to
warn him. The scene in the saloon be-
tween the villain and the hero is decidedly
original in the attitude of the latter to-
ward the former-it is novel conception.
80, too, the low comedy scenes are orig
mai, but some of the people in them
overdo their parts. Miss jackson is re-
ally too clever and intelligent to ask peo-
pie TO accept her Bedala as even bur-
female autocrats there are, but scarcely
such eXEFaVagant ones in action and
makeup; nor do the most testy and
reckless OF ola women, who still claim to
be respectable, rush into parlOr in such
extreme deShaDille as Miss Jackson in
dulged in. Toning down her conception
OF the character Will greatly improve it.
In all kindness, too. to an esbimable
lady, 1t is suggested to Miss Weld
man that young ladies who are accepting
oilers OF marriage are not quite SO
Juvenile in dress at that period OF life
Her Polly, with that exception, is a very
neat bit OF comedy work. Mr.. Burress
appeared to the better advantage than in
anything he has undertaken as Perkins,
because IN least disguise. Saving too
declamatory manner he did full justice
to the part. Mr.. Bacon was as good as
the lines permitted him to be. 1t is very
unlikely that such man as Weatherside
would have been quite so easily duped
by PerkIns-stlll, it is low comedy,
farcical comedy, and if the ridiculous and
absurd is intended, it is we'll done. Mr..
Hosmer, Miss Waldron and Mr.. Arm
strong have the serious roles. They are
very serious, tragic and full of sensa-
tional snap and melo-dramatic plotting
and suffering. Thus with a concert
scene in which McCurdy and
Stewart do the very best kind
of comedy character acting, the
contrasts of the play are made
very strong, exceedingly so. Mr.. Scott
has the heavy" role and is as well
groomed a villain as dramatist ever
tancied. Miss Waldron's Edith is fault
less, and Mr.. Hosmer's Benford strong
and clear cut, but its lines are read with
too much of defamation, and in too
stentorian tones. Broken-hearted men
do nor roar so loudly at their sweethearts.
Otherwise HOsmer has reason to be
proud of the vigOr and distinctness with
which he delineateS the character of the
hero. Mr.. Armstrong; Thorndyke was
very exact and altogether neat PERSONA
ton. We have seen no play In long
time into the first act OF which IN the first
ten minutes of the drama quite so much
OF sensation was worked out. 1t is as
full of it as the ocean is of salt; the
act begins with sensation, as in a lighted
fuse to a magazine, and closes
in the midst of explosion, fire, smoke
and OF attempted entombment, and
as meIodramatic a rescue as ever the
widest imagination conjured up. The
concert scene introduced Frank ARM
strong in some good old songs well sung,
Ethel Grant in pretty dances, Mr.. Dun
phy in tumbling and contortions worthy
a professional, and Mr.. Jackson in the
personation Of Chinaman that was in
imitable. Miss Powers has but few
lines and is on in but one brief scene, but
she does that little well. The gallery
wont wild over this yelloW-cOYered play,
and will cheer it to the ecno the week
through. With curb on Bedalia, more
maturity to the costume Of Polly and less
righteousness on the part OF most others,
the play Will be greatly bettered and fur
nlSh week of pleasant entertainment to
lovers Of the melodramatic and eXtray-
agantly sensational