The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-22
"Autres temps, autres moeurs."

off and put into requisition for this oc-
casion.
"Autres temps, autres moeurs."
These words recur to US with a
strange persistency whilst coming
over the scenes, incidents and dialogue
which combine in making up the play
Of "Rosedale" This sentiment may
also in measure, explain away the
lack Of appreciation as shown by the
public in general, and The Herald crit
&c in particular, towards the initial pro-
duction by the Grand Opera House
stock company. Without intending to
depreciate the beauties of this MARIA
tive of a. bygone day, with its remin-
4sceuces Of sweet English country lanes
and Towering Indigenous, and ever-pres-
ent accompaniment of love, romance,
chivalry and all the other dear old
fashioned virtues attributed to our
grandparents, it is nevertheless the
product of an effete mode Of thought
and verbal expression, all unsulted TO
the tastes of the present era with lis
morbid craving after modernism ana
Its adherence Of VerboSlty.
Still less should this play of Rose
dale.'' masterpiece Of an eminent actor
and author though it be, have been
chosen as q fitting Introduction Tor the
actors and actresses who represent the
present Opera House stock company,
for with one or two exceptions, they
are essentially pupils OF modern
school of acting, educated to personate
the men and women of today, cognl-
zant Of the foibles and passions out Of
which our everyday heroes and nero
ines are made. When 'Rosedale' was
tn the zenith Of its fame, the regulation
stage hero was then Of the lmmacu-
late type VINO dared to do and to die
for love associated with an equally
immaculate heroine, suggestive OF no
thing so much as of bread and butter
and weak tea. The stage hero Of mod
ern playwrights is no impossible crea-
ton of the authors imagination, but a
study in absolute realism, neither spot
less nor passiOnless, but infinitely hu-
man. and therefore more likely than
not to prove a true hero. It is not to
be wondered at, then, that we prefer
the playwright who fills our stage
with the men and women who jostle
our shoulders day by day, nor that we
feel out of patience with the author
who gives US nothing but impossible
ideals.
In continuing the season, it would be
well for the management Of the Opera
House 10 ponder thoughtfully %dpon
their repertoire, and to concludethat
-'ROSedale," and all plays OF a like
character, notwithstanding their for
mer great reputation, have had their
day, and that the company is too mod
ern in its methods to give an accurate
representation Of the ways and GUS
toms of by-gone times.
William Ingersoll as Elliott Grey,
and Walter Edwards as Miles Nc
Kenna, failed to seize the opportunity
offered them to show the technical eff
feet Of complete character contrast.
Mr.. Ingersoll was a most desirable hero,
brave and gallant, every inch a soldier
and a gentleman. Mr.. Edwards, who
was supposed to be a ruffian of the
lowest class and a sworn associate
of gdpSies, had the information of
scholar with the bearing of Chester
field. His makeup, which should have
been brutal and repulsiye, was posi-
lively picturesque. We felt that al
though our eyes gained a fair picture
10 look upon, we were the losers of a
realistic conception of the character.
by this means also, tine contrast be-
tween gentleman and scoundrel was
distinctly leSsened, and the demeanor
of the hero seemed but little laughter
cor more distinguished than that Of
the ruffian.
In the kittenish role of Rosa Leigh,
Miss Mcintyre could not possibly show
her full capabilities, but she managed
to infuse a vivacity and humor into
tle part which did much towards re-
iieving the innate namby-pa mbiness of
Ihe character.
Rebecca Warren gave sweet and
dignifed Interpretation of the role of
Lady Florence May. Miss Chester was
impressive as Tabitha Stork, while the
vermii,ion-headed caricature of a, hired
q girl by Edith Pollock was humorously
original
The selection of +'Rosedale'' for an
Introductory performance was unfor-
aunate, in many respects, both for the
company and its reviewers. It would
have given us great pleasure could we
have conscientiously app1auded the
company on its first appearance, but
owing to an unsuitable selection they
were unable to earn full approval, but
Gid not deserve severe censure, thus
nlacing their reviewers in a critical
position. We trust to be able to pass
= better verdict on their efforts of to-
morrow evening.
The new company at the Grand
rpera house. having shown their eff