The record-union., 1895-04-30
AMTJSEMENTS

A yory good first night house greeted
the SLuith-Lieb Dramatic Company at
the Cluuie Opera-house last evening.
The reception of the company. while not
enthusiastic, was cordial and hatterIng;
evidently the audience was putting the
troupe upon trial; IL was disposed to falf
play with it, and 10 IN easure IL we'll before
giving itauy specially demonstratlVe n
dorsement. We think it will realize
expectation md come to be Il strong
favorite. Certainty il the prices charged,
whicn must co .TsIi5Ite the measure OF
salaries paid aud w3ilIty commanded, are
considered, the 81 Hllh-L!eh Company Is
away ahead and way above the con-
sideratiOn it receiyeN for the entertain
m9nt it affords. All:. Snlth IS me
stage figure, an actor stfohs, eA press
i've countenance and nj $aly beaelhs;
reader OF superior order, MS enumeration
being perfect in it's distin, ftness ana ad-
mirable III its method. Tn,T9 Is 10 rant
IN his work, no tearing OF the pasNons W
tatters. 1t Is with him quiet, dlghIuea'
intense and accurate work, with out uo!Se
or roaring and absolutely free rom lha@
numbering of the English Language
which was perpetraIed nIsch chtIy by lne
last leading man who held the sage o!
the Clunie. Intelligence and an Iuloriu-
ing spirit lie behind and below Mr..
Smiths dramatic woFk: ease. grace ana
precision characterize his method. Beat-
rice Lleb Is lady OF easy, gra cesul man
uers, good reader OF the quiet and re-
pressive order. she is natural a1d noI
particle STACEY. She SO far departs
from the vociterOusly emotional style as
to disappoint by her reserve. Her
auditors feels that she mas power in re-
serve and expects hsr Constantly TO mani
Test 1t. But she reaches clinlaXeS With
out any explosive vigor or raclSiug of
the emotions. Indeed, only once III the
play last night did she rise to a level OF
passionate vlgor. IL Suggests that she
reDresSeS too much; that she would
please better if she cOlored her lines more
and put into her acting something more
OF VlrlIlty. But despite her quiet method,
she reads and acts with feeling. The
auditor is conscious OF her eaTnestuDss,
and feels that she 1eelS the spirit OF
the play. She has a speaking and at
tractive countenance. Her expression IS
sympathetic. She wins her audience
without the aid OF beauty or the employ
ment OF passionate arts. Modest and re-
fined, she has at once the respect and
sympathy OF her hearers. Perhaps the
part OF Herminie would not be better If
made made more passionate and demon
strative-it will bear either method, the
repressiVe or the vocaIly passionate.
Hiss Fisher is rather amateurish. Her
Estelle IS pleasing, but Will improve
with something less OF restraint and
more of abandon. She is capable, we
think, is modest, painstaking and OF
pleasing presence and reads without
much effort. Doubtless she, with all the
others, teit last night that they were
strangers before an audience disposed to
be very cautious about Endorsement.
Miss Reah had heavy and un-
sympathetic part and read it fairly,
but can improve it with something more
of energy injected into 1t. The support
ing men are ali good. Mr.. Brewer is
well-k nown here ana 1avorite. Mr.
Howard is a good comedian and dialect
actor. Mr.. Scott had the heavy part, and
made very cool and calculating villain
of PHILIPPE lie Barre. MIR. helt as a
miserly inn-keeper, Mr.. Reynolds ana
Mr.. Hill Were good III minor parts. AS
whole il is Il good company, anu when it
gets closer to its audience will prove q
Iavorite one. Is has ca pacity Tor very
broad range of the drama and ought to
command good patronage during it's en-
gagement. Tie play, 'Hermiuie," is Il
melodrama, semi military, with romantic
situations, n Slight comedy vein. and is
of a strongly emotional character. 1t -
we'll mounted and the company is let ter
perfect IL 1.-THE voice OF Inc prompIer is
pot once heard. aud there is not Il single
hitch or rough spot in any OF the "DusI-
neSS.' The lableauX are striking, thrill
ing IN two instances, ami the story is Il
probable one OF weii-sllS,ai inOG interest.
1t is well worth saein. aud Will he re-
peated Tonight.