St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-28
The Grand-Jnmes J. COrbett.

Can James j. Corbett act? is a
question that those who have never
witnessed his performance in Cen
tleman Jack" ask. Those who have
seen Mr.. COrbett on the dramatic
stage do not make that inquiry.
They are forced to admit that Mr..
Corbett can act, whether they will or
no. An audience that packed the
Grand opera house last evening
could not deny the young mans
histrionic ability. The testimony Of
a skilled dramatic critic is not need
ed to prove that Mr.. Corbett does
not read his lines like parrot. He
demonstrates to the dulleSt COM
DrehenSion that he has done more
than merely memOriZe the lines of
his role. It is apparent to all wit
nesses of his impersonation of Jack
Royden that Mr.. Corbett has not
only bestowed intelligent thought
upon the character, but that he pos
sesses unquestionable dramatic in
stinct. Some of these witnesses may
not call it that. They may not call
it by any name, but they feel it.
And why? Because there are telling
touches of nature in his acting, and
zone touch of nature makes the
whole world kim 1t needs no critic
to come from communion with the
subtle lamb or discerning Hazlitt to
tell US that a picture is true to
nature Instinct and common sense
recognize and respond to truth with
out the aid of learned analysis and
diffuse differentiation.
Let it not be understood that Mr..
Corbett is a finished actor. MI.
Corbett himself does not pose as
such. But it can be set down as an
undeniable fact that he possesses
histrionic talent, that that talent is
directed by sound sense, and that
Mr.. Corbett has developed it in
convincing manner. Brains, not BIZ
ceps, are conspicuous in all his act
ing. There is a flavor of spontan-
city in his work that is noticeabiy
absent from the efforts of the major
ity of "these our actors" Contrast,
for instance, Mr.. COrbett's easy,
unaffected, co1loquial manner with
the unnecessarily stilted, strained,
melodramatic demeanOr of the actor
who played the villain. True, the
latter gentleman is doubtless re-
quired to exaggeTate the villainy of
the character, but even in the con-
ventional scene in the second act,
where there is no occasion to dis
play any emotion, this gentleman
was suspiciousiy intense and artifi-
cial in Offering to transact a little
financial business. Mr. Corbett may
not have mastered the technique of
the dramatic art, but he has avoided
the obstrusive mistakes Of many Of
it's opponents. He does not atti-
tudiniZe, he does not strut, he does
not shout. Neither does he humble
his lines or stand as though he was
spiked to the floor. He simply be-
HAYES and looks like a fesh-and-
blood man, speaks his lines audibly
and with correct emphasis, is very
much at ease in the light comedy
scenes, and full of fire in the two
situations which demand the exhibit
ton Of resentment and passion.
For these reasons, therefore, one
cannot deny to Mr.. Corbett more
than passing praise as an actor. He
shows marked Improvement over
the Mr.. Corbett of two years ago,
which indicate study. That he pos
sesses valuable discretion is evinced
in a wise avoidance of celebrating
the emotional scenes which require
a proficiency in histrionic art only
to be obtained after years of expe-
rience.
But lest some might infer that
Gentleman Jack" is an entertain
ment devoid of interest except when
Mr. Corbett is on the stage, it
should be recorded here that such