The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-27
MR.. SOL SMITH RUSSELL.
HE WILL PRESENT" IN EyERf DAY
MANv AND sHERIDAN's"RIvALs."
Nat Goodwin's ambition" success-"in
the Heart of Maryland" Also Favor
ably Received.


There Is no comedian upon the Amerf-
can stage to-day who has warmer hoiu
upon the hearts Of the pubic IMAM 9oi.
Smith Russell. His humor Is so quiet
and gentle that ii captivates ones risioh-
tiles before YOU are conscious Of its pres
ence. on Tuesday night Russell VIII
present n, the Academy IAN Everyday
Man." and on Wednesday night he WIZ
be seen in Sheridan's great pay Inc
Rivals"
IAN EVERYDAY Man" will also be pre-
scented al the matinee on wednesday. 1t
is evidently Russclis intention 10 take
Jefferson's place In THE Rivals when
that great comedian shall no longer be.
known TO the stage. At any rate, one
thing is certain, that Russell comes more
nearly approaching jefferson In his style
OF acting than anyone now on the stage.
On Thursday night Digby Bell VIII pre-
sent his new nautical operetta Nancy
Lee" The plot Of the play II lald AT
Fortress Monroe. and IL Is said 10 be very
pretty. The company is large one ana
capable.
Nat Goodwin has struck another success
IN his new play Ambition Mr. Good
win will appear here this winter and II
will be OF interest TO know what the
northern press has to say OF his ne"
piece
The New York Herald says:
PERHAPS the first and the most im9or-
tant thing 70 be said about Ambition
q new play by Henry Guy Carleton IS
that il kept the audience in the pleasant
est humor throughout the evening.
Though the theme OF the comedy IS not
az all a novel one. THE Senator having
told us q very similar story long ago.
and though the first act was found 20 be
very garrulous ana a triiie tedious. 10 was
nevertheless conceded that Mr. Carleton
must have been in a much happier vein
when he wrote Ambition" than when
ne was laboriously engaged in collecting
Butterflies" or IN helping out Of their
troubles "That Imprudent Young Cou-
pie"
His humor I'm this latest instance Is
more spontaneous and he does not, as
formerly, resort 10 those threadDafe the
atrical devices. which a man OF Mr.. care
toms calibre can very easily ahoid 10
dispense with.
MIR. Goodwin. as Obadiah Beck, achiev-
"a a great popular success. / did not
like that Irving wig. nor his deliberate
utterance. II may be quite natural never
TO vary the tempo Of ones speech ana 70
avoid all emphasis, but IL is not always
act the artist seemed 10 become aware
Of all this himself. lie pulled himself to-
gether and the more quickly he spoke
the more distinct and convincing became
his utterancc Then there was much
enthusiasm. followed by the usual cur
tain calls and the inevitable speech.
Miss Annie Russell was sweet demure,
and melodious. she always Is that and
her role calling for no display OF strong
emotion she was at her best
David Belasco has achieved a success
I'm his new play. "The Heart Of Nary
land" which was last week presented IN
New York, at the Herald Square Theatre.
The Herald, in comentng on the play,
says:
''The play Is not so much of a war
drama as a romance. Conflict enters
constantly into its action and Incident
nearly every male character is a soldier
but the story itself is one OF human i'm
pulse and emotion during the dark days
OF the war between the North and South.
There is more of love. heroism, and sac
rlfce than Of actual battle.
To be sure, some Of the incidents are
reminiscent Of other works, but lie itself
is very old story.
The production is a SNOWY and SEN
sational one in a scenic way Money and
pains have been lavished upon IL. The
company which appeared in IL is not only a
very large one, but the leading parts are
intrusted 10 thoroughly competent artists.
The performance was the occasion OF
the reappearance upon the stage of Mrs.
Leslie Carter, i'm the leading role. She
was "A surprise, In that she Is now a very
much better actress than when we last
saw her The strongest part in the play
is intrusted 10 Mr.. John Kellard. IL Is
that OF a villainous. despicable, drunken
trailer. and Mr.. Kellard succeeds IN
making himself thoroughly odious. Mr.
Odeu Williams unquestionably made the
hit OF the performance. His character
work was artistic and jovial. His make
up alone was enough TO keep the audi
ence laughing Althci gh acting a brute
he never overdid IT, Mr.. Mordnaunt. Air.
Barrymore. ard Mr.. Scott fulfilled all
requirements in the leading thought
| parts.
There was a crowded house that In
| sisted on numerous curtain calls.
a well-dressed man called al the Fifth
Avenue Theatre one day last week anc
| asked to see Manager J. Charles Davis.
Mr.. Davis" he said. as he struck an
| attitude, 81 am a playwright and have
| proposition 70 make. / saw this play
| David Garrick' the other evening anc
| it's a bad play sir, a bad play. There's
| nothing up-tO-da;e about IL. Now. If
| YOU will let me rewrite Il I shall supply
| the deficiency and make II success, sir
| a success.
"For instaLce." he went on, warmine
10 his subject. "hypnotism IS all the rage
! now, and there Is a great chance for q
! hypnotic scene in this piece sir. great
chance. After the drunken scene let Car
! rick hypnotic old Ingot and carry on th'
| crit