The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-28
NOTES AT THE THEATRES.
EIAMPLEs OFJOHN HARE,s oUTEr-
LH ADMIRABLE ACTINU,
Ms Methods In "a Pair OF spectHcIes" and
Cronies -Herrunnnn Gives Partly
New Emtertainmcnt-Mnrion ManoIn In
the Vaudeville PIscs-"A Fair Excbnu,s,'

RtIbNlH u oHh ilhTe person ATOMS. ltlB
acting IS often so llno and 30 natural that It
admiration and affection watched him grow up
In his art can comprehend his methods better
than We can, who only see him now In the ma
turity OF his powers, except for an occasional
glimpse of him In London. II IL worth while.
therefore,. to SEQ his performance OF the agrd
and decayed noblcman in "Old tronIcs." lie
docs not do his best work In this, and the little
play affords only II trifiDg opportunity; but ho
does all things so well that this will always
DO rs n delightful character. lie
builds up n personation as he builds up his
wonderful makeup, step by step. point by
point, until II Is complete. Whnt we call in.
spiration Is absent from his performances lie
has no geuius, but he has the capacity for In.
finite lains, which takes the place of II. To
the curious his Lara k,llCiH II particularly In
t~ercsting because In this, more than In any
other character which no has played In this
country, Mr.. Hare's rainstaking method Is
visible. The steps by which no has reached
his effects, tho points which he has added one
after another to complete the picture, may he
discerned in some measure. There Is missing,
here and there, the air of spontanelty which Is
one of the highest and most difficult achieve
ments OF the actor. and which Is, on most oc-
casions, ono of the charms of Mr.. IInrc's act
ing. 4 special instance Of this Is his awaking
from the druggcd sleep. His succumbinR to the
influence OF the chlorotorm is almost entirelv
natural. but his recovery fs pmnctuatcd by
distinct and manifest manpuvres of tho
player. The delicate machincry Is all there.
but not so well hidden as usual. 1t Il n case In
which one can see the wheels 90 round. The
Importance OF this episode to the thoughtful
secting the art which he admires, is that II
reveals In a mild way the mental processes by
which Mr.. Hare gets ut the heart OF q charao-
ter. and the Thousand and one details OF syn
thesis by which he ,construots It's histrionic
moments In the play when his art attains it's
usual and legitimate end, and we are beguiled
into thinking, only OF Lord Kdptn, and not ut
all of John Hare.
That comparisons are odious Is a proverbial
assertion viii, h, like many a~ssertive proverbs,
is as false as 1t Is old. 1t Is no more venerable
than a link in Mayfair, or the rushes with
which our gentle ancestors were wont to hide
their rude and dirty floors. A Now York au-
dience cannot avoid comparisons in seeing Mr..
Hare act, because two other versions Of odd
Cronies' are known here, and the one. "A
Game OF Cards" in which the sensitive noble
man was a Frenchman, made q lasting i'm
preston. In "A Pair of Spec.aclc..' too, COM
partson cannot be ignored. because Mr.. Stod-
darts personation OF Benjamin GOldfnch was
o very fine one, and We love our American actor
enough always to remember him In this role
with afTectionate admiration. 1t Is q peculiar
proof of the London players pleasant nerson-
ality and great talent that he compels US TO ac-
vept him as BENJAMIN Golidnch, and that the
transition phase Of this character, when the
genial old gentleman, begins to think that his
RhE s4a IS G ssppsc,aI Il ris sood rA0 4s et tsey t4sash ME;
and fnisehood o. man gradually dawn on his
fTss ilnE his s"H Of snsStd IN human his rs ]naa"IS: h his
submission, his entire conversion. his violent
outbursts. and his systematic d~istrust lead his
which Is fascinating in its subtle humor and
convincing in Its stimulation OF reality. A less
sincere and accurate artist would have lanses
in this progress from one condition Of mind
to its OPPOSITE, or might portray the successive
traordinary attention to details results in an
appearance of reality which is delightful. 1t
p %9gid a p pIilain as pe 10 as plan smp % warlike ,P hero n;9 eve to
his wickedness, when he assumes It,. as In
taken seriously. SO engaging Is his personality,
but whatever he might attempt would be in
terestiny by reason of his delicate shading.
With him acting Is. in two senses, u fine art.
Yesterdays only new play was n thirty min
ute comedietta that engaged John Mason and
Marion Manola Mason at Keith's Union Square.
It was Mrs. Evelyn Bakers "A Fair Ex-
change" o sketch from bohemian life, the
scene being an artists studio. The artist was
smitten with a widow. whom he was expecting
in to lunch. and in tho PREDATORY five minutes
he had q deal to say about the widows charms
and the Joys of life in bohemia. AS the time
approached for his callers arrival. he ordered
an expensive lunch. and made clear that IA $40
bill made up his entire worldly possessions.
Then he became apprehensive lest his caller
should not come, and when a waiter bringing
tho lunch knocked at the door. the artist stood
at the threshold ready to greet his guest. A
second call from the waiter brought a che TX for
the lunch. and reduced the artists capital to rs
cents, and his patience to a low ebb. Finally
he decided that his caller was not coming. and
in his irritation had the lunch taken away un-
he wa, hungry, and the lunch being gone. lie
started out to get such a meal as his funds
ow arrived and made herself at home. When
be returned she announced that, since she
she had come TO dinner. At this the artist
stroye to dissuadc, her from that purpose, but
stay. II then appeared that an unknown I'M
Gle had died. leaving her q legacy. and she. find
ofthe leap year and proposed TO him. He did his
share, once tho proposal was started. and the
ever-nfter suggestions.
Both participants in this wee comedy oh
served the same degree of care in their efforts
that they would have In a play of full length
engaging a large company. and, there was moth.
sasa e d tie He'S VARIETY shows. There was was just juss
i hs.,os th Sa msnns' S % rs .%. glnyiRE M e ,s s6Si1 ns q! th :
household word among Boston's theatregoers.
To be sure. no little share Of his reputationI
~ viz ~ iiNlIlt At tllI
cd on his manner OF love making, and to see
him permitting himself to lbs wooed was a
change. but no bore II off we'll. His was the
larger part Of the two. but Mrs. Mason attend
ed capably TO what was given her TO do, and
sang two selections p~rettily. The difference
bet this piece and the ordinary variety
sketch was appreciated by the audience, and
the newer sort seemed welcome.
Hermann, the man OF many mysteries, held
forth at Palmer's last evening. Io divided his
programme into five sections, and in all but one.
which was given over TO Adelaide IIerrmann's
dances. he was AZ amusingly deceIving as ever.
In his first part, which consisted OF sleight OF
hand tricks, no had u mystery up his sleeve a
all times, and when he rolled his sleeves up for
the sake OF showing that no p~ractised no decep-
ton. no was still successfully tricky. The
second number was q new illusion. entitled
"Trilby," by permission, so the programme
stated, OF Messrs. a. NJ. Palmer and Paul VI.
Potter. In performing II two ordinary chairs
were placed near the rear curtain. and across