Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-10


 imagine, put an adversary in the con- somme with but little effort. The diff ference between Wilton Lackaye, man, and Wilton Lackaye, actor, is toto caelo.
 l found him delightful conyersat tion- alist. His mind is bright; his eye ditto. Beneath that well-shaped thought-dome there turks much histrionc lore. Lackaye started out to be a prieSt--I think he would have made jolly one--but he be- came stage-struck after witnessing per- formanee of "Esmerelda' He reversed his religious aspirations, much against paternal wishes, however, and the stage gained what the church lost.
 My first appearance in professional company" said MT. Lackaye, twas at the Star theater, New York in 1883, when Lawrence Barrett produced Francesca da Rimini' I carried a spear and had a few important words to say-at least thought so then. Curiously enough, Marie Wainwright was then Barretts leading lady. Otis Skinner was the ju- yenile of the company. I was afterwards in Fanny Davenport's company. I att tracted but little attention from the press, but received offers from one or two man agers to take part in productions
 Slowly, very slowly, I began to ac- quire prominence as an actor of chara cter parts, and until I reproduced Svengali on the stage I played chiefly in New York productions''
 The mention of Svengali, started the hypnotic part of the interview. I asked Lackaye if he could swallow the hypnotic story of "Dr. Belgraff.''
 Yes" he replied. 'I believe it is possi- ble. But there Is one part of the play that has created considerable discussion. It Is this, whether or not a person in state of hypnosis would do anything that would be morally repugnant to them
 when in their normal condition Many leading hypnotists say they would not
 I think that while a person may not be thief or a murderer at heart yet when
 placed in the environments of fear and danger conveyed by hypnotic suggestion
 they would doubtless commit murder or perjure themselves in a supposed effort of self-defense. Some psychologists place but little credence in the statement made
 by hypnotistS that a, subject would do nothing averse to his moral nature when
 under the influence. They term it the cowardce of scence-that scientists oft en having discovered this new power and
 introduced 1t to the world, were afraid of it's results, and hastened to allay the fears of the people,"
 I asked MT. Lackaye about his new play
 which he has not yet produced
 "It is entirely different from pr. Bel graff,'" said he. "It is a southern play,
 the action of which takes place during
 the time of the war altohugh the hero
 does not go to war himself. It was orig inally intended to call the play Col. Bob,'
 but as this would immediately suggest IngerSoll to the people, I changed the
 title to Capt. Bob.' MT. Couldock will
 have an excellent part in the piece" And here Mr. Lackaye was obliged to go to the theater He suggested that I accompany him. I recalled his power
 over Trilby and obeyed. As we walked up Walnut from the Kirkwood, the we'll
 grOomed actor was the exposure of all eyes. Flushing school girls and mature
 chaperones stopped and looked at him.
 But he pretended not to notice them.
 Perhaps he was thinking of his wife, pretty Alice Evans who, with others of the company, preceded us. 1a MT. Lackaye comes to O'Brien's tomor- row night.
 EUGENE BLAIR IN FEAST LYNN.' The entire world of theater-goers should witness the revival of the well known and beautiful play of East Lynn" which, in the hands of one of the stars of the present day, will not lose by the production nor by contrast with those by-gone geniuses, Clara Morris and Lu- cile Western. Indeed one hardly knows which to exalt the most, the charming play, or the gifted actress, Eugenie Blair. They seem made for each other. The personality of the actress, seeming to be exactly adapted to the warm, glowing, beautiful nature of the heroine of the story, Isabel Vane whose pathetic life is so well depicted by the author, and which in the hands of Eugenie BaE, will be intensified and strengthened by its true and perfect rendition. Twenty years ago the theater-going public were thrilled to the core of their beings by the play | of East Lynn," which gave to their sym 1 pathetic hearts the life story of the love- ly, guileleSs "ISabel," and with tears they | followed her into her married life. when | the young Innocent girl struggled, uu- aided. with her jealous, ardent love. for l the sedate but noble hearted man, Arcl- | ibald Carlyle, who absorbed by his busl- ness cares. had neither time nor inclina- | ton to study the impulsive, youthful na- i ture, intrusted to his older wisdom and matured judgment Though living here, | he was bound by former ties of friend ship to the interests of the Hare family, and Barbara, the daughter, one of those good but narrow souls. had always loved him, naturally she did not bestow any particular affection upon the ardent but luckless "Isabel,'' and so the seeds of diStrust were sown in the heart of the young girl, and as the troubles of the Hare family made it seem necessary 10 the good, but somewhat prggish soul of Archibald Carlyle" to conceal this truth from his wife, his real relations with Bar bara Hare were misconStrued by 'lsabel, and the willy insinuations of the miscreant of the story, Sir Francis Levison who sought the possession and downfall of
 
 which crowned her unfortunate life with disgrace and remorse.
 Eugenie Blair is a native born southern woman, gifted with the warm blood of that cline, and with beauty of face and person. She is so we'll known as an ac- tress that little need be said of that here, save that her nat tural attributes insure l the success of her portrayal of the char acter of the "Lady Isabel,' while the fact | that the company which is excellent in l every particular. is under the direction of Mir Robert Downing, the accomplished and eminent tragedy star, and the hus- band of Eugenie Blair, speaks for the 1 sure satisfaction and pleasure of those fortunate enough to witness the produc- | ton | East Lynn" is booked for Tuesday night at OrBrien's. is& s A PLAY AND SOME SONGS. A good play gives the best setting in the world to good song. and songs of 1 the right kind give an interest to any dramatic story that can be gained in