The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-12
ADJUSTMENTS.

The opening of the Stuart Robson COM
pany at the Theatre last night served to
present a notable company to Salt Lake,
in play which did not merit the expendi-
ture of talent. The ability of the actors,
on the other hand, was all that saved the
piece from being desert of meaningless
talk.
1.-The Meddler'' is by Augustus Thomas,
who first became known by that success,
Alabama" but who has since, given-or
tried, to ,giye-many plays to the stage
reputation. The story of The Meddler'
is of an artist (he meddler) and his sis
ter, who is engaged to marry a man who
has at one time had the reputation for
friend. whose wife is the basis for the
trouble in hand, and several other friends,
who all are implicated in the horrible
mystery before the second act is ended.
until we begin to wonder if we are ever
to he enlightened before we go home. But
all is explained in about two long speech
es just at the end, and positions are
taken for the final curtain.
There are occasional promises of depth
in The Medder," which suddenly turn
and explanations are repeated over and
over. and characters bob in and out in
quite a delightfully."-. primitive fashion.
Mr.. Thomas. when he wrote The Med
der" had an idea for a play: he had the
canvas and the paints, but he had the
wrong brushes or did his work hurriedly,
for there are too many blank and crude
spots in the canvas. There are oppOrtu-
mites for good situations, which suddenly
thin out at the moment which should be
the exciting one. And to interpret this
to save the day-is a company which, of
it's kind, could hardly be eXcelled, a com
pany which was last night engaged in
sort of hopeless effort to act down to
they play.
same old Stuart Robson. with his man
nerisms, his odd makeup, his genuine
comedy If anybody can extract fun from
line, it is Stuart Robson, and his abil-
tiles in this direction certainly undergo a
severe test in The Meddler." He sue
ceeds, however, in raising roars of laugh
ter. Mrs. Robson is an excellent comedi-
enne. and was delightful in her one scene
in the first act. A sterling actor is Mr.
Harold Russell. and he last night showed
no trace of his recent accident. l wish
his part had been more worthy of his
effort. Likewise with Miss Burroughs,
who was very handsome and beautifully
gowred. and has such charming, smooth
methods. Mr.. Edwin Holt gives a digni-
fled performance of an ungrateful part,
and Mr.. Curtis is good as the novelist.
Miss Perry, as the meddler's sister was
charming. 1t weuld be 81 great pleasure
to see these people in play which was
on a par with their own excellences, and
one feels positively handicapped in en-
deavoring to explain their merits in rela-
ton to the play. Two Rogues and
Romance" which will be given Thursday
showing for all concerned "The Med
der will be repeated tonight.
After the second act last night Mr. Rob-
son was called before the curtain and he
delivered a few effective words. He began
by saying that an audience called an
actor before the curtain. first. to get the
actor away from the play; second, to get
the man away from the actor, and third,
to get his ideas away from the man. He
expressed his gratitude for the frendli-
ness of the audience. and said that he
n ended
nouncement was received with great en-
thusiasm.
Bobby Gaylor. in "McSorley's Twins"
closes his engagement at the Grand to-
night.
- 8 @
Lovers of genuine minstrel shows are
looking forward TO the Primrose and
Dockstader engagement, beginning Friday
night.