New-York tribune., 1900-04-24
THE DRAMA.
JEFFERSON AS CALEB PLUMMEa

Hearth" awakens memories OF distant years when
at the opening OF the Winter Garden Theatre IN
1859. the subject was prominently introduced upon
the local stage. by Dion Boucicault and the IA
miliar characters of the sweet tender and touching
though somewhat extravagant and radically i'm
probable Dickens story were interpreted by group
OF favorite performers, most OF whom have forever
passed away. 1t was then that Mr.. Jefferson first
acted Caleb Pummer and OF the players In that cast
only he and Agnes Robertson and Mrs. Wood sur
vtve. He has kept the old maker in his rsoertorv
ever since and he has touched many heart with
that pathetic ideal of self-sacree and patient en-
durance. made sympathetic with human affection
and beautiful with heroic assumption OF be-
nignant cheerfulness and humor. Caleb Piummer
typihes infrm age oppressed with weakness and
poverty but sustained by patience and II displays
under serio-comie conditions an image of absolute
seif-sacriice. The two notes that are forever
clear I'm this Story-the notes of humor and hu-
manity. Mr.. Jefferson was not the first among
American actors to feel. and practically employ
the potentiality OF the part Of Caleb Plummer:
Bass and Owens were before him in II: but Il was
inevitable that he should choose H. for no actor
ever had greater goodness of heart moved
by stronger impulse TO diffuse happiness and for
such temperament. impeIIed. the character
affords an exceptionally happy medium Of express
sien 1t does not arouse his Imagination: It
does not reveal his genius at IT'S loftiest
beight-as when. in the midnight ghost-scene Of
RIP Van Winkle," the dazed and forOrn human
another world than but II iberates his heart
his abundant human sympathy and. as an ex-
preston of tenderness and suggestion Of herOlsn
II is irresistible. Viewed on its artistic side the
personality Of Caleb P1ummer must be difficult
one to present. for II is that of a very wretched
man who must be made, at the moment
ccmical and pathetic To OveTaccent his miserable
cOndition-endUring the coarse tyranny Of Tackle
ton and misrepresenttng that brute, TO the blind
Bertha. as almost angelic benefactor-woUd be
- Ttror
stress his chirrupy tocuIarity would be to
minimize his serious Importance and make him ab-
sufd The comedian has a nice steer. and
the subtlety and proficiency of his art are won
derfully shown In his command of 1t. The figure
is bIghted; the face is Eoful; but IN even the
extremity of trouble and grief. the jocOse manner
is so evenly sustained. and subtly made indie
ative of the love and beneath it, that those
who look upon il often find themselves smiling
through tears. Mr.. Jefferson uses a stage version
OF the Dickens story. made by himself interpretive
of Peerybngles groundiess jealousy of Dot Caleb's
benevolent deception % Bertha.-as 10 his eircum-
stances and 10 old Tackletons real character.-
Tilly Slowboy's eccentric dulness. and the happy
return of the wandering sailor boy Edward Plum
mer. safely home from TO discomht Tacketon
and TO marry May Fielding. In rEe scene Of the
recognition, when Caleb greets his boy Mr.. JeTer-
son produces as fine effect Of heart breaking
pathos as ever was created on the stage of
time
The brandy-punchy efrusiveness that usually
flowed into the writing OF Charles Dickens when
ever he touched the subject OF Christmas OF
course makes itself in the story OF The Cricket
the Hearth becoming apparent In eommngled
exaggeration and inspidity; and from those ele-
ments drama based on the novel could be en-
tirely free. The character OF Tackleton is dread
fully distorted. for he has no justification even to
himself for his ugliness: he merely made so
in order to set the angelic Caleb and the celestial
Dot in a high seraphic light Peerytdngie who had
only to have one ray OF common sense and ask one
word of expla ton, behaves like absolute fool
Tilly SlowbOy is folly incarnate. The amazing pro-
ceedings of the disguised Edward-s7IddenIy emery
Ing from his wilderness OF hair questions OF
Mrs Peerybngle exactly when his conduct would bs
best calculated to awaken suspicon-wOud be unac-
countable in anything but one of the Christi
mas plots of Dickens The characterization.
the genfaltty and the humor. however remain
and these elements redeem the bad art Mr.
Bayd Putnam was not in the least IKE Peery-
bingle. though he showed fine fire and manly
sincerity in the rebuke of Tacketon Miss Elsie
Leslie was lovely to look upon. as Dot: she has
plenty OF vivacity. but no tenderness and SEEM
ingly no depth Bertha very sweetly and
simply acted by Blanche Bender But the remark.
able feature of the cast is the Tackleton Of George
Denham Ill-conditioned. vulgar cynicisrn In a
srotesque personality. was made actual powerful
painful and perfectly natural by this i1npersona-
ton: and that result. through the medium OF a
distortion which is almost earicature denotes rare
ability Mr.. Jefferson was many times recalled and
he made another speech. Mr.. Macready was right
as 10 that matter of speech making by the actor:
there is some excellent counsel in the remarks Of
Henry ~ 10 his wild and reckless son: Being
wanted we shall be wondered at. but II is
the public and not Mr.. Jefferson has set this
fashion. and all illusions must of course give way
Wv.