New-York tribune., 1901-01-22
THE DRAMA.
MIR. WILLARD AT THE GARDEN.
THE MIDDLEMAN."


in Henry Arthur Jones's powerful and noble play
of The Middlenan." was long ago recognized. in
this place, great dramatic achievement, and
which is more to the practical purpose.-it was
long ago acknowledged and accepted as such. by
the playgoing world. 1t has been known to the
American theatre since November 10. 1880. on which
date it was first presented here.-Mr. Willard, on
that occasion. making his first appearance in this
country. 1t has since then been IN many cities
of the continent, and everywhere IL has aroused
deep sympathy and elected fervent admiration.
Mr.. Willard, whose engagement at the Garden
Theatre has now reached its fourth and final
week, acted this part. last night. and
made it quaint with the attributes OF artis-
tic fanaticism. as winning with the charm Of hu-
man goodness and tenderness, and irresistible
and overwhelming with the propulsive excitement
and moving eloquence OF passionate power as ever 1t
was in it's first and freshest days. The embodi-
ment is one of tremendous significance. involving
an instructive comment the conflict between
mercenary materialisn and ideal integrity in this
commercial age, and it is fraught with such
virtues and beauties of the art of acting that in
contrast with most things now prevalent the
stage, it amply illustrates Hamlet's informing
sime, and, Like star the darkest night. sticks
fiery off indeed" Mr.. willard had the efficient
aid of the accomplished comedian Mr.. Harry
Cane. whose performance of Batty Todd is OF
the absolute gems Of the stage. in the really of
character Nothing in it's way could be better
The part is both odious and humorous-and this
thorough actor makes it-a consummate type of
shrewdness, worldly wisdom, low cunning and vul-
gar self-assertion. commingled with good humor
and practical talent The character OF the purse
proud, pompous, conventional, vulgar Chandler was
made painfully actual by Mr.. Frederick Volpe,-
the prosperous parvenu appearing in every gar
meEt, every tone, and every popularity Of de-
meanor. Mr.. Ernest Stallard Jesse Peg and Miss
Laura Linden Nancy Bsnkarn. heightened the
mirthful moments OF the drama by clever and
amusing denotements OF merry. mischievous scorn
and comically abje't amorous infatuation. Mr.
Jones has defly braided many strands of interest in
this play Of The Mddleman." II is a triumph of
construction-more especially in the second act OF
it. which is altogether exceptional for structural
felicity. II Of Mr.. Jones's earlier achieve
ments before he yielded to the baeful French taste
and found himself celestally ordained to expound
the OF erratic concupiscence and the ethics of
matrimonial iufdellty. II seemed to tower into
positive grandeur. last night. In comparison with
memories of the patry stuff which has Of late years
overfowed the theatre. Miss Maud Hoffman acted
earnestly and sweetly. Mary Blenkarn Mr..
Willard had six calls. amid great enthusiasm after
each curtain.
The first estimate OF Mr.. Wilard's acting that
was formed BY the present reviewer and recorded
in this column has endured the test Of time and
experience, and upon this recurrence OF Mr..
Wizards great embodiment of Cyrus Blenkarn, it
may appropriately be reproduced:
In the drama Of The Middleman'' Mr.. Willard
has TO mpersonate inventor Of the absorbed,
enthusiastic. self-regardless fanatical kind Cyrus
toll have enriched two persons named Chandler,
father and son. who own and conduct porcelain
factory in English town OF the present day.
Blenkarn has two daughters. and one of them is
taken from him by the younger Chandler The
circumstances of this deprivation point disgrace.
and the inventor cOnceives himself 10 have suf-
fered an odious ignominy and irreparable wrong
Young Chandler has departed and so has Mary
Blenkarn. and they are eventually 10 return
husband and wife; but Cyrus Blenkaru has been
aroused from his reveres over the crucibIe and
furnace,-wherein he is striving TO discover lost
secret in the potters art that will make him both
rich and famous.-and he utters his prayer for
vengeance upon these Chambers, and he parts
from them. a time OF destitution and OF pitiful
struggle with dire necessity, seepless grief and
the maddening impulse Of vengeance now comes
upon him. so that he is wasted almost 10 death
He will not. however. abandon his guest for the
secret Of his art. He may die OF hunger and
wretchedness: he will not yield At the last
ment of his trial and his misery-aone-at night
in the alternate lurd blaze and murky gloom OF
his firing -house-success is conquered the secret
is found. This climax. TO which the preliminaries
gradually and artfully lead. affords great op-
portunity to the actor; and Mr.. Willard greatly
fills it, The inventor has been bowed down almost
to despair. Grief and destitution. the sight Of his
remaining daughters poverty. and the conflict of
many feelings. have made him wreck But his
will remains firm. 1t is not. however. until his
last hope has been abandoned that his success
suddenly comes-and the result of this is de-
lirium This situation Is of the best In modern
drama. and it has been treated by the author in
such manner as tc sustain for long time the
feeling OF suspense. and to put enormous strain
upon the emotion and the resources Of an actor.
Mr.. Wizards presentment Of the gaunt, attenu-
ated figure of Cyrus Blenkarn-hollow-e eyed. half
frantic. hystericaI with grief and joy-was the
complete incarnation of a dramatic frenzy. and
this, being sympathetic, and moving to goodness
and not to evil. captures every heart. II was a
magnificent exhibition, not alone OF the physical
force which sometimes is essential in acting.
but of that fervor of the soul without which acting
Is mockery.
The skill with which Mr.. Willard reserves his
power so that the impersonation may gradually in
crease in strength, Is OF the best merits Of his
art. Blenkarns prayer at the end of second.
might readily be converted into the climax OF the
piece. and IL might readily be spoken in such a way
that no effect would be left for the elimination in
the furnace room. These errors are avoided and
during three out Of the four acts the movement of
this piece Is fluent. continuous and cumulative In
this respect both the drama and the performance
are instructive. Mr.. Henry Arthur Jones has di-
versed his serious scenes with various passages of
sportve humor. and he has also freighted the piece
with conventional didacticism as to the well worn
question of capital and labor The humor is good
The political economy need not detain attention.
The value of the play does not reside in its teach
ing, but in its exceedingly dramatic presentation of
strong character individual experience and signif-
cant story. The effect produced by The Middle
man Is that of moral elevation. Its auditor is
touched and ennobled by spectacle of stern trial
ptiable suffering and stoicaI endurance In the
purpose which presldes over human destiny-if an
observer can accept the testimony equally of his
tory and of hctionit appears to be necessary first
to create strong characters and then them;
and the manner in which they broken usually
involves the elements alike of dramatic effect and
of pathos This singular fact in mortal experjanca