The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-09
A TINE WHEN PLAYHOUSES WERE
CONVERTED INTO CHURCHES.
Mrs. julia Ward Howe Tells Of the
Reaction That Followed and How
the Drama Came to Its own.

became the fremont Temple, and the old
theater in Federal street. in near proximity
TO beth the Catholic Cathedral and TO Dr.
Channings church, was baptized as THE
Odeon." l myself attended a missionary
meeting held there in 1887. Soon after my
first residence in Boston the Museum
opened it's doors, and added 10 its meager
display OF stuffed beauty wax figures and
paintings poor in merit. the lure of tenn
perance play, called THE Drunkard." Peo-
pie from the surrounding country, was
told. would come into town TO see the ex-
hibit at the museum. bringing their lunch
with them, and would stay TO witness this
highly moral drama, without feeling
obliged to accuse themselves of having en-
tered "a wicked theater."
An almost similar state of things ex-
listed in New York. The opera, which APP
peared there from time to time was poorly
supported by a fashionable set of people,
supposed by the sober sort TO be given over
TO worldliness. Heads of families in repu-
table church fellowship neither attended
the theater nor allowed their children to
do so. 1 remember having heard that the
rite of confirmation was withheld from
several applicants on the ground that GER
tain Episcopal minister, afterward a bishop
of Massachusetts, did not want "any card
playing and play-going Christians at his
communion table" Nevertheless. the
drama had had it's successes in America,
and was destined to have them again.
The aesthetic of the old world had it's
missionaries and one of these, Ellen Tree,
came to Boston in 1916. With some diff
Guilty a hall of moderate size was arranged
fo. l,or Tree -
true. was already married. and her hus-
band Charles Keene, acted with her in
1.-The Hunchback" and other plays. A little
later Macready availed himself of the same
building, complaining. however, of the mar
rowness of the stage, which he found too
restricted in size to admit of his perform
ance of king Lear" / first saw him in
Byron's tragedy of Werner" and with
him young woman of striking aspect, who
seemed full of unusual power. This was
Charlotte Cushman, then but little known
to fame yet destined to achieve brilliant
success in the near future.
A SPIRIT OF REVOLT.
/ suppose that all tyrannies good and bad
alike, provoke reaction in the community
which endures them for a season. Soon
after the time of which l have just spoken,
the Harvard Athenaeum was opened, and
within it's walls Boston witnessed its first
Italian opera. This was given by a very fine
troupe from Havana, whose performances
of "Ernani," 81 Due Foscari," Linda"
and so on, were of first-rate spirit
The spirit of revolt at which L limited a
moment since, finally showed itself in the
erection of theater of considerable size
and of ample and luxurious appointments
The theater was now evidently come to
stay. The dedication of the new edifice was
made an occasion of much Importance. A
prize had been offered for a suitable poem,
and Thomas William Turnous, a poet of
rare merit and too rare production, was the
recipient. The lines were read if mistake
not, by John Gilbert. Scenes from Sheri-
dams Rivals and the "Beggar's Opera"
followed.
The old Puritan custom of beginning the
observance of the Sabbath on Saturday
evening continued for some years to inter-
dict the giving of plays on that evening
The performance, therefore. took place on
Saturday afternoon. In process of time the
ancient usage faded from the minds of men,
and while the afternoon play was not dis
continued, an evening performance was
added to it.
The record of the Boston Theateris men,
orable one. In reviewing it one may trace
all the steps by which the drama, long de-
cried in and banished from New England
has assembled to the place which it now
holds. and deservedly. among the agencies
which delight and civilize mankind. One of
these steps, l discover in the coming of
Rachel, the queen of the tragic stage in
France, and wherever else she appeared.
She gave to a Puritan public the first view
of that perfect grace and discipline which
exalts the French stage above all Others
The beautiful rendering of the part of
Camille in THE Horatii and Curiatii'' was
a revelation of passion at its white heat
fulfilling, never transgressing, the bounds
of the true and beautiful. In "Phedre' she
wore the crown of majesty dethroned by
that destructive force which the ancients
called fate, but of which modern psychol-
ogy finds the genesis in rampant magma
ton and undisciplined inclination. AS the
courtesan in angelo" how wonderful the
subtle exercise of her attractions But in
'Adrienne Lecouvreur' we were con-
strained to follow her through the whole
gamut of womanly passion. No one who
saw and heard it could forget the scene in
which. insulted by peeress. her rival, and
hidden to amuse the company by a recita-
ton, she flung back the insult in the line:
I'm front qui ne rougit jamais." GA brow
which never blushes.')
BOOTH AND FORREST.
Thither too, came Edwin Booth, at first
rather held at arms length by the jealous
admirers of his father. but soon recognized
as a true artist. and matchless as an inter-
prefer of Shakespeare. Successful in all his
performances as Richelieu. Macbeth, Rich
ard it was as Hamlet that he will be best
remembered. for he did not act the part
he was Hamlet.
Another Edwin won much favor here.
This was Edwin Forrest, whom / have
heard described as "a man of genius in a
bad school" l remember a performance
OF "Coriolanus'' at the Boston Theater in
which hearing the first lines of the prin-
cipal part spoken behind the scenes, / could
not help exclaimng. Whose voice is
that?" A friend seated beside me replied
There is but one voice equal TO that in
this country. That other belongs TO Daniel
Webster" Forrest. the owner of the won
derful voice. now came upon the stage and
sustained throughout the play the forceful-
ness of his first impression.
humber tribute to Forests power still
fingers in my memory. A Scotch nurse, IL
iterate but shrewd. who was once in my
employ, described TO me a performance of
FORESTS in "Othello," at which she had