The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-06-09
DRAMATIC.


rendition OF "FauSt" which, consider
Ing the convenlences at hand, was yer,
good The play was wei received.
As Marguerite, Miss Smell IL excel
lent. The role IL O favorlte one witt
Miss Smell. and she loses her own In
dividuality In the part to such an ex'
tent that she brings the audience oul
OF their seats. This may sound over.
drawn. but Il was very noticeable dur
Ing the jewel scene, when Miss Smell
played so well the part of the virgin
whose heart ls for the first time learn-
Ing the lesson OF love, on the ma
jority Of faces IN the audience there
was smile--everyone smiles at love,
But II IN q compliment to Miss Smell
that everyone doesn't smile at stage
love unless It Is great deal like the
real thIng-and all smiled last night,
Again. In the death OF Valentine, Miss
Smell brought some In her audience to
tears, As an emotional actress Miss
Smell Is in her element. but with the
true temperament OF star she can
cause smiles as well as tears.
Harry Wheeler played the title role,
Mr., Wheeler Is light comedian, as
he gave evidence In Married by Mis-
take" the night before, He has not
the personality. not the voice, not the
manner TO play heavy part like
Faust. Harry Wheeler Is coming
man, He has not yet arrived. but when
he does his name will be on the bill.
boards in type three feet high. Mr.,
Wheeler plays Faust under protest.
Such part is not his forte, aud he
knows II. But for playing part un-
der protest, for playing part he does
not like and knows he can not play,
he did splendidly last night. one
thing Mr.. Wheeler Is TO be commended
upon--he Is natural at all times; he
never overdraws the part, and the audi
ence looks at the character through
Mr.. Wheeler as they would see Il In
real life. In the early stages OF the
play, where Fausts passion Is worked
up from curiosity to blood heat Mr..
Wheeler showed to great advantage.
He allowed himself to become worked
up In proper stages. and the best thing
about II is that the acting was not
overdrawn nor overcharged with man
nerisms-a thing some greater Fausts
would do well to look to. Mr.. Wheeler
deserves the best that can be said
about his work-not as Faust, for for
Mr.. Wheeler to play Faust is like
farmer doing a stunt In the 40O-but
as an actor who has that presence of
mind on the stage, who has that nat
ural grace and that grasp OF clrcum-
stances that made the name and fame
Of one John Drew.
As MephIsto, Mr.. Aldrldge was
wonder The audience as whole con-
,eded that. He Is at home in the part.
md he was accorded frequent applause
asst night. He commanded the closest
attention every moment he was on the
stage. His words sank into his audi
,nce-they went below the surface!
He had a moral to point out as Me-
Dhlsto, and he pointed II out Mr.
is an accomplished actor IN
my part, but here he had n part that |
Tilted him as a glove. The best that
,an be said of his work Is that II Is
strong, strong! And this tells all one
IAN In praise OF anyone's Mephlsto.
Though a minor part, Valentine was
made very strong by Mr.. Mckenzie
rhe death scene. where Valentine dis
lovers his sisters betrayer, was so
we'll worked out between Mr.. McKen-
lie and Mr.. Wheeler that they were !
accorded enthusiastic applause at the
End Of the scene.
The minor parts of the play were
we'll rendered, and the entire presenta-
ion was success. Tonight, by re-
luest, the troupe will repeat their first |
,lll, Capital VS.. Labor" and 1t is ex-
1ected that this, their last night In
he city, will find the house crowded
rs 1t was last night, with the $. r. o. |
Sign out.
MccULLEY.