Los Angeles herald., 1905-06-04
The Weeks BIS

MASON-Nat Goodwin, Tuesday ana
Wednesday evenings and Saturday. mat
inee, THE Usurper," Thursday and Fri
day evenings, "a Gilded Fool" Saturday
evening, An American Citizen"
Belasco-"What Happened to Jones',
BURBAN<-"Juanita of San Juan"
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
GRAND-"Fabio Romani"
FISCHERS-"In Gay Paree."
NGELUS-Vaudeville.
CHUTES-Band concert. Zoo.
It WILL be of interest to the general
public and to the dramatic critics Of
Los Angeles in particular, to know
that Nathaniel c. Goodwin now and
then takes occasion to publicly resent
unfavorable criticism. From time to
time he honors the newspapers with
communications. in which he indicates
in a. very pointed manner his opinion
of critics and of the world in general.
According to the Chicago Record
Herald his latest was addressed to the
editor of the Minneapolis Tribune and
proceeds as follows:
After career upon the stage OF
over thirty years, during which time
have played three times in London and
once in Australia, 1 must perforce,
come to Minneapolis to find out, as per
some of the critics, that 1 lack ver-
satility, shirk my responsibilities on
the stage, and fail to give the part l
play in The Usurper' the correct char
acterization.
Having played the part to the entire
satisfaction of the author, 1 fail to
understand by what power of reasoning
the critic who makes the assertion
elects himself a power beyond the
author and myself. There are cowboys
who become wealthy still in existence
who talk like civilized beings, possessed
of human intelligence, but not with the
western twang, which only exists on
the stage but with which the enlight-
ened critic Is entirely familiar.
"If the gentleman had paid little
bit more attention to the dialogue, he
might have formed a different idea of
the character of John Maddox. If the
gentleman misinterpreted repose for
listlessness condole with him, and as
his nights are doubtless employed [
would suggest a course at the day
schools.
Another gentleman, who signs him
self w. B. Chamberlain, says that l am
'an entertaining actor, whose comedy
is natural, spontaneous and unaffected.
Laughter springs up unbidden in his
wake etc. Again he says: Nat
Goodwin walking carelessly through the
play, scattering laughter, with now and
then a touch of pathos, and it is all 50
easy, he has only to be himself
rs it all so easy? Let that worthy
gentleman try and be himself for just
five minutes, or one minute, and sim
ply try and walk across the stage, sit
III a chair, arise and walk off again,
and he will soon discover how easy
it all is. This same critic says 1 am
natural, spontaneous, unaffected and
pathetic, and in the same breath he
accuses me of a lack of versatility
much regret that I have not fulfilled
the predictions that 1 would succeed
to the fame of my dear old friend, the
late Mr.. Jefferson, but 1 am not anxi-
Gus to step into anyones shoes, par
tjcularly dead mems. I crave no mans
mantle. 1 am trying hard to weave
one of my own.
"If creations like Jim Radburn in
In Mizzoura,' Christopher Blizzard
III Confusion, Carraway Bones in
Turned Up and performances of
Shylock and Bottom, all the leading
characters in Gilbert and Sullivan's
operas, the grave digger in Hamlet
and the production of twenty-siX or
iginal plays are not evidences of YER
satility cry quits and I must bow to
the inevitable and consider my thirty
years wasted. But it will take more
than the opinion of the above men,
toned critics to convince me.
ut was Charles Lamb, believe, who
said: apprentices are required for
every trade, save critics. They are
ready made N. c. GOODWIN"
Thus, comments the Record Herald,
with pleasant Interchange of thought
and compliment we pass the feeting
hour.