Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-10-24
-. and The Rivals are so

ury Q, s.lsons Wv and The Rivalsi For
"a wears those names have been
lSssssber lSs For 1873 years this
ed sod sossd family Of Thespians have
nga'sns snsrn from father 70 son the
dea 49, n Richard Brinsley Sheri-
iuC.Io. uC'a.,ero,ece until now, with
.ah a' generation presenting it, it
,.ost ut a part Of the Jefferson family.
The Play Itself.
n August, 1774. that Richard
y va eherdan, then a boy in his
nsey .:~d year, was commissioned
nv y..'.nager of the famous old Covent
Iae "'ss ,hsstre in London 10 write
uea with the exception OF a very
~ oIoor scenes, young Sheridan had
n ass whatever as TO what should
,,;tu,e the comedy.
n..o;,e his youth, he was a writer OF
,'.ssrshle note, and, confident of
aIl;,y and strong in his hopes, he
Wv - work. Early in December OF
..rs wear, he delivered TO the
,ot Garden theatre manager the
"sseript Of The Rivals.
~. .s,1.asterpiece of comedy had been
= and wonderful was the career that
..sdi. IA career that would have
ost 70 the world but for the per-
.,oce Of its boyish author.
First Time Failed.
n. play was Immediately put
= ehearsal and on Jan. 18th, l775.
Sss produced for the first time on
s,age. 1t was a dismal failure;
4 .Jrre because of the wretched
/ ..ornanee of the actor to whom
4 !. allotted the role Of Sir Lucius
| Trigger
marred the work Of the other artists
n V,rh an extent, that the play was
|most hooted from the stage on the
|Uening night
Young Sheridan had faith in his
[sy and insisted upon its being pre-
s,sd the second night. 1t was pre-
n,ed and failing again, was then
,bdrawn. The author took his manu-
not. made several minor changes,
'soared another actor 20 portray Sir
Iecius o'Trigger and prepared to try
gain.
A Dramatic Triumph.
The play, which had received the
,iest notoricty on account of its
lB, nights iiasco, was again presented.
he audience assembled at the theatre
ri,h the one idea of hooting the play
pm the stage. But nothing OF the
Ind occurred This night, the genius
I Young Sheridan was 20 be vindicated.
The new actor, in the part of Sir
-acius had fully grasped all the deli
ACES OF the role and added such
nesse and artistic atmosphere TO the
niire performance that the audience
II spel-bound. They left extolling
s merits and the talent Of him who had
nlied Il.
The play became a fad. The best
e1ple Of London became cuamoTrd
Il 10 such an extent that Il was
~ long until the fame OF the play
u reached the ears of the king.
&c royl family witnessed the pro-
r-''on ami with the approval Of
'w So Tine Rivals soon developed
90 the most astounding comedy
larss that London had ever known.
Slrdans fame was established and
! The Rivals one finds that indescrib-
1e something that is a combination
borish chamS youthful under
lndirg, boyhood philosophy, and a
aogledge of li.e that is totally different
on that exploited by the writer's
hose youth, with It's optimism, is
81 70 them, and upon whom the pcssim-
N Of age IS steadily encroaching.
A Je-erson Enters.
In l7li. while Sheridan was working
? the manuscript OF The Rivals,
homas Jefferson, an actor who was
orn n l7ii and who wac the trst Of
ie distinguished family 20 adopt a
age career, became a member OF
le company then under the manage
ient Of David Carries, who was, at
'at time, considered the greatest
TOR Of his dag.
hF. Jefferson was essentially come
ian, and about this time Garrck.
no had a tondness for the heavier
yes OF playing, decided 10 refrain
ON appearing in any comedies. This
as the opportunity for Jefferson, who
once assumed the principal comedy
'ies in all OF the David Garrick pro-
actions
l. was about 1870 that Garrick
'cdueed The Rivals for the first
me OF course il was only natural
lA1 Sarncks principal comedian should
allotted the part Of Bob Acres
ere It was that the combination of q
sheson portraying the part OF Plight
lg Bob began and ever since that
night that Combination hai
ontinued.
A Joseph Jefferson.
Thomas Jefferson, the first, diec
ioOI' leaving behind him a wifi.
no Two sons, the elder Of whom wa
Ailed Joseph. He was born in l774.
As Young man, Joseph evinced a de
'0so talent Tor the stage. and in 1895
very mediocre company. he por
'sysd bob Acres in one Of the SINAI
.nsiish cities He appeared in the par
y several performances and then, 70
me hi< reason which is now unknown
O-ndoned the play.
Comes to America
II ne came 70 America in 1897, bringing
'''n nm 4 carefully Constituted