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THE COURIER
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It was a good Iioubo that witnessed the
third presentation or "The Charity Ball" at
the Lansing theatre opei a house Saturday
night. He must bo an unfeeling person who
.can seo this play and not feel that there is that
in it wnicn puns at his neart strings, it is a
story so true to life, its sorrow is so real, its Joy
so natural, that one is engrossed in its gradual
xnfolding; and the lessons it teaches are most wholesome. It is
fortunate that "The Charity Ball" has always been in good hands.
First sent out on the road by Daniel Frohman, it is now in the
hands of Gustavo Frohman's company, which s as well qualified to
present it as was its predecessor. The cast is a large one, and all
the characters must be well sustained to preserve the harmony of
the piece. Credit for the best work must be given to Mr. Gibney, in
his assumption of the part of Judge Peter Gurney Knox; Mb char
acterization is said to bo of his own creation and is certainly finished.
Next should bo mentioned Miss Mabel Strickland, as Bess Van
Bnren; as the ingenue she has a part prone. to be overdone one way
or the other, but her acting is pretty and natural. B. Howard, as
the rector; Dorthea Usner, as Mrs C. De Peyster; and Bernice
Wheeler, as Ann Cruger, all perform their parts accept
ably. It must bo said that the Dick Van Buren of J. Francis is not
up to the average of the others in the cast. His poses are too stagy
and his effects too studied to agree with the naturalness of the
others. The thread of the story is carried largely by the rector,
Dick, Phyllis Lee and Ann, some of the scenes being particularly
strong and almost provocative of tears.
Sol Smith Russell, or cs he now calls himself. "Mr. Russell,
comedian," must have been highly gratified with the reception
which he received in this city last week. Indeed, hs he appeared
before the curtain and made his exultant little speech, the immense
audience and the enthusiastic plaudits may have caused him to
forget for the time being that New York and other hypercritical
communities will have none of him, and he may have deluded him
self with the fancy that the Lincoln commendation was but a speci
men of the universal tribute of an appreciative people to the only
"legitimate successor of Joe Jefferson." But Mr. Russell, however
great his success in the west and south, and we read only the other
day that he has already accumulated several hundred thousand
dollars, can never forget, for any considerable period, that in New
York city the people smile at his most serious efforts, and what is
wor6e, stay away from his performances. Every year ho has made a
determined attempt to compel favorable recognition in Gotham, and
it is said he annually loses many thousands of dollars in these
attempts. He has invoked the aid of the cleverest playwrights in
the country in trying to find a play in which he could appear to the
satisfaction of the people of New York. Boucicault did his best f
Russell, but he did not attain success, and Kidder's cleverest work
fell Hat. The question is, can an actor whom New" York refuses to
approve, be great? The case of Richard Mansfield may lie cited.
He is probably the most unpopular actor in the ountiy with the
press and critics of New York; but Mansfield gets abuse, not ridicule,
and his unpopularity is known to be due to his disagreeable per
sonality but with all the abuse the people of Gotham patronize
him fairly well as long as he sticks to rational plays. Many intelli
gent and well informed people maintain that S1 Smith Russell is
great, no matter what New York or any other effete eastern city
may think, and they go to see him every year, and each time an;
more delighted than before. He has admirers among people ivhn
seldom go to the theatre, and to whom the advent of bI Smith
Smith Russell is an event of big importance. On tho nth r hand
there are people right here in Lincoln who are unable to take
Russell seriously, and who regard this comedian who is waiting for
the descending mantle of Jefferson, as a presumptous pretender.
It can be said of Russell in all fairness that he is absolutely lacking
in originality. Ee admits this much himself. Gifted with a some
what remarkablo voice which ho uses with an artist's skill, he is an
admirable mimic, and his close study of the methods of Jefferson
has enabled him to oxhibit that peculiar mellow quality of humor,
that mingling of comedy and pathos, that are so characteristic of
Jefferson. In his earlier plays, "A Poor Relation," "Peaceful
Valley," etc., ho gave almost perfect reproductions of Jefferson's
subtile comeny; but the pluyH were not like Jefferson's plays, and
the studied imitation was not so apparent as now, when ho has
givon himsslf over wholly to the presentation of tho plays in which
Mr. Jefferson won fame. Russell said in his remarks before tho
curtain at the Lansing last week that as Dr. PamjlosK he woro tho
same wig Jefferson himself woro in that character. Not content
with presenting Jefferson's play and wearing Jefferson's wig. ho
used Jefferson's voice, and Jefferson's laugh, and Jefferson's walk.
In fact tho Jefferson business was very much overdone. Next year,
it is said, Mr. Russell is to appear in Mr. Jefferson's famous char
acterization. Bob Acres in "Tho Rivals,'" and wo exrect to seo a
startling reproduction of tho leg shaking with which Mr. Jefferson;
has made us familiar; and "Cricket on tho Hearth." and "Lend Mo
Five Shillings" will probably be added to his repertoire, and event
ually wo shall seo this "legitimate successor of Jefferson," as a
second-hand Pij) Van Winkle. The public will never see Mr. Rus
sell except as an imitator no one can deny that as an understudy
to the greatest living American comedian ho is moro than passably
effective.
Mr. Charles Dickson gavo his first presentation in this city of his
new play, "A Jolly Good Fellow." at the new Ftinko Thursday
evening. In his new role Mr. Dickson presents, with tho aid of a
very competent company, a play entirely different from any of his
former efforts, in fact the tone or "A Jolly Goo 1 Follow" is ono that
up to tho present time, has been laid before the American audionce
with the qualification adapted from the French. A goodly portion
ot American theatre patrons never mis3 an opportunity to see plays
of this character but como away apparently shocked at what thoy
have witnessed and piously advise their friends to remain at home
on such occassions. Wo are reminod of an oft repeated World's
Fair story which wo will risk again. "A certain minister of tho
gospel visited the fair and upon his return home advised one of his
brethern to avoid tho Midway Plaisance and especially the theatre
at tho end.of the streets of Cairo. The second ministerial brother
solemnly received this good advise, but immediately iion reaching
Chicago repaired to tho aforefaid theatre to see what he had been
advised to omit. Upon his return home the first brother said to
brother number two, of course you followed my advice?' Where
upon number two spoke and said 'not by a jtigfull, I took it all in,
and do you know the moment I entered that large fleshy girl with
the short hair beckoned me to her and whispered in my ear, where
is the Rev. Brother number one." So with Dickson's play
they are all horrified yet they all attend.
MILTON NOBLES.