Miss FILLIPPI, and also of Mr. ARTHUR CECIL,
whose make-up is perfect, especially the dressing and colouring of
his hair, which is an artistic triumph. Mr. GILBERT FARQUHAR's _Mr.
Fawcett_, the Solicitor, contributes much to the fun of the scenes in
which he appears with Mrs. JOHN WOOD; and Mr. CAPE, as _Parker_, the
Confidential Servant, is excellent. There's plenty of "go" in it, but
will it "stay"?
Great attraction at the Lyceum! _The Corsican Brothers_ and _Nance
Oldfield_! ELLEN TERRY as _Nance_ is delightful. Chorus, Gentlemen,
if you please, "_For_--all our fancy, Dwells upon Nancy!" Our ELLEN
is charming in this, so natural and so theatrical: herself as _Nance_,
and then as _Mrs. Oldfield_, the actress, in the characters that
_Nance_ assumes. For 'tis ELLEN playing _Nancy_, and _Nancy_ again
playing Tragedy and Comedy. It is an old piece revived: there never
was so old a piece, for there are only four characters in it, and
they're all Old. There are two _Oldfields_ and two _Oldworthys_.
Mr. WENMAN as _Oldfield Senior_, or the Old Obadiah, is a trifle too
blusterous, but on the other hand, I am not prepared to say that a
country attorney of that period wouldn't be uncouth and blusterous.
His son _Alexander_, the Young Obadiah, is prettily played by Mr.
GORDON CRAIG, who is a trifle too windmilly with his hands and arms;
but in the whole play nothing becomes him so well as the pathos of his
broken-hearted exit. He was touching and going. Henceforth, this young
actor may justly describe himself as of the "Touch-and-go" school, and
be, like "the livin' skeleton" mentioned by _Sam Weller_, "proud o'
the title." Miss KATE PHILLIPS as _Anne's_ sister--though, as Mr.
J.L. T-LE observed, as she is younger than _Anne_, she cannot well be
her Anne-sister--is as bright and lively as need be, considering her
menial position, which is rather odd in her sister's house. Visit
Mistress NANCE TERRY; you'll find her very much "at home" in the part.
After which _The Corsican Brothers_ revived, Ghost and all.
[Illustration: The Corsican Brothers and Nance Oldfield at the
Lyceum.]
When some years ago the Irvingesque version of it was produced, the
twin who lived in Corsica, Brother _Fabien_, used to behave in the
wildest Corsican way. Who that saw it some years ago does not remember
how he used to chuck his gun up in the air, when it caught on to a
hook in the wall! with what gusto he used to light a tiny cigarette
from an eno
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