r\ The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln Our American Cousin Excerpts from newspapers and other sources From the files of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection // 200^ o^r 03337 — 7 ." "OUR AMERICAN COUSIN soui. , "ver the English-speaking world, is too well"' nown to need any comment, ex- cept perhaps to mention one or two matters LUE PL4V WITNESSED BI LINCOLN ^Mfff£-^ map connected with it of a curious nature. As I have before said, Sothern was much / TUB NIGHT UiS WAS SHOT. dejected at being compelled to play the part. He said he could do nothing with it, Joseph Jeffarson Te'.la How It Was First and certainly for the first two weeks or it was a dull effort, and produced Produced Under the Management | but little effect. Bo in despair he began Laura Keene— Jefferson, Coultlock, and Sotheru In the Cast— Sothern Disliked the Character of Dundreary— This Flay Was the Turning: Foint In the Career of Jefferson, Sotliern, and Laura Keene. WaVA ^<v^ v C Joseph Jefferson in the Century: During the season of 185S-'59 Miss Keene produced Tom Taylor's play of "Our American Cousin," and, as its success was remarkable and somo noteworthy occurrences took place in connection with it, a record of its career will perhaps bo interesting. The play had been submitted by Mr. Taylor's agent to LAURA KEENE. another theater, bui the management failing extravagance bordering upon burlesque, striking in it an adverse to see anything scenes in the French plays comedy while the love judgment was passed and the are coarse and disgusting. Sardou has writ- rejected. It was next offered to Laura ten but few female characters for whom one Keene, who also thought but little can feel the slightest respect. For instance, of the play, which remained neg- which one would a man select to be lected upon her desk for some time; but it his mother were he comDelled to make a choice? I' think it would puz- so chanced that the business manager of the zle him. The love scenes between Alfred Lutz, in turning over the theater, Mr. John Evelyn and Clara Douglas, in Bulwer's play in leaves fancied that he detected something of ''Money," are stilted, unnatural, and cold. the play of a novel character. Here was a The passages intended to display affection in rough man, having no dramatic experience, the "Lady of Lyons" are still further from but gifted with keen, practical sense, who dis- "imitatiug humanity," and the speech of to Pauline, beginning with covered at a glance an effective play, the Claude merits of which had escaped the vigilance A deep vale shut out by alpine hills, of older aud, one would have sup- is so glaringly absurd that the audience inva- gave me the riable smile at t.he del 1 very of this soft extrava- posed, hotter judges. He SOTHERM AS " DUNDREARY." play to read. VVhiie it possessed but gance. The greatest love scene that ever his little literary merit, there was a fresh, was or ever will be written is known as the to introduce extravagant business into breezy atmosuhere about the characters and balcony scene in " Romeo and Jnliet." This character, skipping about the stage, stam- the story that attracted me very much. I *s~r perfect model, being full of the most ex- mering and sneezinc, and, in short, doing all attention saw, too, the chance of making a strong quisite humor. he could co attract and distract the character of the leading part, and so I was Natural love off the stage is almost invari- of the audience. To tha surprise of every quite selfish enough to recommend the play aDiy humorous, even comic— not to the lovers' one, himself included, these antics, intended for production. minds; O, nc! 'Tis serious business to them, bv him to injure the character, were received The reading took place in the green-room, and that is just what makes it so delightful by i he audieuce with delight. He was a at wnich the ladies and gentlemen of the to look at. The tnird party, when there is one, shrewd man as well as an effective actor, and enjoys it highly. The principals do the most he saw at a glance that accident had re- assembled, and many fur- company were foolish things; the gentleman cannot makeup vealed to him a golden opportunity. He were cast at Air. coui- tive glances his mind what i do with his hat or with his took advantage of it, and with cautious myself as the strength dock and hands, the lady it awkward and shy, and the increased his speed, feeling the and Asa Ircnehard steps of Abel Murcott more they love e<-J- other the more comical ground well under him as he proceeded. Be- Poor sothern sat in the cor- were revealed. they are. They say stupid things and agree fore the first month was over he stood side disconsolate, fearing that ner, looking quite with each other oefore they are half done ex- by side with any other character in the play; in the play that would there was nothing pressing an opinion. aiid at the end of the run he was, in my as the dismal lines of Dun- suit him; and It was tne opportunity of developing this opinion, considerably in advance of us all. read he glanced over at me dreary wore attitude of early love, particularly love at lirst And his success in London, in the same expression, as much as to say, witn a forlorn sight, that attracted me to the " Cousin." character, fully attests, whatever may be for that dreadful part," little "I am cast Simple and trifling as it looks, Mr. Tom Tay- said to the contrary, tnat as an extravagant, the character of me imbecile dreaming that lor never drew a tiucr dramatic picture. The eccentric comedian in the modern range of out to be the stepping- Lord would turn relation between the two characters was per- comedy he was quite without a rival. His fortune. The success of the stone of his fectly original. A shrewd, keen Yankee boy performance of Sam which I saw at the Hay- proved the turning-point in the career play of !i5 falls in love at first sight with a sim- market Theater in London was a still finer Laura Keene, Sothern, of three persons— ple, loving English dairymaid of 18. She piece of acting than his Dundreary. It was and myself. ir„«..o innocently sits on the bench, close beside equally strong, aud had the advantage of began to fail Miss Keene As the treasury him; he is fascinated and draws closer to in not being overdrawn or extrava- brilliants; grad- the other began to twinkle with little her; she raises her eyes in innocent wonder increased, until at gant. ually her SDiendor this, and he glides gently to the mouths she was at farthest the end of" three end of the bench. He never tells her of his Whether tbeso were ablaze with diamonds. love nor does she in the faintest manner sug- impoverished stock now additions to her gest her affection for him; and though they friends that of jewelry, or the return of old persistently talk of other things you see Willi in adversity—old had ueen parted plainly ho.v deeply they are in love. He re- us under these cir- friends generally leave lates tho story of his uncle's death in Amer- say, but possibly the cumstances—I cannot ica, aud during this recital asks her permis- latter. , sion to smoke a cigar. With apparent care- struck me as The dramatic situation that lessness' he takes out a paper, a will made one in this play was the the most important • in his favor by the old man, which document the last act. It love scene in the opening of disinherits the girl; with this he lights his original, and periectly was altogether fresh, cigar, thereby destroying his rights and re- in this important natural, and 1 notice that signing them to her. The situation is strained, composition authors are phase of drtmatic certainly, but it is very effective, and an au- conspicuously weak. dience will always pardon a slight extrava- all of our modern The love scenes in most gance if it charms while it surprises thorn. English mays are badlv constructed. In the The east was an exceedingly strong one insipid, be- dramas tney are sentimental and Laura Keene as the refined, rural belle, and or an ing tilled with either flowery nonsense Sara Stevens as the modest, loving, English dairymaid. Both looked and acted the parts perfectly. Tne Abel Murcott of Mr. Cotlldoek was a gem, and tha extrava- gant force and humor of Mr. Sothern's Dun- dreary, the fame of which afterwards ro- 3M1GAGO TKIBUX APRIL 6, 1**10 ' TELLS OF UXOOLN'S MURDER. |{< iii <! ActreM I'luyeil in ITovd 'l'li^u- (<-i' Mtti'i of Asaaaalnatlon. Chicago, Feb. 10.—Mrs. Katherine Ev> ans, 77, living In retirement here, was , a member of the "Our American Cousin" Company, playing at Ford's theater, Washington, the night Abraham Lincoln was shot. The aged actress, whose fifty-seven years on the American stage were filled with illustrious experience, told today of the Incidents of that night. Mrs. Evans is not the only member of the company still living. W. J. Fergu- son, still on the stage ami playing in prominent productions and with leading motion picture companies, also was a member of the cast.