Sherlock Holmes is Improved
Sherlock Holmes is Improved is an article published in The Buffalo News on 25 january 1901.
About the play Sherlock Holmes at the Star Theatre, Buffalo, NY, USA.
Sherlock Holmes is Improved
Gillette and His Strong Company Gave a Breath-Shortening Performance.
Sherlock Holmes, as a character portrayed by William Gillette at the Star Theater last evening, was very like the Sherlock Holmes he introduced to this city a theatrical season ago. But "Sherlock Holmes," as a play, was a very superior production to that which was seen in Buffalo last year. It was better developed, the character work was more finely drawn, and as much of its melodramatic nature as possible was smoothed out. It was better acted all through and is generally improved.
Of course "Sherlock Holmes" is a melodrama. It could not very well help itself. But while the atmosphere is filled with gunpowder smoke and the sky is tinged with blood, none of the guns actually goes off on the stage and the blood is spilled behind the scenes — presumably. It is a breath-shortening performance and the audience last night followed every line with fascinating interest.
Mr. Gillette has surrounded himself with a very capable company and the character work is very satisfactorily done. Naturally Mr. Gillette's inimitable personality pervades the play but his support is very uniformly good. Maude Fealy was a very sweet and graceful Alice Faulkner and Olive Oliver's characterization of Madge Larrabee was admirable. George Wessells, Frederick Truesdell, Ralph Delmore and Henry McArdle, all filled their parts to the satisfaction of the critical and the delight, of the gallery. Curtain calls were numerous and repeated.
Last evening, despite the bad weather, the Star was filled with a fine audience and seats will be at a premium for the remainder of the engagement.
