The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in UtahLindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Religion
The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in Utah
Lindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Latter Day Saints; Theater -- Utah -- History
Neil Warner was said to be a copyist of Brooke; undoubtedly he had
played with him, and learned much from him, and if not as great as his
acknowledged tutor, Warner was not unworthy to be called great. He had
a splendid physique and a magnificent voice, which he could use with
magnetic effect. Its transitions were at times marvelous and in this
writer's opinion, he was the superior of all our American tragedians,
with the exception of Davenport, whom he very much resembled both in
the majesty of his presence and in mental superiority. Warner opened
in "Richard III" and made a most decided hit in the character,
notwithstanding he had several notable predecessors in the part,
notably McCullough and Stark. He played twenty-four performances,
embracing a wide range of legitimate plays--"Hamlet," "Macbeth,"
"Richelieu," and his "Macbeth" was the greatest of all his fine
performances. He went to New York from here and we quite expected to
hear great things about him, but for some cause or other he never
played a stellar engagement in New York, and the following year the
writer, much to his astonishment and disappointment, saw him playing a
second heavy part in support of Charles Wyndham the English comedian
at a theatre in Brooklyn. Warner did not make a go in New York, and
drifted over to Montreal, Canada, where he stayed for many years; but
a few years ago he toured California in connection with a rising young
actress of that state, in a round of his favorite characters. Annie
Lockhart played the leading female characters in all Warner's
performances here. They had known each other in Australia, and there
seemed to be a very warm friendship between them and it was certain
that Annie was an ardent admirer of her talented countryman, and some
of us rather feared she would go with him when he took his departure
from Salt Lake; but something occurred between them that must have
angered him, for a day or two before his engagement closed, he spoke
to Miss Lockhart at a rehearsal in words and tones so heartless and
insulting that the company were amazed at him, and poor Annie sought
the seclusion of her dressing room to have a good cry. Conjecture was
rife and pointed to a rival in the lady's affections as the cause of
his tirade. Warner departed, leaving Annie with us, very much to the
gratification of the company and public, but it was not for long; poor
Annie Lockhart had received a wound from which she never recovered.
She only lived five weeks after this and the cause of her sudden
decline and death was more or less of a mystery, for up to this time
she was a hale, hearty woman, in the very prime of life. She was laid
away tenderly by loving hands and hearts, whom she had never known
until eight months before, but whom she had endeared to her by her
sweet, womanly ways. Many a tear was shed and genuine sorrow was felt
when Annie Lockhart was laid away in Olivet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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