Charles Dickens Live!

Buffalo Commercial Advertiser       Friday Evening March 13, 1868 Mr. Dickens's First Reading.     A finer audience than that of last evening never assembled within the walls of St. James Hall.  It was, taken as a whole, a refined, intelligent audience - an audience composed of  people whom no ordinary attraction could have drawn forth on such a rainy. sloppy, disagreeable night.  Probably three-fifths of those present went to hear the things they had so often read and admired, from the lips of the wonderfully-gifted writer; while the remaining fraction may be said to have been composed of others who, while knowing very little of the writer or his works, and caring for and appreciating them still less, yet wished to convey the impression that they were among the admirers of the great author, and would not under any circumstances, stay away from the "readings."        In compliance with the frequently reiterated request, and contrary to general usage in this community, the audience were early in their seat sand neither the reader nor the listener suffered any material interruption from late comers.  It could not have more than two or three minutes after eight o'clock when Mr. Dickens made his appearance upon the stage. He was warmly received, but it stuck us that he was perfectly indifferent in regard to applause, and to use a homely phrase, "asked no odds", at the hands of the audience.  He had the inevitable flowers in his button hole; displayed a profusion of watch chain, with immaculate white vest, collar, neck-tie and shirt front.  His mustache and beard are gray and he is inclined to baldness.  His eyes and mouth are particularly expressive, and though they have "no tongue", seem to "speak with most miraculous organ"     Merely announcing that he should read the "Christmas Carol" Mr. Dickens at once commenced with the assertion that "Marley was dead!" and not a breath or whisper was heard from any one of the vast multitude present.  There was nothing particularly noticeable in his voice-but it was the voice of Dickens! and all listened eagerly.  He did not stick close to the text even according to his own condensation.  Some well-rendered passages were missed, while frequent interpolations were observed.  The first demonstration from the audience occurred when the description of old Scrooge was given-that "squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching covetous old sinner," whom no warmth could warm nor wintry weather chill; and when the reader, with his peculiar look and intonation repeated the sentence declaring that the snow and sleet  often "came down" handsomely, and that Scrooge never did, the applause broke forth from all parts of the house.     Mr. Dickens has a wonderful power of expression and acts his characters admirably.  When old Scrooge was introduced, the voice and look were nothing but Scrooge; and hearing the tones and not seeing the reader, one would have sworn that the tight-fisted old sinner himself  and nobody else and that the pleading voice of Bob Crachit and the hearty words of Scrooge's nephew, Fred, were heard as from the individuals themselves.     The sly humor which characterized the repetition of Scrooge's answer to Fred's invitation to dinner-when the latter said he would see him,--when in fact, he went the whole length of the expression and said he would see him in that extremity first,--was perfectly irresistible.  Passing on to Scrooge's grumbling at Bob Crachit because Bob desired a holiday, on Christmas, Mr. Dickens came to the passage where Scrooge saw old Marley's face in the door-knocker, and here a round of applause was called forth.     Scrooge's visit with the first of the three spirits to old Fezziwig's counting room, was read in a style perfectly irresistible, as was also the description of the doings at Fred's house, when Topper showed such an unwarrantable weakness for the plump sister-and peals of laughter came from all parts of the house.     The reading of that portion describing the Christmas party at Bob Crachet's house, which Scrooge attended as an invisible spectator merely, under the guidance of the second of three spirits, was very effective,--the imitation of the voice of Tiny Tim being almost perfect.     In "Stave Four", when, while under the pilotage and protection of the last of the spirits, Scrooge comes upon the group in the street, and hears them conversing about his own death, the imitation of the "great fat man" who "didn't know much about it either way" but "only knew that he was dead", would have done credit to the best comedian of any age.  And then the scene in the den of old Joe, where Mrs. Dilber and the others come in to sell articles which they have stolen from Scrooges body and bed!--it was a masterpiece.     Again Scrooge visits the home of the Crachets, when the family are weeping over the death of Tiny Tim; and here, we thought, the reader was scarcely so happy as in other parts.  It seemed a little overdone, and lacked the temperance which gives smoothness.     But when Scrooge had done with the spirits; when the great reformation in his nature had been completed; when he awoke in the morning and found that it was CHRISTMAS-that the time before him was his own to make amends in for his past sins--it was then that Scrooge came out, and his voice instead of being harsh and disagreeable, as it couldn't help being when he was his former self, became perfectly rich, pleasant and jolly, and his new benevolence and goodness beamed brightly in the readers face and clearly sparkled in is eyes.     Scrooges reception at his nephew's house, and his interview with Bob Crachet at the counting house in the morning, were given in inimitable style. We hear the parting word of Tiny Tim--"God Bless Us Everyone" and the reader retires from the stage, THE TRIAL FROM PICKWICK The reader after a brief absence, reappeared and commenced "The Trial Scene From Pickwick" In this, as in the "Carol", we missed many familiar passages and regretted their omission.  We think with Kate Field that "what Mr. Dickens suppress would not material add to the length of the reading, while the amount of the effect lost is very considerable.  Mr. Dickens is guilty of unjustifiable homicide.  How he can willfully cut the throat ofThomas Greffen the chemist, thereby preventing him from being sworn in as a juror and indulging in edifying conversation with Mr. Justice Stareleigh, passeth all understanding.  Robbing Seargent Buzfuz of one of the greatest points in his address to the jury, is even more extraordinary.  "Let me tell him" (Pickwick) gentlemen, that any gestures or dissent or disapprobation in which he may indulge in this court will not go down with you; that you will know how to value and how to appreciate them; and let me tell him further, as my lord will tell you gentlemen, that a counsel, in the discharge of his duty to his client, is neither to be intimidated nor bullied, nor put down; and that any attempt to do either the one or the other, or the first or the last, will recoil on the head of the attempted, be he plaintiff or be he defendant, be his name Pickwick, or Noakes, or Stoakes, or Stiles, or Brown or Thompson.     All this we missed, but there was a feast of what we had.     We had an idea that Mr. Justice Stareleigh was a testy, irascible, cross-grained little customer; but he wasn't; he was a sleepy, drawling befogged individual, with no knowledge of his duties or of anything else, particularly-according to Mr. Dickens personation.     The address of Seargent Buzfuz was unapproachable.  We have read it, we were going to say, hundreds of times, and frequently heard it read in public and thought we appreciate it's humor; but we never really knew how half good it was until last evening, when delivered it seemed, by the veritable Seargent himself.     The nervousness and perturbation of Mr. Winkie when called upon the stand, we thought were a trifle exaggerated; and we were somewhat disappointed with Sam though that was far from being bad.  But old Tony Weller! It couldn't possibly have been anybody  but old Tony who said " Saintvel!  the Gov'nor ought to have been got off with a alleybi. O Sammy, Sammy, vy worn't there a alleybi!" TONIGHT    Tonight we are to have Doctor Marigold" and "Bob Sawyer's Party."  Of course it is unnecessary to urge people to go, for the tickets are already sold to fill the hall.  We only hope the same good taste may be observed in regard to early attendance, and that the same admirable order may be preserved as last evening. _______________________________________________ Mr. Dickens and party----Mr. Dickens and his party leave tomorrow for the Falls where they will remain until Sunday afternoon, when they will leave for Rochester, where he reads on Monday evening.  Mr. Dickens took quite an extended walk about the city this morning in company with Mr. Dolby.