Charles Dillon.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 235, 6 October 1886, Page 4

Charles Dillon.

At tho maturity of his powers, Dillon's Othello and lago. his Lear and Macbeth, his Coriolanus, Virginia.., and Beverly (I shall never forgot his exclamation, "My Cod ! my head turns round !") were di 3 tinctly in advance of any actor of his epoch ; while his first and second'acts of " Belphegor," his Black Doctor, his Maurice ("La Datno de St Trope.,") for fervour and grace, for passion anil pathos, woro equal to tho best efforts of Frederick himself. Of parts of society only ono in which he over distinguished himself was Reuben Holt, in Wostland Marstcn's delightful little play called " A Hard Struggle," which 1 saw on the first night of its performance. I remember woll how, overcome by emotion, ho was about to collapse and sink into a chair ; how ho " missed his

tip" and fell; how ho battled ridicule, and

converted defeat into victory, by tho marvellously graceful poso into which he instinctively threw himself, as ho reached tho ground. Mrs Dillon, too (who was doubtless frequently overweighted in tho parts sho ployed with him), was charming in "Modora " and " Lallah Rookh," and moro than delightful in " Lillian." Sho gave a little burst of hysterical emotion in one riluation in'this play equal to anything I have ever seen.

This wotk, essentially medern, was altogether admirably acted - bo it remembered, too, that it was produced years beforo tho Robertsonian epoch. Paddy Barrott, a3 the male Malaprop (I forget his name), was capital, Shore was stylish and manly as the young doctor, and a youthful member of the Conquest family was charmingly sympathetic as tho girl Amy, Dillon's Evolyn was detestable—almost as bad as ; but I must not become personal. I did not subscribe to tho popular appreciation of many to his most admired impersonations, notably his Hamlet, Richelieu, Melnotte, Don Folix, Benedict, Charlos

Surface, D'Artagnan, and Don Ciesar. Both of tho latter were, to my thinking, more like "swaggering Bob " than the Gascon scion of a noble house, or tbo blue blooded Hidalgo, who claimed the privilege of remaining covered before tho King of Spain,

Up to thirty years of ago, Dillon was a conventional actor. After that period, although he could never quite overcome his tendency to "strut," ho set convontionalties at defiance, and although at no period did he ever descend from the colloquial to the commonplace, he became one of the most distinguished precursors of the modern schcol of acting, No actor of our time evor had so many chances, and no actor, except Fochtcr, ever so stupidly neglected them. It must, however, he urged in excuse, that Dillon was a born Bohominn—his childhood had been passed in poverty and in constant struggles to earn a precarious subsistence. Hia education, such as it was, was picked up by himself in highways and byways, and yet how thoroughly informed, and, indeed, saturated his mind was with dramatic literature from tho time of

.-Eschylus to our own day. His powers as a talker were brilliant—indeed, he practically monopolised tho conversation wherever he went—but whatever the theme of his argument, it always harked back to the one engrossing topic of Charles Dillon. His vanity was so frank, so naif, so openly ostentatious, as to be amusing, though whon he ceased to be amusing, it became trying and even intolerable. Yet while subject to his personal influence, he was so engaging, so agreeable, and so ingratiating, that it was impossible to take him seriously or to be angry with him.

He could often be generous, but he frequently failed to be just, From the very commencement of his managerial career to the end he was always in debt and difficulties. Borrowing - money at ono hundred per cent, and frequently paying two, may bo pleasant as long as it lasts, but tho issue cannot be doubtlul.

Speaking to him onco of a recent bankruptcy, ho reminded mo of tho story of the drunken nigger, whoso master reproached him with boing " drunk again." "No, not drunk .again, Massa," said Sambo ; '■ him samo old drunk."

After his last appearance at Drury Lane, as Looutes, Dillon was practically banishod from London to the day of his death, — John Coleman, in the " Gentleman's Magazine."