The Actor Who Changed His Face
James O’Neill stuns Seattle audiences with his physical metamorphosis between two classic roles.
The story, cleaned up
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Another brilliant audience filled the Seattle theater last evening to see Mr. James O’Neill in his impersonation of Virginius in Sheridan Knowles’ tragedy of the same name. Those who saw Mr. O’Neill as Edmond Dantes in 'Monte Cristo' Thursday evening and again last evening as Virginius marveled at the transformation in the actor, and almost doubted their senses that the two parts had been represented by one and the same man. As Monte Cristo, Mr. O’Neill keeps well within the lines and sentiment of the French romantic and mercurial school of acting; but as Virginius, he rises visibly to the grandeur of the classics, and appears every inch a Roman, physically and mentally, with so marked a change from his Edmond Dantes that it is made apparent, even to a change in his voice, which is sunk to a depth in full keeping with the lofty sentiments of mind and heart, as created by the gifted author.
“Those who saw Mr. O’Neill as Edmond Dantes... marveled at the transformation in the actor, and almost doubted their senses.”
Long before modern cinema makeup or CGI, stage actors used extreme physical discipline to embody characters. This review highlights the deep local theater culture of 1890s Seattle, which existed as a major tour stop for prestigious acting troupes long before the city was a tech capital.
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