Article on Mrs. John Wood

“DRAMATIC AND OTHER SKETCHES – MRS. JOHN WOOD.

This lady was born in England. . . . She was a permanent member of the Theatre Royal, Manchester, and while there the remarkable compass and sweetness of voice, and the dramatic intelligence displayed, soon won for her golden opinions.  About this time occurred her marriage with Mr. John Wood, a very pleasing and always popular comedian. . . . She reached our shores in company with her husband in 1854, and made her debut on September 11^th at the opening of the New Boston Theatre. . . . She soon after this visited California and made one of the greatest sensations of any actress that had visited that country.  On the 14^th of March, 1859, she was manageress of the American Theatre, San Francisco.  In May of the same year she returned to New York, and in the summer of 1860, in conjunction with Joe Jefferson, was conducting the managerial affairs of Laura Keene’s Theatre, and was very popular both as actress and manageress. . . . After traveling about for some time, finally commenced an engagement at Laura Keene’s Theatre on the 9^th of January, 1863, and continued without interruption until the 14^th of March.  Miss Laura Keene evacuated the place when Mrs. Wood stepped in. . . . ‘The Fair One with the Golden Locks’ was produced, and with Mrs. W. in the prominent part was very successful. . . .

 She has appeared before the New York audiences off and on up to the present moment, in almost every description of performances, from the lightest to the most serious. . . . To be successful at the present day, a comic actress must possess beauty of face, a fine form, well developed charms, and other little attractions of that sort; these, in addition to mental qualifications of a high order, ability to turn to account and burlesque the sensations of the day, and ‘shoot folly as it flies,’ are seldom combined in one person. . . . She has magnificent jet black hair, and eyes that defy description.  She would have been a perfectly beautiful woman had not Nature, who started evidently with the intention of making her a Grecian nose, suddenly and maliciously turned it up at the end.  As it is, however, she is certainly an exceedingly fine looking, pleasing and agreeable person.  She has great musical taste, and that taste has been well cultivated, for she sings with great precision.  Her voice, however, though soft and sweet, is utterly devoid of power.  The great feature in her performance is, that though always comic and original, her comedy is never broad, her manner is entirely free from boldness, and she never appeals to the galleries.  She takes many liberties, more particularly with the author, nor can we find fault with her, for the effect she produces seems, in a measure, to justify the liberty.   Still she is wrong, for when an audience finds out that her words are impromptu, the delusion of the scene is lost, the connection between author and actor destroyed, they feel as if they had the same freedom of speech, and may ultimately exercise it. Stick to the author if you value a lasting reputation.”