The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-09
ANNA E. DICKINSON'S PLAY.
al CR0WN OF THORNs0 INsTEAD OF
GROWN or GLORY.
Greeted By an rmmepse Al diepoe In the Globe
Theatre-Thc People in sympathy with the
Actress-A Brief Outline Of tho ORA ma.

Theatre-The People In sympathy with the
Actress-A Brief Outline Of tho Drama.
BOSTON. May s.-The long anticipated
and often postponed debut Of Miss Anna n.
Dickinson, as an actress, occurred IN the Globe
Theatre this evening In the presence Of the
largest and best audience ever gathered within
Its walls. Still another has been added to the
long list Of those who have tried In q night to
mount the dramatic ladder which others have
spent so many years In climbing. That Miss
Dickinson broke down completely that she
made nasco, or that she was an object OF COM
passion to her friends, I do not mean to imply |;
only to say that she showed what can be done
by woman Of strong will, intelligence, and de-
termination, without dramatic training or expe-
rience adequate to such an undertaking, and I
almost fear without dramatic instinct.
One Of the most serious difficulties In the way
OF Miss Dickinsons success Is a mezzo soprano
voice OF narrow compass, which has never been
cultivated, although for years In constant use
on the lecture platform.
The result has been the development OF q
monotone, OF which tho speaker herself ap-
pears unconscious. Her force and earnestness
will maze the majority Of a lyceum audience
forget Its inHexibity, but It becomes painfully
evident at the liehtest attempt to run the Ramut
Of human passion. Tonight II was inaudible In
the back part Of the house during the first act,
and after that difhculty was surmounted, In the
later acts It was heard In unpleasant contrast to
the other voices on the stage, which were all
pitched on q lower key.
Miss Dickinson's gestures have always been
quick and abrupt and few In number. She has
while on the stage many Of her move IN ents last
evening were awkward. Some seemed to
tv have no meaning, "a and and. nS few , were so
they we're Intended to mean. In one case Miss
Dickinson squared ber shoulders and rushed
iofwsrd Tits eie0ws bent and arms ms close by her
~ have nothing to uncover" she parted her
hands, which were olasped across her forehead,
and swept them down to her side as II barring
her bosom to a blow.
In her reading, Miss Dickinson was less open
TO criticism. She is too intelligent to mis- place
the emphasis or to fail In giving the proper
reading, and yet she spoiled the whole Of
Anne Boleyn's last speech by reading II 10 tone
The play conveys the impression that IL has
been out to Its detriment by the stage manager.
The curtain rises on the gardens OF the royal
palace, and Wolsey and Cromueu are discovered,
is making TO secure the tiara. CromDcu suggests
that the Queen (kdthdrtne) would be an obstacle
In the way, and Wotsev foreshadows the disposal
OF that by limiting at divorce. At this moment
Lord Henry Percy enters with the tidlngs that
the House OF Bishops mad tecided that Katha-
rt,e could not legally be the wife OF Henry VII,
and Wolsey insists that this decision will be
further strengthened In the Kings mind by his
dawnipg passion for Anne I3oleun. The Cardinal
and his friend retire to seek the king and Percy,
and SIR Henry Norreps enters, and Percy makes
him. speaks Of the Kings infstusiio on Tor Anne,
and counsels his friend 70 give up hopes Of an
alliance. But with the blindness Of u lover he
refuses to listen to reason or advice.
Anne 10 now seen approaching, tho King fol-
lowing her. and Percy is about TO accost her
There Is a brief love passage between Anne
and the King which is broken OF by the en-
King retres as Percy again enters. AT seeing
him Henry bursts into rage and bids the
Cardinal order his departure for Northumber-
land.
We now have a scene between Anne and Percy
In which Anne avows her love for him. and the
hct closes on highly affecting tableau.
Ihe second act opens In a room in Wolsevs
palace. Wotsev, with the aid Of Cromiocu, has
written a letter TO the Bishop oi Bayonne, which
IL to be transmitted to the Pope, requesting him
to refuse ths kings demand for divorce, aud
to hold him TO hatldrine, This letter, for the
purpose of delivery, Is transmitted to one Mark
Srned,0n, formerly servant In the household OF
Anne's father, who desires her to treat Sn sGtOn
with consideration, and gives as 4 for his
desires that the CdIdindI Is juggling with the
n hug Ia ing mater oi .ne .ulvoroe, ana thst un;
be destroyed by his enemy. He Is aware Of the
Kings love for Anne, knows that Smedton has
gain possession Of 1t wishes Anne to feign love
to Smedton. gain possession Of 1t, and by Its aid
crush his enemy, the CdrdIndI Anne does not
give consent.
Percy enters, and IN a highly wrought scene
announces his arri .Ale to tue Lady MIrV Talbot
consequent upon letter from Anne releasing
him from his engagement to her, which letter
was forged by the Cardinal.
Anne now fully enters into the plans OF her
father, plays the mouse trap with Snedtor, gets
from him the packet. and In powerful scene at
court denounces the Cardinal places her proofs
In the hands OF the King, and the act closes
with the downfall OF W0LsSy, who leaves his re-
venge IA the hands OF OT0mpeU.
Tho ard act opens with an interview between
Jane seymour and CromiDeu Seven years have
elapsed, and CromDeu, true to the Inheritance OF
for the destruction Of Anne now Queen. He
makes Known TO jane the love Of tns king for
her and enlsts her aid In bringing about the fall
OF Anne. This Is to be done when Anne is at
tending tournament, aud the method. jane
knocking from the hands OF Anne a bunch OF
flowers whioh Smedt0n Is to receive.
We now have a scene between the King and
Jane, which Is intercepted by Anne. There Is
elimination and recriminaton. At Its close
Percy enters. He pleads bis love, but Anne re-
pels him with Indignation. A messenger enters
from the King, sending her case containing a
jewel which Anne remembers as having been
given TO UoLSep previous 20 his disgrace. and
closes with the return OF Anne from tho tourna-
ment and her arrest for high treason.
Tue curtain rises on the fourth act, giving us
an interview between a magistrate OF LONDON
SIR Whlidm Kingston, and CrOnDCH, In which
tho latter suggests that as Anne will confess
nothing, something must De wrung from her,
ana this Is to DO brought about by means OF an
interview with Pcrcu, who has now become Earl
OF Northumberland, ana who Is to be admilted
ior that purpose TO AnneS apartment CromueN
supposes tnat Percy ana Anne Will attempt an
escape by a secret passage leading to the
Thames, that here Il guard should DO posted to
Intercept them, and this attempt at escape
would be sufficient proof Of her guilt. Kingston
consents.
We are now transported to the chamber OF
Anne, and the interview with Percy takes place.
lie urges her escape. She refuses ON every
ground in the name OF wife and mother, and
still protests her innocence OF wrong doing. lie
nnally shows "A paper from the King To the eject
that II Anne VIII give him a show OF Just cause
against her he VIII confirm the succession Of her
daughter Elizabeth to the crown but Anno re-
fuses on the ground that she would rather have
her child live "A beggar than we.r the crown OF
England, stained, not by her mothers accused,
but proven shame. Percy retlres, and there is
now scene between e. OmNeH and the mobiles.
CTOmpcH desires Anne to sign plueT declaring
a prior contract with Northumberland, and set
the KING free to wed Jane, am that she would
thus save all her friends. Anne still refuses, and
the piece is brought to a termination by her be-
ing led to the block.
1he great merits OF the piece are its simplicity
and directness The language Is terse. aud at
times almost epigramatieal. There are no long
spoeches and no meaningless sentences, and
IN any OF the scenes give Indications Of
a knowledge Of dramatic effect which
is wanting In Miss Dickinson's acting.
As play II certainly has decided merits. The
character are unusually well drawn, as might
be supposed from tho fact that all the actors
were pleased with their parts. They were
10 unusual disadvantage tonight however, all
nervouslv anxious 10 do their best, and to such
IA degree that their defamation was loud and
rlnling, and really the best actDg was done by
the minor people.
10 sum II ali up, what are Miss Dlckenson's