The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-11
From our special Boston Correspondent.
Anna Dickinson's Debut.

DOpioG', MAY -.
Editor Rutland Globe Tho great
topic in Boston for the last week has been
Anna Dckinsons debut at the Globe thea
tire IN her own play "a Crown of Thorns."
Last Thursday every seat was sold. Last
ev''"''o.o'e' and probably ~ -. II never
consider themselves connoisseurs in drama
tic and literary art were present; the real
literary workers, like Howells and bark
Twain and Nora Perry; clergymen, artists
and critics, filled the house, and all mani
tested the warmest good will toward the
debutante. Floral offerings and bouquets
were the rule and not the exception. A
more splendid triumph before the rise of
the curtain was never achieved.
When the play began the house was all
attention. Soon lady steps upon the
stage, aud is received with round after
round of applause. Can this be Anna
Dickinson? This little blonde beauty,
with blue eyes and golden curls, clad in
matchless robe OF creamy white embroider-
ed in crimson and gold, be the same woman
whom have often heard in the Rutland
opera house, clad in the plainest black,
hurting forth the most singing sarcasm?
When she speaks she begins to be the
Anna Dickinson of old. The voice is the
same, high, sharp and monotonous and
though she appears at ease and not fright
ened her movements are awkward, and her
gestures ungrnceful and trihe uncertain.
After one is sure OF her identity he can
begin to judge OF her acting and her play.
AS Mrs. Gilbert says, in "Private Theatri-
calls" 'She has done great deal better
than | ever thought she could" She has
written the only play ever written in Ameri-
ca and produced exactly as it left the authors
hands. The dialogue throughout is spark
ling and bright, the speeches are all short
and pilhy, and, though some Of the situa-
tons are forced and the movement is what
an lrshman would call "steady by jerks"
the play is a wonderfully good one, for
strong company.
Her dressing, too, is marvelously beauti-
full. Her four costumes, aside from her
jewels, cost $4,000. They were made in
New York under her own personal SUPER
vision. The correspondents have all been
busy with her wardrobe, and give one of
their descriptions of the last three dresses
The second costume (when Anne lis
supposed to be at Rome) was Metternich
green satin, with crimson and cloth-of-
gold overdress of the Venetian style. 1t
quite unique and piquant, with a subtle
suggestion of the anti-renaissance period.
The third was what the ladies unite in
calling perfectly bewilderipg"- marvel
Of brocaded beauty, the azure of the sky
with royal train of blue velvet and err
mine. Girdle of diamonds and pearls, with
diamond crown and necklace, stomacher Of
woven pearls and old lace.
1.-The last costume was not the tradi
tional black velvet in which queens are
supposed to go to their deaths, but black
and crimson satin under rich black lace.
Here the triumphant character of her at.
tempt ends. Anna Dickinson has great
natural dramatic talent, but she sadly
wants stage training before she can become
an actress. She lacks, as yet, the physical
strength and voice for the stage. Her
knowledge Of stage effect is slight, her ges-
lures awkward, her movements ungainly,
her shoulders round, and her voice greatly
marred by long course of rostrum speak
ing. She doubtless felt, TO the fullest ex-
tent, all the passion and power of Same
Boleyn," but she failed many, many times
to make her audience feel II. In the last
scene, where she spends the night In her
room alone with the block on which she is
to be executed, and with her solemn,
strong apostrophe to that instrument, she
Is more successful than In any other part
OF the play; and the curtain fell on a strong
finely acted scene, one which would have
been credit to almost any actress.
The audience behaved beautifully. MANY