New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-05
EAGLE THEATER-MISs DICKINSON.

In the Eagle Theater last night Miss Anna
Dickinson effected her first entrance on the NewYork
stage. The house about half filed with eagerly
interested persOns-the auditory comprising many
local celebrities social well as literary ana
dramatic Miss DickinsOn's attempt to transfer
her talents from the art Of oratOry TO the
art OF act ng has all along been viewed by the lnteec
tual public asian interesting and possibly, fruitful e1'
pertinent and it natural that her emergence III TINS
CITY, after nearly year Of effort and experience as
player, should have the effect of congregatng
brilliant and critical assembage. From this tribunal
one Of the most ghtfu jUdcious and competent
that we have seen-she received a kind welcome ard
careful attention It's applause when she first came
upon the stage vigorous with the impulse OF friendly
encouragement Its appreciation OF her forcible de-
meanor, at what may be cailed,-though rather by
courtesy than with truththe climax points OF her per
Torrance had the Of sincerity 1t gave her howers
and called her before the curtain. In all these ways
it honored her ability her motive and futile as was
her achievement: and now. accordingly, it Is 10 be
wished that Miss Dickinson, having been wed received
in the capital will Danish from her mind the gloomy
and crevOus dea with which she understood to nave
traversed land that she is victim to the total de-
pravty OF conspirng critics She did not get. the
threshold OF her theatrical attempt the laurel that fame
reserves for the zenith of q successful ca
reer: nobody thought of her then, aud no sane
person thinks OF her now, as OF Rachel
Rstori or Cushmaa hut the gentle tolerance with
which she last night accepted IN the Eagle Iheater
she NAV we'll recognize a public goodwill such a. no
dramatic novice of equal preensions has elected here
within long remembrance of the stage. she not yet
an actress but the down and the road is wide
open.
AL or almost ALL the essential questions that relate to
the dramatic art OF raised by every performer
who appears Their discussion in every case or the dis
cssion OF all of them in any one case, Is manfesty I'M
possibe-at least journalism Some general principles
otodf in ha anna
nsons hut il is carcely feasible TO glance at the
preliminary and intermediate processes Of critical
thought When first saw Miss Dickinson upon the
stage the question raised by her performance was the
question whether II is possible for woman to succeed as
an in the highest line dramatic art who attempts
the theaer III mature life and without theatrical edu-
cation Miss Dicknsons representation did not leave us
Iorg in doubt 1t was not only crude; ii was not
only deficient OF that sort OF talent which IS spe
officially called dramatic; but 1t displayed mlhd
and temperament rldly and infexiby determined upon
the selfassertion which is totally Incompatible Win tAe
assertion of Identities distinct from self Miss Dickinson
presented Miss Dickinson-and being considerably hur
- d,d not present her 10 great advantage. Last
n,cbt in a stage appearance which raised the same
familiar oueston TO which have referred she again
presented this familiar parsonage This ume' nov"
she was not dazed by strange surroundings ana so
her peculiar indivduaism-aside from mute
oors+raint at frst-seemed to find full ana
ann
and as type OF force she sufficiently successful
T1a Qualities and faculties that were exhibited-n
tbA performance OF what is called Anne Boteyn-are
suc as should fit their possessor to be good adhhs@
tor NJ affairs II King Henry's isarred. and more III
oartered spouse was, indeed, woman OF the klhd
denoted in Miss Dickinson, she might nave fesu-
lated the collection Of the taxes, or she might
h,xe presided with decorum public
.cbool She could not have failed TO have " Views
od had newspaper columns been available, she would
nrobaby have written letters TO the ediot fHhncsS
combativeness prmness, acerDy' loquacl'y, iheh'@l
sufDclency, and kind Of shlmmermg me'Ihc haluhe77
~ dtsDosjtion we're the salient elements OF this
o,,bodimeut To summarize 1t in sentence
GO sbould call II executive ceverness Incorporating
nuskilfuly in the apparel Of queen, ana Naihiy pre-
tending TO be swayed by human emotion MISE
ntcknsop at certain points IN her PERFORM
once addresses the adjacent draInatis PERSONA
Ti,b a physical thrill and with an oratoricai
,ror n, the voice which exceedingly efectVe Dut
these potencies which would be merits in al address, are
,ls,nsbes IN a persOnaton-snoe they are e4raheous
., ~, substance: and aside from these her acting Is
laval tameness Much excitement seems 10 slhoIuer
beneatb the surface Of the personality DuI II mus no
adeouate and therefore no Impressive vent
face OF the Queen, in last nights presentation VI i ~
hpt two expressons-heated viii, and scorn Inc voice.
-, =, certain low notes. was almost uniformly nat.
Tn. tones were often inaudbe altogether' anu al pas
i,.,s rnomeuts they either rose INTO thih shrlneSs
:. sh,vered into strange hr0sue. The more
90 became artistcaly needful that passion
sho,,d be uttered, the more the peiIor.he
seemed 10 become concentrated upon herself iHh
e.eitation Of the mind, not OK the Ieennssi uioA
u.el on the platform, but not an expression Oh
.rootop and therefore useless on the stage
od ~ General comment upon the method OF Miss
T,,og,n..n,s acting We will say thst thousn
the mutterng of the thunderstorm may De
GOOD the full burst OF its fury much better IL we 800
thai IN carriage of the head the lady gives way 70 '
pleasing mannersm. that her gestures were oA Dou''
lacking in breadth and Significance ana 'hA' nef mO'
the stage were CONSTRUCTED small and almost
,as ,h.ra tbsv sbould la large free, and tumultu-