The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-23
AMUSEM ENTS.
MopyEsKA AS ApnIEXNE At THE FIFTH AVE-
NUE. THEATRE.

NUE. THEATRE.
Last night Nine Modjeska 1.-THE Countess Bozenip
appeared for tho first time before New York audi
ence; and there doubt that she won the heart OF
her auditors The lady made her debut under iavor
able auspicea She heraded as great fohsh
actress and, during her recent engagement IN me
West, she won enthusiastic praise, which, II was IN
ferred was due TO her merits alone As q result OF
the tame which preceded her brilliant audience CON-
posed In n large measure, OF vctcran theate-goers
critics and actors, assembled IN the Fifth Avcnus
Theatre for the purpose OF judging Of her claims, SO
Immensely exioed in advance. Nine. hodjeska chose
tor her opening performance Scrbe's well
known drama, "Adrienne Lccouvreur," ono Of
those pieces OF arsocratic intrigue that the versatile
French playwright knew so well how 10 cohsTuc.
Tho play is OF little account beyond the scope mat
offers Tor some good charac'er acting anu Tor the
DEVELOPMENT OF one central 6gurc-Adrienne. The
orr. drama has been rendered MORE pointed and
elective by several weiI-judged alterations made by
Dir. BoucicauiL TO show how near Nine. NocJeska
approached truthful representation OF the character
which she undertook, let us consider briefly the char
acter itself. In tho first place the conception OF
Adrennc Is thoroughly dramatic; It's not tragic
IDEAL, although IL suggests tragedy; " IS intense.
nnsslona,e heroic and death II Affords
opportunities Tor the most powerful class OF emo
tona acting; at the same Tune herc IS VEIN OF iign-
running through winch reiievest Of heavhess
idealY From the moment she appeared upon me
scene until tho curtain closed on Adriennes dea.n
she proved that her mind understood what hei aoi-
ties werc unit 10 reproduce. never grea sue "a1
always sympathetic She iaiied 10 Drihs OUT
the iul Intensity Of The character coD DI s nos
su1jugatc. II cannot DO Justly cianca va.
she is richly endowed with natural guns
but it is not 10 be eainsald that her art was cx-
quIsite. Physically, she is weak. Her voice Is o.
poor quality her foreign accent, which IS very pro-
nouncsd mars ner delivery. Her words were often
M artCuIatcd sounds. IL must 70
remembered that now judging her AS an Eng
lish speaking actress her appearance IS at.racnve
but not profoundly In short, she combines IN hcr
person fine though unpronourced physical cnarns
the other hand her movements were iuli OF grace;
her by- pIays smoke more eloquenIy THAI her tongue
Her deep feeling art showed itself in many ways
When she arst s'eppeH upon re sso her NJ"
through the sympathetic quality Of hcr nature
AS sho progressed became evident that she mad won
the mousse her side, and wns frequently anu loudly
applauded. Tho interview with her lover IN Inc
gree nj Dom repete with refined charm and GIN
cerly, Tor the time being the detects OF her nc
cent we're almost forgotten But these defects soon
became apparent wncn she read tho translation OF
Ella Fontaine's" fable. Her reaaing OF this was 90.
scure and unsatisfactory. Az the close OF the third
act, after the Princess dc Bouiilon has naue her
escape, through the agency oil Adrienne, from Mlie.
Duclos' apartments, her emotional power was
put 10 n test she struggled bravey to fuldl
the requirements OF the scene, and while her charm
again conquered the audience she displayed NO
unusual power, no high degree OF ability she was
at her best the fourth act, whore tho TWO rivals
come face to face Adricanc and the Princess AZ TINS
point her gained the mastery ana obtained Tor her
generous applause In tho scene ~ the close oil
tue play her abilities 100 severely taxed. Her
death was IN many respects reastic II also pic
turesqne, oul Il was totally lacking In grandeur II
was painful, not Impressive. In short, Nine Mod
jeska combines rare Intelligence with perfect rclne-
and correct study. However, she does not rise
above talent She Is not great actress, made iasc.
natlng by art good word must nc spoken Tor the
OF cast, which, on the whole, was excellent
Mr. Coudock as Michonnet was quite perfect played
The part OF Adrienne's large-nearted protector to
The lie. Mr. Wh,fen, as tho Abbe Choiscul, managed
10 free himself OF certain mannerisms, and tue result
was good impersonati0n, though somewhat too slg-
gestivo OF low comedy. Mr.. Whinen Is valuable ac
QUESTION any company, but no should subject him
syf ~ vigorous framing; his hands ard icct are apt
to get the better oi his intelligence Mr. Lcmoync
deserves praise for his Prince do Bouiilon Or Mr.
Burroughs who assumed the r0fe OF Marshal SAKE
we cannot say much; he was manly, but monoton-
Jus. Mss Helen Tracy was respectable as tho Prn
,ess, though wanting in rehnemcnl-a desideratum
which conlrasted sharply with Nine ModJcska's
thoroughly ladylikc demeanor. Finally, Miss Edith
BLAND was vulgar, ara Miss Annie Edmundson, who
nnc actress in her special line, was thrown away
On q colorlcss part
THEArnE-MIss DAVENPORT AS ROSA
Mics Fanny Davenport made her appearance 1t
Booths Theatre last evening, after an absence OF sew
,ral months. as Rosaiind, in .As You Like It," It's
lard 10 imagine why this role should be such favorte
,ne with Miss Davenport except for tho that
sue u puyelCuily utcu hcI CVHCcpsiVu VI buo
character, however, has not been derived
rom an intelligent reading Of Shakespeare, for
il students Of this poet are correct IN their
OF Rosalind she coy and modest
Maiden nllea half with delight at discovery Of her
owe and half with awe. OF her male attire she
seemed almost unconscious, but In Miss Davenports
she appears as proud OF her strange
appearance ever DR.. Mary Walker was oil hers
There was, however, less Of the tomboy MICS
performance than usual last even
ing. She seemed greatly fatiaucd, and one
missed that vivacity and How OF animal
spirits Tor which her acting has always
boon conspicuous In It's stead was tired
and rather ianguld manner. IL Is said that Miss
Davenport Is mol enjoying her usual high health at
returned from fatigung staring tour, that II is
probable that her performance will regain It's wonled
vivacity alter a few days of rest. She sang the
Cuckoo song without grace refinement and
almost made burlesque OF II. The play was well
cast the Orlando q Mr. barrymore being particularly
Alma Tadema's pictures Mr.. W. I. Carleton, who by
tho way is not tenor, AS announced ON tho bills,
sang the part OF Amicns reccnty sung by Mr. Castlc
In baritone voice, which he guilty OF forcing
beyond It's power At times perhaps to carry out tho
erroneous announcement OF the prosramnn s. Tho
jacques OF Mr.. Charles Fisher we'll known III
this city, and is lavorte performance. Mrs Gibert's
Audrey was capital, AS Is everything this lady
does Mr. Davldge madc an excellent clown, and
Mr. Thomas Jefferson, young man who mas TO
tend with very suggestive name, spoke his tow lines
with intelligence. MT. owen Fawcott was not par
ticulnrly imposing the exiled Duke, and his ban
ishcd ricnds looked though they SOLD old clothes
on Chatham street. Mr.. Frank Bennett made most
cnemnatc lie Beau and suggested that well known
parsonage who 'stucK leather IN his cap
aud called II macarOnL" Bic. George Parkes,
the usurpcr, might have played with moro
dignity u ms nat hal not been knocked 10 very reck-
lees way over his lett eye. Mr.. Vandenhor did
appear, owing 10 certified illness Herr Laiin took
the part OF the Wrestler and looked though ne would
bavc asked no greacr fun than to have whipped tho
whole company single handed. The audience
large ana MISS Davenport was called twice before tho
curtain.