The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-20
fMTSEME NIS.



standard drama. THE Lady Of Lyons. Ro-
meo and Juliet " Evadne" Guy Manner
ing" Ingomar," and Fazio' have bccn sue
cessivcy enacted and the breadth OF opportuny
has certainly been great enough to enable Miss
Anderson TO make n full showing Of her gifts
and her requirements her individuality and
her universally. From tho moonshinc OF
Pauline to the murky dcsolation Of Blanca IL.
perhaps no greater remove than from the bios
SONY ardor OF Juliet 10 the withcrcd distress Of
Meg MGriies. But this young girl. without
either perfected method or that mastery Of the
imagination by the will which forces the indi-
viduaty into any mould, has undertaken to
portray all the phases OF passion and forms Of
character in this magnificent Ramut.
That she has failed to do what she deliberately
and brnvoy undertook namely. to exhibit tho
mobility Of genius perfected by knowledge. the
versatility OF matured experiments obvious
enough to every ono who has carefully watched
her interesting impcrsonations.
That Miss Anderson. In the intensity Of her
emotions surpasses any actress that our coun-
try has OF late years produced may he conceded:
but II must be acknowledged that the range Of
her emotions IL at present exceedingly limited.
In clutching after honors in 80 many directions.
she has used the same efforts. nay, the same ges-
tures-as II. indeed those honors all hung at the
same height. The hcadlong and amatory pas
sion Of Jutiets youth. alter we had recovered
from the effects Of its vocalization. was found to
be strangely like tie chahte majesty of the
hunted Erddne; and not alone the uneven
weaving. but the very texture itself OF Iduhnes
vanity and shame was similar to the matronly
love Of Bidncd. Even in the distortion and un-
naturalness OF AeV A1riiies the limitations Of
young imagination and a narrow art kept Miss
m in xia uI bnr I rlV
unfortunate. for the part was evidently selected
and adhered to from an instructive desire Of the
player to get away from herself and hide the
congcnital marks Of hcr personality in the
objective and repclant disguise of the bag.
What should. therefore. have been n gallery Of
pictures. in which each work 10y n different
master should have shone in the one blaze Of
the actors light with varying character and
method. appears now in Miss Anderson sea-
son like n single piece Of tapestry. gorgeous
with dashcs of color and noble with human
forms. but all Of u pattern. For this reason IL
is. perhaps. Just 10 say that her ambition lie
tinged with rashness. or. at least. with an i'm
petuosity which. however Characteristic of youth
and enthusiasm IL TO be regretted where the
thoughtful judgment Of exacting criticism il
solicited.
The best Of Miss Anderson's impcrsonations
made upon her imaginative powers. She
played Pdfhenid with an identifying force not
felt in any Of her other roles. 1t was quite
within the easy compass Of her young nature
and her youthful art. The more we saw of Mary
Anderson in IL. the more our Judgment acqGi-
csccd. And IL was here that our judgment and
our feelings agreed. In saving this We are say
ing. in effect that tho actress has not 10y her New
York season established the claim Of her
friends. that she is a consummate tragic artist.
She has not shown the ability 10 sink her
charming individuality in the tempcstuous
roles she has assumed. The lambcnt vestal
flame has been blown about by gusts Of sorrow
and. starting up with sudden flashes. has made
the illusive shadows come and 80. but IL has
never flarod with the rudy glow OF loves con
Stunning torch Passion we have seen in notion
and heard in mellhuous tones. but we have
hardly felt it in the conception. That full COM
mand OF her faculties which the consummate
artist possesses. Miss Anderson has not yet OBJ
tanned.
In all that she Dies there IL an unmistnkahle
evidence OF extraordinary capacity OF express
sion. But 1t Is absolutely necessary that she
should learn first both TO feel and to think be-
fore the supegb instrument at her command can
be made TO touch the higher symphonies " her
art
There ls indeed something wholly unique in
the efforts Of this ndice girl 10 awaken in us a
new admiration for well-worn characters, un-
aided 10y anything save her enthusiasm I'M
equipped save with the strong instincts Of an
immature soul. We have seen her pass heed
lessly over points that the thought and Ak
perence Of years have elaborated. while the in
gcnuous momentum If innocence won our
senses Heedlcssness could skip with some
Inn t1a.f a..
nalily. That intuition which battles criticism
carried her triumphanuy enough DO long as she
kept within the limits Of her organization. The
moment she undertook 10 transcend her own
peculiarlties she had neither the sagacity nor
tho acquired skill TO defy the gravltatlon Of
nature. Gifted as no one woman in ten thou
sand IL with tonal and artculate facility she
nevertheless pitched the grief OF Jlli,t, the
scorn OF Pauline. and the mingled jealousy and
rcmorsc OF BidHcd IN the same key. Possessing
figure OF rare proportions and limbs capable
OF all grace of motion-a person, in brief. that
has the dignity Of an antique statue no less than
the sensuous charm Of Il noble animal-she 81
dsregards the symbolism of expression at
times. and at others violates the rhythmic
law Of her being. as 10 misnterpre, in
action what she is conscious Of In feeling. and
create in the minds Of her spectators the utterly
'fINltouS IMPRESSION tAAt she Is NNhNhll
habtually.
Never have We seen an actress 81 talent so
nagranty addressed as has been this one i'm all
roles that required decorative costumery. On
the night of her debut she melted all the minor
journals 10 write ESSAYS on her corsots. the de.
tails of those useful appen lagos ottruding
themselves upon the attention Of everybody
II was only when she got into plain, flowing
white robes that the natural lines and har-
mony OF her person obtained the mastery
over her drapcry and made her beautiful
So i'll devised were her skirts that one criti,
went away with the impression that she wa-
twelve feet high And our plympton. who
opened the season with her in the Lady ol
Lyons seemed to grow gradually less evers
night and finally disappeared altogether.
Ii IL only worth while to mention these things
because they point in the same direction ~ &c
her other faults that is, not to want Of ability
SO much as to lack OF knowledge. This fact alon,
warrants the attention that We give tn the sub
Jcct. Miss Anderson came here TO invite th,
cultivated judgment OF the metropolis. A. III,
latest and best exponent Of the truly American
school OF acting. which buses all its claims upoi
natural ability, and not upon acquired skill
She has settled more definitely than any Of hen