The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-11
AMUSEMEHTs.
AfIss EytInse A broad.

of strength in the free and splendid muscular
movements Of this coarse Nancy sykes than in
all tho ttatucs1ucric Of the hautc ecolc we
on this side, simply wonder what would havc
been the effect upon him Of Lucille Westerns
acting in the same role
Miss Rose Eytinge is one OF the few Actresses
that have risen to cmincnco in this country by
al excellence which fitted comedy and mco-
drama equally well. She is not tragic player
although her Lazy Ndcb,m in defamation po-
ctic iervor and that general lit Of expression
which We call heroic was FAR superior 10 Miss
Cuehmans. For want " better name Miss
Eytingc. when she emerged from Nallack's
was called an emotional actress meaningless
~ this phrase il. seeing that all acting ia. or
aims to be emotional-it came to stand for that
order OF dramatic excellence which dealt with
the mczzo range OF feelings and not with the oX-
trcnos II passion
Miss Eytlngc had beauty. versatility. imagl-
nation. aud quick intellect. There was no
American actress could have played the Come
tess Cdadoce in Led Astray less like an ac-
trcss and more like Il Countess. Coarscnoes
and yulgarity she was never charged with in
any role. In her Cleopatra she did indeed at
tempt to make n certain kind Of picturesque
and volurtuous realism take the place of an
imaginative fcrvor but there was warrant for it
in the role. anl even here with Shakcspearcs
license In her possession IL is well known that
she kept to the path Of beauty both In diction
and in action.
To her ability. intellectual and emotional.
must be added grace Of womanliness, Il sub
dued warmth Of personality that was q constant
charm.
For these reasons Miss Eytinge was regarded
here rs one OF the most acceptable actresses our
stock had contributed to the country; with
more nnesse and less physical vehemcnce than
many who had made bigger regulations
she commanded thoughtful attention in any
effort that she made.
Certainly her Nancy Sykes Is not known here
as one Of the great hits Of her career. No one
who has seen Lucille Westerns stupcndous
realizati IN OF that hideous role could for mo-
ment believe that such an organization rs Miss
Eyungo's is capable Of graphing with the char
acter.
And yet this is the character which Miss
Eytingc-in the maturity Of her powcrs-sclects
as an Introduction TO the English public
And it II her impersonaion Of this char
acter which clicits so much establishment aud
admiration from the English critics. who see in
its " royal strength" and truly wonderful
realism" revelation
am inclined to attribute her choice TO n keen
discriminating sense Of the relative attitudes
stage
The actor or actress who will create thrill in
an English audience will be forgiven every
thing 50 absolutely blaze are our cousins in
art that the best II them are ready 10 fall down
and worship " free and splendid muscular
movement" and TO welcome realism In any
shape 70 that it rilples the surface Of their
frozen dead sea.
We. It must hn confessed nre little tired Of
royal strength. Our Studeys. McCulloughs.
Andersons. and Dareons are all born in this
royal line, and we turn 10 the Inertia OF English
actors with sense Of relief. II Is true that
for one would rather be warmed 10y the realism
Of Miss Eytinge or Miss Morris than CONCEALED
by the art Of Miss Rogers or Miss Dyas. But
when consider that Miss Eytinge's realism IL
something that she possesses in common with
q score Of American actresses. am inclined to
value her for that which : peculiarly hers. II
she Is appreciated in London for her vigor and
unconventional strength II is because vis,or u
expression and natural force are So rare In the
English PLAYERS.
1t may be question 81 some interest whether
the conditions Of civilization Ia London are
favorable TO the development Of that kind Of in
dividuaty which commands attention and re-
speHt upon the stage. English culture and the
insular English conventions squeczs all the
prayers INTO one uhfl mould anu luey come out
As much alike "a so many peas After few
years experience they lay aside themselves and
take on instead the common stock Of English
pecuiarities. preiudices manners. habits Of
thought and methods Of expression. Their
greatest ambition Is TO reach the Magnificent
Uniformity. Ideal excellence, by curious IL
fusion. has come 10 mean the absence OF any
distineu shng traits. Their most cons picuous
actor AT this moment is chiefly celebrated Tor
his superb conformity
should Judge from the English ies ,rptions
OF him that he is honored for n smoothness
which offers no point Of rest for the feelings.
Mr.. Lewes. who occasionally stops out Of
science into art. apparently to get rid Of an
irksome scientific method. has recently laid
down the rule Of the theatre. Art" says he
" is the subsection OF impulse 10 law"
He must have evolved this fact from close
scrutiny OF the English stage, whore there s as
much law as will be found in the inner temple
and a. little impulse as in the Dukes monu-
ment.
Robert buchanan may now come 10 tho
rescue Of the fleshly school. and. with Nancy
SYKES still writing IN his memory, explain that
triumph is the violation Of law by impulse.
II Mr.. Lewes had thought it worth whilo 10
employ the same scrutiny and care in treating
Of the stage that he employed in treating Of
physiology he would have acknowledged TINT
inpulsein that domain Is often a law unto itself
| SUPPOSE the worst art in tho world is statu-
try art II there can be such 4 thing IA patent
inspiration outside Of Del Sartcs Utopia. it
will bee found Oh the British stage, whore every
hls,rlone reflects the aril 'ial conditions and
restrictions Of the life about him.
One can understand that the boistorous loose
ness Of the lakewood, Is revelation tothc Gnr-
rick Club which has been vainy trying for
years u escape from the horrible responsibility
OF tho English smgc. What It really hungrrs
and thir~ts for is something su gtanis. The
man who will only come and shake his fists at
the Saturday Herter and plant his foot on prore-
dents viii be- received with 4 howl bytu thou
sands u slaves
But I our cousins have too much law. wo have
too much llccnso. To preserve the balance Of
trade, We ouaht To export McCulloughs and
N'rises and import Barry Sull.yaLs and
lfylns-.
Isuproeo uat q iudinious n.inGling OF the
American yawl and the English sweetness and
hsnt IN the noXt generation OF actors Will pro-