Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-12
ADJUSTMENTS.

Do"OiS anu ONhcI tdlcHtCu piaNOio
hence it is quite familiar to the major
ity Of theater-gOers. The ModjeskI
imperSOnation differs so widely from
any Of those who have preceded her
that it is rather difficult to pass judg.
ment on her true merits. 1t wal
highly pleasing to some, but the re-
verse to others. That Modjeska is
an exceedingly attractive person and
possesses a grace Of carriage and
action rarely to be seen is very certain.
Her costumes are wonderful COM
binations Of art and skill, and
many Of her attitudes and poses we're
models of poetic beauty. The spec
tators gave frequent vent to expressions
of admiration at different stages of the
performance as Modjeska appeared in
a change Of dress, each surprising the
previous one in elegance. As the
light-headed, frivolous "Frou- Frou, p
first a giddy ball-going girl, then a
silly, capering, merry wife, Modjeska
relied mainly on her actions to effect
its illustration. Her rafting and ac-
cented pronunciation was in many
passages to a great extent not under
stood by a majority Of those present,
and the first two acts seemed weary to
many. Afterwards, however, the lady
invested the character with more vigor,
and at times threw considerable dra-
matte fire into the part, securing
applause at each effort, and twice be-
ing called before the curtain to satisfy
the clamors Of the audience. In the
dying scene, at the close of the play,
Modjeska was effective to a degree,
and on the whole her performance,
while novel, was pleasing. 1t has been
said that Modjeska has at least two
dozen different ways of dying in her
mimic life, and that either is a special
study as well as a perfect picture. The
part of"De Sartoris," and the leading
one next to Modjeska, was weak and
insipid, at times positively fat, and
again, especially toward the close,
passably fair. The actor has a very
English pronunciation, which is often
more difficult to understand than
is Modjeska. Miss Alice Brooks was
hardly equal to the part Of
Louise, the sister of "Frou- Frou, "
who s%upplants her in a husbands af-
fections. 1t is a character which
should be well performed to give prop
er effect to the play, and the lady's or
atorical defects are rather against its
satisfactory rendition. With the ex-
oeptiOn of FrOu-Frou's father, which
was a finely rendered character, the
remainder of the cast is unworthy of
attention.
Tonight Adrienne, the Actress,
will be presented. 1t is.a play possess
ing all that is necessary to exhibit the
strength of Modjeska's full powers.
Jane Coombs and Genevieve Rogers
are at Nashville this week.
1t is reported that Rubinstcin is
threatened with total blindness.
The Adah Richmond Troupe had
poor success in Richmond, Va, last
week.
Alice Placide, the actress, has had
her wardrobe, worth $4,000, seized in
Baltimore for a board bill of $27. She
has put the matter in the hands of a
lawyer.
Edwin Booth has purchased, for
$3.50, three acres and a half of land
on Second Beach, at Newport, R. L..
from Nh. Eugene Sturtevant, and will
build on the property a modest sum
mer cottage.
Miss Dickinson flung out her banner,
And vent for the church in a manner
To raise both n stir
And the dickens on her
And that's what the matter with Anna
Joe Jefferson is still at his orange
island in New Iberia, Louisiana. He
does not intend to resume playing for
some time.
New Orleans has had the pleasure
of hearing the first performance in
America of Paul and Virginia, which
was given by the Hess Company at the
Varities Theater, in that city, on
Thursday evening. Miss Emma Alb
bott sang the charming role of"Vir-
and a dispatch says that she
was three times called before the cur
tain and cheered heartily by an audi
of nearly 1900 people.
New York Mirror The "Pina-
fore" fever, which has broken out
over most of the country, illustrates
very forcibly the disposition of mana
gers TO rely on each other in choice of
novelties. Within three weeks no less
than seventeen 81. M. S. Pinafore"
parties have started up, and at last
accounts there we're two in Philadel-
phia, two in Brooklyn and the promise
Of five simultaneously in New York.
1t is not improbable that on the first
flush Of the novelty q good deal of
money will be made by managers.
While the excitement lasts every one
I'll