Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-02
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE DRAMA.
Miss Annie Pixley as "M'Iiss >

There is a picturesque beauty in Bret
Harte's romantic story of the Sierras
adapted to the stage under the name of
"Mliss." 1t is faithful photograph of
the wild and rugged life of the gold fields
of California, and the characters are allim-
bued with the rugged qualities with which
it requires no very great stretch of the
imagination to invest the '49er and his
modern successor in the far-Off purple
cline of the Golden state. The incidents,
too, partake of that vivid intensity which
makes unnecessary the almost farcical
exaggeration and overdrawing which dis
tinguish the ordinary frontier drama. The
playwright has SO cOnscientiously followed
in the line marked out for him by the author
of the story that there is an utter absence
of the many incOngruous and ridiculous
situations which offend the eye even in the
enjoyment of the breath OF fresh mountain
air that only tolerably good play Of this
kind is calculated to watt into the parched
nostrils of an audience accustomed to the
vapid inanities Of your modern 'society'
drama. And "M'liss" allows you to take
repeated draughts of the delicious breezy
atmosphere, while the eye is at the same
time charmed by the artistic accuracy of
all the surroundings. 1t is par excellence
the frontier drama of to-day. 1t was in
it's title role that that bright
little actress Miss Annie Pixley bounded
onto the stage less than two years ago.
For she is one Of those lively little crea-
lures who fortunately do not require the
crutches Of patient and laborious effort to
hobble into public favor, but at one leap,
sustained in the arduous feat by natural
endOwments, land themselves Oh the safe
side of the turbulent stream that
separates them from the green pastures of
fame, while others are painfully guiding
their footsteps among the snags and
stumps that beset their pathway. She ap-
pearcd here but little more than a year
ago and played right bravely to- begggarly
array of empty benches. She came later
the same season and the large audience
which then greeted her must have been
highly gratifying to her. But the house
last night Why it fairly groaned under
the weight of humanity that it held. Not
merely every seat, but every available
nook and Granny in the auditorium and
gallery was occupied. Around the par
quet circle stood solid row of people,
whilst up in the gallery the same state of
things prevailed. 1t was regular
ovation, and had the effect of put
ting the charming little lady on
her mettle, for she played as she
never before played in this city. Our read
ers know all about the pretty faced, light
hearted, rollicking child of nature, the
rough diamond of the Sierras, full of
tricks and the odd ways which association
in a miners camp has given her a heart
big and generous, and a native wit as bright
as polished gold. That is " NJ liss, and
Miss Fixley' reproduction of the charac-
ter last night set her great audience wild
with delight. She is not less
effective in those parts where the au-
thor has mellowed and refined the breezy
humor of his work by introducing a strong
vein of pathos, and nothing could have
been more touching than the "wildcat's y
tender affection for her drunken and be-
sotted old father and her hysterical out
bursts at the thought of losing him. Miss
PiNley was in admirable voice, and her
rendition of number of popular songs
brought down the house in tumultuOus
and repeated encores.
The support was quite good, notably
Mr.. McDonough's Yuba Bill, which was
marked by an otf-hand freedom admirably
befitting the role the acting of Mr.. John
son to whose banda the difficult
part of George Smith, the drunken
father of Miss, had been committed was
likewise highly commendable whilst the
remainder of the cast kept up their end of
tanned the merit at very even balance.