New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-04
THEATRICAL MISCELLANY.


at Manchester, England, Camille and as Adricnae.
The Courier of that city says So Camille Is the
story of "A woman who. having been weak enough
to 90 wrong, subsequently displays the possession
of moral strength enough to enable her, at great
personal sacrifice to do what is right. such part
Dartjcularly when it is associated witt transparent
physical decay is we'll adapted to enable Nine
Modjeska to display her dramatic powers 10 the
utmost 900. The varous phases OF feeling MIhe'
Modjesl1a presents with vivid naturaluca'
with mere look or gesture causing thrill OF ter
Tor or sorrow in the spectator. In the last srchc'
which forms so striking a contrast to the hrst.
Nine Modjcska was very impressive. Her iotter-
ing walk from her couch to the mirror, her sudden
surprise at her changed looks, her implorlng cry
that she may live till spring, the su1ocating scnsa-
tion which the arrival Of her lover occasions, and
her final death were rendered with extraordinary
and almost painful fidelity, and rs the curtain fell
the great artist was vocifcrously recalled by the
audience There was crowded and apprec'a-
tive audience to witness her rendering of ddr'eHhe
and she achieved almost a perfect TRIUMPH. FROM
her first appearance TO the close of the play she
fairly held the audience spelbound. The scene IN
the palace of the Prince de BOUHon4 in which she
meets and discovers her nval, The Princess, was
thing to remember. The conflicting emotions were
given with telling fidelity, and the dcndnrlaHon
from Thcdre has never been given VITA greater "fe
and unTcstTaiHed yet appropriate passion conlui-
inc up reCOllectiOns Of Mdllc Bernhard, whose
fame in that speech great in the last
act, III which she receives the poisoned bouquet
Nine. Modeska displayed consummatc art, tet
dCspairng agony on discovering that the TlSA
said TO be from MaWicc contained the nOwcrs
She had herself given him the day before was hncy
given; and when the poison win when ihey T ,r,
charged began to work upon her, The change that
came over her was touching ant terrIHit 10 WlthcSs
Her wild paroxysm when Maurice burst INTO the
chamber was truly tragic, and the frenzy NHich "-
Oh ,ost atic
finely rendered and when in answer to the loud
demand the curtain was raised a"an, ana ue great
actress was discovered upon her feet to receive the
cheers of the audience. there was not the ordinary
capping of hands, but loud and unanimous shout
of admiration"
Mr.. Boucicault seems 70 have altered consider
ably his play of Mimi " before producing 1t in
London. 1t was done at the Court lheatre, and
failed there. The plot, as newly fashioned, stands
as follows: "In the first scene, charming glen IN
Cumberland is found Leo ChiilHJbdm. young gen
teman of fortune. who has joined band of Gypsies
and married one of them, named Mimi. His parents
are seeking him, and through the instrumentality
Of Sandy McElrah, an artis of Bohemian habits. he
is found the Lady Mdvde Kennedy. whom Leo
TO have married, comes to reclaim him, and MirIi
unseen watches her husband departing for civiliza-
ton So far all has been WELL sympathy has been
created for Leo and Mimi, and amusement caused by
the love affairs of Sandy and Ma:Ppa-a young lady
from the circusas well by the peculiaI1ties OF
MAJ Engclhardt, a German musician, who plays III
the circus band But with the first act nature and
originality vanish, and their places are supplied
by well-worn theatrical situations rather clum,ily
introduced. Ii is evening AZ the house OF Lafy
Maude Mar is there, with many other guests aud
when presently he proclaims lis intention OF going
outaile to smoke, and when, Furthermore, Lddg
Vaadc causes the blinds TO be drawn and the snowy
street to be revealed, what must inevitably happen
is forcseen OF course at this moment Mimi arrives,
finds her way aided by WdJ 10 the bOu lOlr Is con
| ccaied in room. and OyorhcaIS LeOS profession
| of love for Lady Napdc-a false profession,
Mimi goes away and browns herself, and when the
! curtain rises again on SaHdys studio, the author
wildly seeks about for threads OF hunor III the love
affairs of MGzeppd and SIHdg while such romance
and interest Leo has called form III the last act
are permitted to subside and disappear. Presently,
however Mimi IL brought in, but only TO die
| The London 1eiCGrGph says: " The whiting may be
charming but it goes the wrong way SteIuc.s
! dead donkey was nothing 10 MIMI maunGcrng over
awhile uulf that reminded hrrOl a per IhDTt every
! line uttered was mscOnsrued by a iaiigu.d and
aGed audience aud Mr.. BOuclcauIts scnsiDllity was
| Innlstak ably laughed al. These theatrical seem,
are invariably PAINFUL. once the spirit of rldlcue
sets H. nothing can check it, and disaster was only
Just saved again by the acuugOi MISS MARION Terry,
who actually COntriycd, Out of her own head stlll
! one more original death scene OF a COnsumptIve
| heroine One would have thought that ModJcska
and Sara BcrnhaTdt last season hal exhausted Tins
dclicae and difficult art, but Miss Terry gave us
sonnet hing new, without any mOrbidnoss or pain
She died sitting in her chair with her head erect. II
was the sleep OF death, ana cain ana happy one ;
and once more the young LAZY, whose welcome
throughout the evening had been enthusiastic, won
back the attention that had Tagged"