The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-05-14

Salu, nave Tor us moro W0iRht and guRR6S0ve-
ness than those Of playgoers who assume to
Sit In judgment have not been by any means
unanimous. AS TO what Macready. who had
acted with her. thought OF Miss Cushman's in
terprctation of Latlv Macbeth. no evidence. at
first hand. is forthcoming. but Mr.. Ball
says that the late Il. l.. Davenport told
him that Macready informed him that Miss
Cushmans performance Of Lady Macbeth was n
most consummate piece OF art, 30 powerful in
its nature. so subtle in it's conception as to
make him feel. when on the stage with her
that he was less than creature of second
airy considcraton-in truth q mere thing OF
naught." That Macroady recognized her
natural abilities Is certain. because he urged
her to come to London; but only year before
she played Lady Macbeth in England. no wrote
in his diary: The Miss Cushman who acted
Lady Macbeth Interested me much. She has to
learn her art" Mr.. Murdoch Just touches on
her rendering Of the part in the following com
ment quoted from The Stage: Miss Cushmans
understanding was never at fault; it was keen
and penetrating but that glow OF feeling
which springs from the centre OF emo
tional elements was not a prominent
constituent of her organization. She was
intensely prosaic. definitely practical and
hence her perfect identity with what may be-
termed the matcrialism Of Lddy Macbeth"
Mr.. Vandenhof writes in his Note Book"
l never admired her LAZY Macbeth. 1t is too
animal; 1t wants intellectual confidence and
relies too much on physical energy. Besides.
she DULLES Macbeth, gets him into q corner of
the stage, and as heard man with more
force than elegance express it. she pitches
into him. In fact. as one sees her large
clenched hand and muscular arm threatening
him in alarming proximity, one feels
that II other arguments fail with her
husband she will have recourse to
blows In q word she was Brunhilde
and not temntress Of the type known to the
Latin races and made familiar by the modern
novel and meodrama. A fact of interest in
connection with this personatiOn has. it seems.
boon communicated to the author Of this sketch
by Mr.. Lawrence Barrett. IL IL that Miss Cush-
man maintained that throughout the more i'm
portant scenes of the play both Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth were under the influence Of
wine. She commended that her opinion was
supported by the text, and believed that
Shakespeare supposed it would be apparent
that both man and wife were drunk. 1t may
be thought that this singular idea explains the
manner which Miss Cushman had at some
points in the playa reckless swinging fashion
OF doing everything and all apparent needless
ness Of what happened.
We think Mr.. Ball expresses the candid and
deliberate Judgment of most competent critics
whether actors or playgoers. i'll the following
remark Great as Miss Cushman was as a
legitimate actress, think her greatness went
step beyond when she entered the field of
melodrama; and / think, moreover that her
fame ~ an exponent of Meg WeT1'iiiPs and Nancy
Sykes will live long after her performances of
Lady RaCbeth and Queen Katharine are for
gotten" OF course to her personation Of Meg
the actress contributed far moro than the
novelist. and We concur with Mr.. Ball in doubt
ing whether such a character Us Miss Cush-
mans Neg could ever have existed on this
earth He hastens to add that no one can fail
to be impressed by the originality and pctur-
esqueness ofthc performance, or the eXquisitely
artistic make up" which was in itself study
We also agree with Mr., Ball in thinking Nancy
the most intense of Miss Cushman's representa-
tons. II was certniny the perfection of real
ism. and powerfully fascinating in spita of lite
responsiveness. On tins head Mr. Lawrence
Barrett, who had played with her as FdVin
says " The death scene was simply supera-
two in effect; she dragged herself on to the
stage in wonderful manner and Keeping her
face turned away from the audience produced
feeling OF chilly horror by the management
OF her voice rs -hc called for BW and begged
OF him To Kiss her According to Mr. Barrett
her voice sounded AS If she spoke through
blood. and the sensation produced upon the
audience was far more thriing than that which
any other ictipss has made with the sight
of "a bruised and bleeding face and all the hor-
rors that can he added.
To much the same Purport is the conclusion
reached by Mr.. George VandenhofY who played
repeatedly with Miss Cushman from the begin
ming To nearly the close Of her career. Writing
OF her in 1872, when she had been seven years
on the stage. he says: She displayed ut that
day rude. strong, uncultivated talent" In
pronouncing Shakespeare she would substi-
tute weak word tor strong one. diluting the
force and destroying the rhythm Of the verse. II
Was not TIL after she had seen and acted with
Mr.. Macready that, she really brought artistic
study and finish To her performances"
Mr.. VandcnhoT thought her greatest
partIfeariully natural dreadfuily Intense.
horribly rea-was Nancy Sykes in the dramatic
version. Of Oliver Twist. 1t was too true. it
was painful, this actual presentation of Dick
enss poor. abused abandoned, murdered out;
cast Of the strcets-a tgress with u touch, and
but one of womnn's almost dcadcncd nature
blotted and trnmpled under foot. by mans
cruelty and sin. Ii is" continues MI Vanden-
hon, III darky Swallowed urd-tinsed
characters of n low order like this and .M-g
herilies-h half human. half dcmon-with the
savage animal reality Of passion and the weird
fascination Of crime, redeemed by iitful flashes
ofwomanly feeling that she exces. Neg .Mr-
rules has been her great fortune teller and for
tune MAKER