Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-19
Mary Anderson i'm London.

The following is part of criticism on the
first appearance Of Miss Mary Anderson in Lon
don in the character of Parthenia, in lingo
mar" 1t was written by the well-known critic,
Mr.. Dutton Cook, whose death took place only
q day or two ago:
If first Impressions may be trusted, in spite
Of the proverbial superiority of second though
Miss Mary Anderson is quite the most complete
and charming actress that America has given
to England 1t is true that Parthenia is rather
a graceful than great part; still, it affords it's
representative opportunities for the display of
genuine histrionic skill. y Much, but
as the event proved, not too much. had been
said beforehand of Miss Anderson's beauty,
and, indeed, the lady's physical gifts and
graces are very remarkable. Clad in the light,
soft, fluent draperies of Parthenia, the &C
tress presents specially attractive and in
teresting figure; she is very youthful-looking,
slim and 1.-THE of form, fair of complexion,
with delicate, symmetrical features of an Eng
lish type, her light-brown tresses waved and
bound after the classical manner required by
the character-tor Parthenia is supposed to be
member OF Greek colony 1ourshing at Mas
sllia, the ancient Marseilles about the year 500
b. q. Miss Anderson is very graceful OF gesture
and movement, and has studied carriage and
attitude with keen sense of artistic prescrip-
ton. II the picturesque effects she obtains are
less suggestive of antique art than of the re-
vlved cassicality. aiming more at prettiness
y,
Angelica Kaufman, and the like. But it is not
simply question of good-looks. On the stage
beauty Is an excellent letter of Introduction
and recommendation, but it Is not the absolute
necessity to success, does not always insure it;
often, indeed, the victories of the theater have
been won by the plain Of face, the rude of for m,
Tor genius is willing to abide In very unlike ly-
looking lodgings. Miss Anderson is an acco m
pllshed actress; she ia q mistress Of
her art; and in a particular range Of
lmPersonatlons can venture upon COM
PARSONS with any artist now upon
the stage. Her first performance suffered from
the anxiety and nervousness inseparable from
the ccasion. Apparently she had not absolute
com mand OF her resources; she was over eager
to impress, and was induced to some excuses
of manner and redundancies of movement, as in
the first scene with Polydor, for instance. More
over, she had not quite suited her Evolutionary
method to the scale of the theater, and did not
succeed in making herself audible to its more
distant corners. And something Will, perhaps,
always have to be forgiven her In relation to
ear, however, not 80 much as American as
french-at any rate they are not pure
English. With Miss Anderson the word
forgive becomes almost forgeeue and him heens,
and 80 on. Is this defect remediable2 But
this said. there is nothing but praise to be
awarded to the Parthenia Of Miss Ande r
son. Her voice is Of sufficient power and
compass, OF most melodious quality, and pos
sessed here and there of those tear-laden notes
which are as invaluable to the speaker as to the
singer. Her performance, indeed, abounds In
charm, in spirit, In natural vivacity. in grace in
pathos and in passion, so far as passion ia per-
mitted to the character. Her face is most ex-
pressive, and her quickly changing looks pro-
vide an admirable illumination, as It were, Of
fected; her exceeding naturalness in 90 emil
nently artificial character was perhaps the
chief feat Of her representation. Miss Ander-
sons success a. Parthenia was placed beyond
question within q few minutes Of her entrance
upon the scene. Her appearance In other and
better parts viii he looked Tor most hopefully
and eagerly.