Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-10
FRBEHAND NOTES.
4 GLANCE AT FORMER THEAFER gTocK
coMPAEIEs.
Memories of hrs. Judah-orchestral Per
Observation-Disclosures Of Edwin Has-
ten with Els nass-Btc
Sax FRAyc1sco, March 7, 1888

stock company when standard plays were
well put On the stage, and not relegated to
the uncertain treatment of debutantes,
vealy Julias and immature Lady Teszles /;
when even Shakespeare, and Shakespeare's
comedies, too, were possible, and were
given With spirit and relish. and not with
misplaced stress of voice and forced CHASTITY
smiles, az a bored actor might recite
Chinese learned painfully by heart with
stage directions ununderstood and unfelt -?
And in recalling this golden prime of act
ing, the name that springs first to the mind
is Mrs. Judah Mrs. Malsprop, Tabitha
Ssork, Nell Qaickly-could we imagine
these parts played by any one besides Mrs.
Judah ? she had that indeinable quality
OF conciliating, of winning love by merely
appeaupg-sn actress greatest sifs. she
stood upon the stage the impersona5ion OF
that " adorable old age which Swinburne
finds portrayed in the Countess Of R0ussil-
lon 10 " Alfs Well that Ends Well" She
smiled, and one saw in the flexible mouth
aud kindly eyes that much talked OF
pathos Of hnmor, the prophecy of the
power that could wake a laugh nearly
READY To TREMBLE TO TEARS
She spoke, and her voice was worthy of
the rest, interpreted all the goodly sug.
gestions Of her face and air womanly,
weIl-modulated voice, full of dignity even
when the tone and words were the mer-
REST, voice that would not be exas.
psr al rrrarI
that touohed the heart always. She
could speak English, too-oh marvel of
marvels on this aspiring stage OF ours
Why is that? In France the dramstis per-
sons speak far worse corruption of
French of the stage than our actors speak
of their vernaeular but on the stage, when
they have Tor the moment become princes.
ladies, priests, the benevolent shades Of
the late Messrs Noel and Chspssl and
now doubtless of Littre, seem to hover
near to protect the language they toiled to
preserve and purify. Mrs. Judahs accent
and pronunciation were pure, clear and pre-
else. IL mas been proved by repeated ex-
pertinent that q dramatization of one of
Dickens novels does not make good play,
considered fairly as a play and not as a
library reverie made palpable. The char
ac5ers are too numerous and the plot too
involved TO be worked out satisfactorily
within stage limitations the telling dra-
matte Ecenes, besides, often occurring
among comparatively unimportant people /;
still Dickens work remains
IMMENSELY TEMPTING
And fnll of theatrical possibilities, and
gives scope for character acting simply un-
equalied. As long ago as 1870, Andrew
Hallidsy's play of Little Emily" ar
ranged from David Copperfeld, showed
Mrs. judah as wonderful and inimitsble
Mrs Micawber. The immortal Wilkins
was Raymond, and when the curtain went
up ON tnst remarkable interior, the Micaw-
Der apartment, Dickens self must have
been satisfied. Unstable, hopeful, fantas
tie, always playing ut something and not a
bit dashed when the cold reality of an
empty cupboard and roaring dun came to
interrupt the bombast of Mr.. Micawber
and the romantic expectation of golden
fsvors from her impossible family on
the part of Mrs. Micawber, improvident,
good hearted and full of busting life and
homely energy and interest in living, that
Micawbe- act is an imperishable memory
The last time Edwin Adams appeared upon
the stage at his benefit, after Sothern's
speech welcoming him back to San Fran.
cisco, Alice Harrison sang "Auld Lang
Syne, and Adams and Mrs. Judah rose
and embraced half way on the stage, ap.
pearing much moved. They each had a
past
w0RTE REMEMBERING AND REGRETTING-
Regretting that it was past. One of the
last times Mrs. Judah appeared in public
was at an afternoon entertainment at
Platte Hall, for the benefit of some So
ciety, the Earnest Trifers," I think.
She read Bret Harte's poem, Her Letter,
and many people remarked upon the beau
tiful old lsdys resemblance to Charlotte
Cushman. The poem was read in such a
full, ringing, spirited voice that one never
for an instant contrasted the reader with
the supposed speaker in the verses, the
willful moneyed belle, the Lily of Pow.
erty Flat" The Lily was letting her crude
Western heart speak for moment, aud
Mrs. Judah was telling about it, that was
all. It is simply superauous to speak of
her as Juliet's nurse. She aCds the Nurse
In Rome and Juliet" 1t was inspiration
and genius, as great when depressing the
wretched Peter, tsntalizing Romeo while
delivering her mistress message, displaying
the perfect curiosity of an old woman Of
the lower class as to what this young no.
bIeman's love may be like, as when alter.
nstely teasing and satisfying, scolding and
caressing her fourteen-year.o at home.
Mrs. Judsh was lovable and beloved, and
she is dead thrice fortunate, she will live
the length of another life IN the reverent
and grateful memories of the generation
who knew her as
GOOD WOMAN AND GREAT ARTIST.
Poor little Paul said, "Floy, are we all
dead but you p One felt as if many
artists were gone when Wagner's name,
Treathed III black, appeared on the Phil.
harmonic concert programme. The orches-
ira on Friday played the overture to the
" Flying Dutohman," the introduction to
the third act of " Lohengrin, which was
given twice upon demand, and the always
liked "Taanhauser March" The ely
ing Dutchman" was the most interesting
full OF storm and struggle as it is, and
the hoYeri1g second air of Senta's ballad,
telling The legend of the Dutchman's fate
and the possibility of breaking the spell
which makes him an exile upon the sea
forever, the countercharn being the love
of woman who will be true to this pirat-
ieal participant till death. The beautiful
little air is not open to the reproach hurled
at much Of Wagner's music, that it cannot
be sung-the motive in question is thor.
oughly lyrical, and may even be whistled
by adrois lips
EDWIN MASTEN
Has returned from Paris with his mass,
as it were, under his arm. He had his
composition printed by the publisher who
brings ont Gounod's music, and possibly
It msy be rehearsed and sung at Miss Thi.
bauIt's sometime this summer. Since
"Parsifal" and "Mary Stuart have
given ritualistic realism vogue, it was sug.
gested that sn altar be erected and proper
ceremonial arranged for the last production
Of the MACS, which, by the way, is said TO