New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-30
THE LONDON STAGE.
MISS ANDERSON AS eALATEA-MR. TooLE.

FROM THE REGULAR CoRREsrOSDEST OF THE TRInUXEl
Fh'~ ~ LONDON, Dec 10.
Miss Mary Anderson made her first appearance IN
Ionaon az Galatea IN Mr. W. ). Gilberts play, Pyg-
maljon and Galatea, on Saturday evening at the
Ivceum Theatre. There was much eagernesst 10 see
her essay this part associated as 1t is In the minus
of the London public with the singularly tender,
womanly and pathetic rendering Of 1t by Mis- Men,
dial. II is nothing 10 say that the theatre was
croyded. 1t is always crowded on first night
Nor does Il much matter that the house was less
brilliant than il often Is such OCCASIONS; that
there were fewer fashionable people present Inc
fashionable people mostly out OF town. Inc
Prince of Wales is at Marlborough House, put was
moi at the Lyceum. What was remaTkaOie aoout
the audience was the number OF people IL mcluueu
who were distinguished in the WORDS OF arV anu
letters and of those who really care for the theatre
independent of mere sensations. Mr.. Glibert was
tbore IN give final contradiction TO the story of
quarrel between him ndMisS Anderson; Slr Arthur
Sullivan in the same bcx.
When the curtains in PygmdliOHs stndio were
drawn aside and disclosed the GGldted of the even
ing the greeting of the house was cordial, but
hardly enthusiastic. The buzz of admiration when
WAS heard on all sides was better tribute TO the
beauty Of the picture than all the noise mat
could be made with hands and feet. and OF that
sort of personal homage and admiration
Everybody then and since rang the chang
es on the gracefulness, and the ingenious
posing on the cleverly arranged drapery. on the
smooth carriage of this actress. As tableau vi
want. everybody agreed nothing could be more per-
feet The writer was so far carried away by his de-
light as to use the doubtful phrase pose pastque"
in describing the sculptura effect of Miss Andersons
figure and tho fashion of her raiment.
On this point there is the testimony of the very
highest authority, which may well suffice us i'll
place of all the Others, Mr. Alma Tademas. Mr..
Alma Tadema has been interviewed" After de-
Ginning TO state his impressions Of Miss
Anderson in writing he delivered them orally,
20 the reporter of The Pail Mall Gazette, begin
ming with denial of the story that hehad designed
Miss Anderson's dress. 1t our cOnntryman, well
known here, Mr.. +. D. MiIlet, who designed it. Mr..
Tadema describes Miss Anderson rs very graceful,
very Greek But her drapery Is not entirely salts
factory and so the great painter went to her room
after the first and again after the second act and
put matters 10 rights. Not many Gdldteds fancy,
have been lucky enough to have their costume pass
under the eye and through the hands of the painter
who is the first authority in the art world on the
archaeology Of Greek and Roman life. Miss Ander-
son, he tells Ne, took successive and evidently
studied attitudes that reminded the eye of the
Venus Of Milo, of the Daughters Of Niobe, and of
other standard works of antiquity. She walked
about the stage with harmonious and statucsqe
movements The dresses of the rest of
the performers miracles of absurd
ity and incorrectness "Why does Miss Amy ROselle,
who plays the part of Cynisoa with great deal Of
spirit think that copy the dress off an old Estrus-
can pot is the way to present the robes of Greek
rnatron y A hard question, surely. But you will
see that on the whole, the artist has high opinion
of the picturesque qualities of the American actress
1t is obvious, however, that Miss Andersons
Galaea considered as piece of acting, pleaseS the
critics of London better than her Pauline or her
Pdrthenid. And vet the reserves are almost more
than the encomiums. The same complaint is heard
that was heard on the first light of her Pauline
Her acting il Is said, is without feeling. Her con-
ceptiOn of the character Is cold. So long she Is
statue she is quite perfect but she never warns
into aliving, breathing loving woman The audience
sdmires but is never touched. ITO make Galated
consistently inhuman, persistently frigid, and mo-
notonOusly spiritual, is, If aot absolutely In
correct, at any rate glaringly Ineffective"
declares Mr.. Clement Scott. Certain il is that
the one burst of genuine spoken and acted passion
10 which the house thrilled on Saturday evening
came not from Miss Mary Anderson bnt from Miss
Amy Roselle, who played Cyniscd. This lady's de-
livery of the curse at the end of the second act
brought down the curtain and the house together
in a style which one might fancy to be not unlike
survive in tradition as palmy. Miss Rosee's style
lacks finish and refinement, but she made il under
stood that she in earnest. and that is precisely
the impression which Miss Anderson never once
during the whole evening succeeded In conveying
10 the public before her Herein. perhaps, is to be
found Mr. ScOtts excuse for saying as he does
"It Is the fashion TO judge of Miss Mary Anderson
outside Of her capacity competency az an actress
UnraciOusly enough, she is regarded aud reviewed
4 - L., han
infatuated admirers view her first picture, last
as artist"
The same thing used TO be said of Mrs. Langtry,
but apprehend that the time Is coming when Mrs.
Langtry will be judged as an artist. saw her play
Gaidtea in Liverpool last September. ] am not
going to he so bold as to compare these two women,
contrast them 10 say that one Is really far
more beautiful than the other that she is better
or worse actress. But may Say that Mrs Langtry's
performance in Liverpool surprise. don't
know whether she had acted this part In America,
or has since acted it, but if she does il is per-
Torrance to be seen. She is in appearance
at any rate, the ideal Greek maiden. She
dressed very differently from any GalGtea ! ever
saw. That she was accurately dressed may be in
ferred from the fact that It Sir Frederick Leigh
ton who designed her costume, the material of
which should say was something IN the nature of
that "work-house sheeting which the fine ladies
OF London some tline ago adOpte1 TOT certain cos
tunes having discovered that it followed the lines
of the figure and hung In symmetrical and yet easy
folds The marble looking head dress discarded
before she stepped from the pedestal, practice
which am told was thought in New-YOTk, where
somebody tined IT, anti-realistc, but which Miss
Anderson has since adopted and rightly adopted.
Mrs. Langtry's attitudes and movements were
perhaps wanting In suppleness, but never wanting
in that antique dignity and primness Of movement
which the Greek sculptor delighted to perpe tuate
in the pure ST marble. She, ioo wanted psthos. II