The Portland daily press., 1883-04-27
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
MARIE ANrorNErrr

MARIE ANToINETTE.
Giacometti's "Marie Antoinetten is one of
the most sombre, of all the sombre historical
dramas known to the stage. There is not a
glimmer of light from the prologue to the end
OF the fourth act. And yet, from the Begin
ming OF the play proper, the attention OF the
audience Is enchanted and is never loosened
until the beautiful but unfortunate queen of
France bares her neck to the axe of the gull
lotine.
Probably there Is no period of history more
fitted TO the hand Of the dramatist than that
OF Louis XVI. The fearful outrages of the
kevolutionsts; the calm and dignifed manner
in which the noble families of France laid
down their lives; the thmbrils filed with, not
only men OF mature age, but the youth and
beauty, the hoary locks of age, and the child,
almost too young to understand what this
fearful revenge meant which the people we're
taking for the despotism OF Louis Qaatorze and
the Righteousness of Louis Quinze,) continual
ly crowding the streets OF Paris; the raying.
shrieking crowd of women following after,
thirsting for the blood of their victims even
more than the men; the despoiling OF the Tuil-
cries, and the brutal iests at the sufferings Of
the innocent; all these features furnish material
for spectacular display and tragic writings such
as is unknown to modern times.
Nine Janausohek's Marie" is in one sense
lacking. She is unfit ted by nature to portray
the lovely woman whose beauty is historical
Apart from this her Marie Antoinette is every
inch queen. Even in the hour Of her deepest
abesement she is invested with that regal mai.
esty which commands involuntary homage
and through all the miseries inflicted by ma
lignant and ingenious cruelty on the wife.
mother and woman she never forgets tho re-
speot due her as the Queen. Only once when
the brnstal Simon lays hands upon the fright
ened Dauphin--does she give way 10 the intol.
cradle strains OF anguish by which her heart is
torn. and, then the electrical outburst Of rage
drivas,the covering sans-cllotte back into his
chair, the words hesitatlng on his lips, In the
hnal act the quiet intensity OF her acting, the
perfection OF her technique, and the gift OF
being impressive IN repose. were especially
marked. That Nine. Janausohek Is great
artist none who have seen her can for a mo-
ment dispute. The curtain was called at the
close OF the second act whore, in the parting
WIN tue King all the actors sided la most
effective tableaux.
The support was admirable. Mr.. Chapiin's
Louis XVI. was broad, majestic, noble. Mr.
Stevens was an excellent representative OF the
provisional general Santerre. Harry Hanks
Simon was a sufficiently repalsive Character
lzation, Mr., Stuart was spirited and effect
i've as Lafayette, and the other characters wa
have not space TO parteuarize although all
deserve IL. The little Danphin was capitally
acted BY little Dora Conner.
The close of the first aot--ths prologue occu-
bylng the place Of what is generally called the
hrst act--was quite realistic and, with WE'LL
trained band OF supernumeraries to gradually
work up the revolutionary cry, accompanied
BY the Marsellaise, In large theati e, we can
imagine an audience carried completely away.
The play was correctly costumed and fairly
staged.