National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-20
Mary Anderson as She Appeared in Gilberts
comedy and Tragedy"
She is Continuously and SuperIatively
Violent in Her Acting,
A Breezy Criticism Of GiberEs Latest Airy Pro-
duction.
How the English Enjcy Having Mary's
Goodness Thrust at Them.
Special Letter.

piece, written for her by w. S. Gilbert, en-
titled Comedy and Tragedy" The curtain
rose on q very charming set scene, the in
terror of the house of Clarice, an actress
MARY Anderson). The plot, as far as 1 could
make out, is taken from scenes in the life of
tho Regent Of France, the Due Orleans, and
is summed up in an idea that actors, being
thought SO little of in that time, were
refused Christian burial. Clarice, an actress,
has fallen in love with and married
n young nobleman, an officer in the
Regents army. Ho throws up his commission,
and for love of her goes upon tho stage. am led
to believe that tho Regent before the opening
of this play had sent several prosecuting
letters to Clarice; also that he had dared be
in love with her, and once the actress L pre-
sumo has had every reason to believe that
the Regent wished to carry her of. / am
forcibly reminded of one reason, perhaps,
why the profession enjoyed so little respect
from the people of the Due d'Orleans' time.
Now, should have thought it more indeli-
cate for an actress to trap king to the
house of any amorous ruse for the purpose Of
giving him lesson-or designating him
than to have received few harmless letters,
asking her to sup or dine, as the case might
have been. Ideas of honor differ. / also
observed that the nobleman whom
Clarice had married did not seem to
know any other way to protect his
wife than by instigating and abotting this
little scheme of revenge for financial insult.
Surely Mr.. Gilbert need not go back to the
eighteenth century for the precedent of ask
ing a lady to dine or sup to meet royalty, and
to take it hardly. l am led to believe that
the nineteenth has also been equally prolific,
and i know of few noblemen, even if they
had played for two years instead of one in
thaatripa1a vbn Nynu1d In uatUIa ha
true reigning monarch, or even the heir to a
throne, to come to a feast of death. Once
there much doubt the Regents appreciation
of the gentlemanliness of his hosts.
Apart from these notorious facts, ro-
marked the striking situations in the piece
were the usual ones. Claricc, at the begin
ming of this play, has led tho world to believe
that after one year of marriage she and her
husband are separated. The first laugh came
fir ON fashionable aud nee when she said
that Husbands arc gone out. They won't
be worn this year" Il think tho text is
verbally This remark was made to her sister
(Miss O'Reilly), Pauline, who has come to
eXhort with her on her exceeding frivolity.
She has heard that the Regent and host of
noblemen are to sup with Clarice. She with
myself. not knowing that the actress
was only carrying out her nobleman
husbands gentlemanly plans for salts.
faction, demonstrated in vain, and
then left. really could not
why, when in, her diluted, although honest,
sentiments were not more diffused throughout
the piece. After her departure the husband
comes in through the window irons, and goes
secretly into the garden after the final hatch
ing of his gentlemanly plot, there to wait
until his vito calls. In the next scene / suf-
fered no strain upon my memory to recall
the supper scene of ia Dame aux Camelias''
the arrival Of the guests by twos and
threes even to the doctor; the arrival of the
Regent, the lover, aud tho flight of the
noble guests to the supper room. Clarice
begged pardon for having allowed them
TO precede the Regent, who only smiled
amorously, as near as l could judge, for his
to go up stairs, but suddenly faints, or some
thing like it. think 1t was intended for n
faint The Regent supported her; she said
that she felt better, and begged pteously for
air. The Regent politely threw open the
windows. Here l must say, there was a
moment of breathless suspense. feared, as
did every one, that this gentlemanly hus-
band was going to shoot his royal tor
mentor then and there; but no gave
him time. Clarice wishes to join her
guests. The Regent begs her to think of him,
evidently the star of the party, and she does
think. He begins making pretty speeches to
her, accounting them with one arm thrown on
tHo DaCk VI tno lhly JapeoIty. L MS Is
enough; the fatal sign is given, and the hus-
pand rushes in. Tableau tho Regent smiled,
md said, ''This Is trap" l thought myself
At was very like Ii. | may remark here that
his royal highness objected slightly to the
whole affair, and when asked to fight his
gentlemanly host refused because he
was only an actor. This seemed to me the
excess Of politeness-calling him an actor.
The husband draws a paper from his pocket,
saying This is an engagement to play ut the
Theatre Franchise. Well, you call me an
actor. tear 1t up, and we are equals. l am
a gentleman. VIII you fight me now?" or
words to that effect. Moral-Beware OF strips
Of paper. Again, this peculiar insistance on
his nobility. 1t is unfortunate for Mr.. Gil.
berts hero that his patent right to c0nsidera-
tions on account of his birth should have
been so little patent to the public. When the
two were together had not the slightest diff
fculty in perceiving which was the gentle.
man, and am sure was not prejudiced in
favor of royalty.
The Regent consents to fight on consider
alton that only they three are to know it.
He informed Clarice that he was perfect
swordsmau. AS am led to believe 1t was
tho habit in those days to bring up royal
youth with some idea of self-defense on nc
count of their families. Clarice, after in
forming her guest that she also had agreed
that this WAS tho best way to answer his love
that her husband may DO killed. They
rush to the garden and she is in the midst OF
this reflection when her guests return from
the supper, counting money and offering to
play strangely like the ball scene of LA
Dame aux Camelias." Clarice is asked to
improvise for their entertainment. She does
it in scenes of comedy and tragedy. The com
edy is success, the tragedy real, as she hears a
scream in the garden, and thinks it may be
her husband dying, The doctor, who had the
key to tho garden door, wishes TO open it,
when in rushes the soi.disant injured hus-
band, who has dangerously but triumph
antly wounded the Regent, Everything IL
explained, the actors all seem satisfied, and
the curtain falls.
Mary Anderson is beautiful woman, but
not as clever as she is handsome. She was SC
continuously violent throughout the whole
act, and particularly in the fret scene, that
ordinary guests, not even noblemen, might
have been fully justified in thinking that
something had happened. She was like O
Taving lunatic. | remembered her success;
years ago as Meg Merrillies, Charlotte
Cushman's great role, and perhaps Mary
Anderson's greatest triumph was in making
the shriveled bag as interesting to the public
as beautiful woman. i noticed some
of tho gestures in the speech OF
comedy" which reminded me of Meg
Her facial expression was at times quite ex
pressive She acted throughout with great
earnestncss and conscience. Her toilet wa
gorgeous, but not young enough for her
Neither was the red wig over becoming
She should have worn powder X
match her gown. The piece is one of Mr.
Gilberts airy tribes, and quite in his OWL