New-York tribune., 1889-10-18
THE DRAMA.
MR.. AND MRS. kendall.

In the last analysis Of acting II will always be found
that the question Of perfect depends upon the
personality. The thing that an actor does Is i'm
portan but II is not important way I'm whclr
he does it, and neither his achievement nor his method
IS so important HIS intrinsic charm. Mrs Kendall
who acted last night at the Fifth Avenue Theatre i'm.
personatlng TIE heroine OF The Ironmaster,s affords
In this Performance conspicuous illustration of this
truth. She Is well known tO be All actress OF great
resources and Of exceptional skill IN tho use Of them
but her peculiar distinctive aud convincing power s
her sweetly sympathetic temperament The character
OF Claire and the circumstances under which tha,
character IS developed and displayed furnish her with
a cOngenal environment such as arOuses and iberaies
her emotions that ln viewing this performance the
spectator is able accurately TO perceive and fully 10
enjoy the charm Of her personality Mrs Kendall isa
comedy actress but in order that she NAV be shown
at her best the comedy in which she acts must contain
passion and sentiment. This condition is fulfilled in
The IrOnmaster.7 Mrs. Kendall plays the part OF
Claire we'll as it be played, and she made q
brilliant hit in it on this occasion.
Upon the constituents construction, drift and sig
nicance OF the familiar play Of The Ironmaster' ID
would be tediousness 20 make extended comment
The subject has long since been discussed and ex-
hausted. This Interpretation OF an old piecs
again suggests, and is fresh proof that the strength
Of the comedy is rs fidelity of portraiture Of
peTience not uncommon in the sentimental life Of
women "As the husband Is the wife is, Once
welded and thus brought within the direct influence
OF noble nature the woman, invOluntary, little by
little is drawn toward her husbands heart till at
length love awakens In her own, and happiness for
both Of them ensues upon a long experience Of
trangement and sorrow. II Is the nature OF woman
to depend on man. No matter how strong her char
acter may be, she seldom is sufficient unto herself
The representative Of Claire must show the passionate
pque, the revulsOn Of PRIDE the bitter and stony COM
posure with which a high-spirited woman, thinking
herself sghted by the man she loves, will promise
10 marry the lover who IS her aversion. Then
comes the awakening, when she realizes that
marriage is not form but solemn and
haps terrible reality, and then she must depict
woman's physical terror and loathng Of the husband
who possesses her hand but not her heart Finally.
she must port ay the gradual growth Of love IN her
bosom under the imperceptble influence Of
selfconained character and perfectly chivalrous,
silent devotion. This result does not always happen
in real lifefor love cannot awaken love, and neither
goodness, ability nor magnanimous conduct can be
trusted to inspire it but such result is possible, and
meanwhile the ensuing state of circumstances becomes
Of absorbing sentimental interest. The spectator Is
more in the primrose path OF dali
Iianceo and along the course OF true love- which
did run smooth" and although the adjacent fields Of
experience circumscrbed and conventional, he
not help being touched by what he sees IN them.
There no heroic qualities IN the character Of
painful love experience in tho morning of her life.
To merely mechanical actress the part is an imposs
bAity Mrs. Kendall has the finest touch that could
be desired. Her perfect. Her motions are
lissome and graceful. Her voice is rich, sweet and
well trained, and she knows how to use IT, She has
repose and she Is a master Of soliloquy Her face Is
sweetly expressive easily arch and merry, sometimes
piquant sometimes very thoughtful and demure. somo-
times earnest sometimes agonized and wofu and sho
manages the play of feature deity that unless you
observe it eXDerty you do not perceive how surDns-
ingly skilfu her faculty IS in this respect.
Nothing could be more subty expressive
and beautiful, for example, than the denotement OF
fondness and unutterabe longing with
vhich she suifuses the whole being Of Claire at the
moment when her cold and quiet husband is placing the
jewels upon her neck But It Is not nearly so much
the fine mechanism Of Mrs Kendals art that frelghtS
this performance with meaning enchantmcnt and
pathcs as it IS her Individual alurement Her victory
with it is the victory Of condition The part has never
before been acted here with IT'S essential and capti
waiting qualities Of innate refinement, highbred arts
tocracy and personal fascination There Is nothing In
the acting OF Mrs. Kendall that signifies great and
ta0inary depth of tragic feeling, wide knowledge OF
human nature, a large background OF diversified
perence or an exceptionally acute perception of tho
and the keen and bleak trials OF the hui
manty that suffers. She is conventional actress, in
ness nor gives the thrill that goes with genius.
But she has fine intellect, she Is admirably expert
and she is possessed Of most sweet and winning
temperament, which, in this character, achieves
perfectly regal conquest To add that there IS
suggested fragrance of lemon In the sweetness is only
to indicate her plquant zest. The poufature Of
Claire IS that Of woman who Is gliding amatory
sympathy with her husband and IL might readily
become tedious. In Mrs. Kendal's embodiment it Is
profoundly interesting il IS sustained with continuous
and tonchng sincerity, and IL is expressed and
rounded and finished with exquisite grace OF ART
Mr.. kcndal gave a very noble performance OF the
IrOnmaSter, manly, simple and true. The house
was crowded last night and the audience showed
deep Interest aud enthusiastic satisfaction. The
IrOnmaStcr' ought to have long run. Mr. and Mrs.
Kendall were recalled with vOcferouS cheers at the
end Of the second act, and The entire company was
called back after the third curtain It Is very seldom
that such noble strength and restrained passion
associated with such exquisite plicity and grace
We're seen I'm Mr. KendaPs embodiment of Philip
DTblay. Mr. Wenman, Mr.. Carne. Miss Coleman and
Miss Cudmore aided by their efficient ting IN sub
,hlary yet important characters the general effect o.
All adequate and entirely gratifying performance-im
pOrtant to the public. and worthy OF the best aten.
tiJn OF thoughtful minds