Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-22
AT THE THEATERS.
La Tosca, She and Other Dramatic Events
of Last Night.

Of Last Night.
r,aro o. man vhor, 1va on,o tnaw who
inere was man wnom we once Anem "nO
would rather go TO a hanging than MS dinner'
who dotted on scaffolds, nooses and trap-doors.
and could describe to anyone who would listen
tho demeanor of 5O criminals in the preseuce
80 T,,;, -. .h;s oor+b
Oh oeatn. ihls inah ID no longer Oh shis ca W.
or he might rejoice that in La Tosca" ne
could find all the delicate refined delights that
the most long-drawn-out hanging could afford.
Sardou ia not nrone to niceness and if is nm.
W VIZ,
usual lor MN 10 doH MS nat 10 decency: wnen
ne nSs Caugns piot or tns eplsoae Of Plos, n
which strikes him as being powerful ne is apt T
TO write tne play nrst, ana let the cIitlcs te.l
nim aIterWaru, II they nave a mlno 70, noM
many outIages agalnst morallty reuglyn anu
common uecency ne mas commltted IN tne ac-
tion and the dialogue. There is splendid ex-
h1Dlton OF this contemptuous disregard 1or the
things most men still think should be respect
ed in M. Victorien Sardous drama La
The lowest, vilest and most violent of mans
passions are knit across and across the web of
the story Of the Italian singer. There is not a
breath of anything that is pure and sweet in it.
Even the action of F7ortd IoscG in numbering
the infamous Scdrpfd, which seems noble by
contrast with its context is inspired by feelings
which are hideously out of place in a woman's
breast except at the last foothold before the
of the direct motives of the plot; several situa-
tions show the wonderful constructive genius OF
the dramatist, but La Tosca" is not, in our
Judgment, work of high art, because beside
portraying life truthfully, the tendency OF
the dramatic picture should be ennobl1ng,
elevating and healthful to the beholders.
1t is sheer nonsense to think of La Tosca"
oenentinS nving soul. s rz,u,,,
MISS Fanny Davenport .presenteo ftorIo
IoScd 10 large auuience at lne dIanu opera
house last nlgnt. MISS Davenport POSSESSES
many quallncatlons 1or tne emDodlment Oh
thls character. She mas eVldently gwen an ner
energies ana great study 70 the part Inc re,
suiS Is tnaI ner actinS Is nhlsneq IN oetai
anu anu caleIuiiy Jolntso togetne5. MneIe sne
ians W serfHy II usuess-anu pug nas ht.io S
eise 10 20 IoI tne spectators-lt Is que 70 nef
haruras hars aeIeces ana nos 10 any negIgenSe I1
neis. one pears Ier years wen anu Il coneiy
70 aegree, ana Pieasing 70 many. her gIeas
Sn9iIs @ oceur IN 't,e sniIu acs nhele sne nea,o .
anu e,,.ad ~ T.; IasS easSs nGI M WIZ - peg VII
o ~ on J;ti net ans uiSF 81
,a i tas S foth ~.
~ ay to SpSo ISL Sso-,..,i, sno e. tuu ~ W
t0s i,sars iit sue 5a VIII @ hor sSa
discovers that T bag invar u - ia raaliv SeaJ '
n, donb, tba wOrE IF Mis- Davannort do.
serves commendation In some of the few
Iioht tonches which the character nermits her
to erhihit the nnaiitv of her comedv was biob
1t was so spontaneous. But in the heavier nor.
tions of her work she made the common mis-
take of expressing awfuI emotims with GROSS
vocal disturbances. The HIGHEST indionstion
does not necessarily seek expression in a he'll
lowing. Nor can situation be made great by
Slipping through a series of statuesoue noses
strangely suggestive of sitting for a Iithooranh
And it must be said that there is a yulgaTitv in
Miss Dayenport's work at times which is really
painful.
Miss Davenports dresses are becoming al