Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-19
THE PLAYS THE THING.

cent Spectacle-Realism In Two Modern
Melodramas, the Patrol and the Mid
night Alarm-Variety and Other Enter
tainments.
cleopatra" as presented by Fanny Daven-
port and her associates at the Grand Opera
House last night is a magnificent spectacle.
Nothing like it for scenic splendor and gen.
eral gorgeousness has been shown here for a
long while. Taking itas spectacle we have
nothing. but praise for It; whatever fault
may be found with play, or the performers.
1t is worth while to see CLEOPATRA" if
for nothing else. to see the typhoon scene
with its intensely natural picture of element
al fury. The trouble last night was that
with everything else the intermissions were
of magnificent proportions and the per-
formance rolled grandly on till nearly
midnight. The play is in six acts, and the
scenery for each of these is heavy and COM
plicated to an extraordinary degree. Still
there is no reason why the play. should not
consume much less time after the novelty
of the first nights performance has been
overcome. A testimony to the plays inter
est is the fact that in spite of tedious waits
and the final approach of another day very
few of the audience left the house before
the conclusion of the piece.
CLEOPATRA" is an English version of Sar-
dou's play in which Bernhardt has also ap-
moderately good one. There is a lack of con-
tinuity in the plot, and the dramatic art has
been ruthless!y sacrificed here, there and
everywhere for the sake of spectacular
effect. As far as the adherence to history
goes Mr.. Sardou has probably kept as
close to all the known facts-and they
are none too many nor too clear,
as Shakespeare in his play, "Antony and
Cleopatra" which, by the way, is practically
less actable than Sardou's by very great
deal, and the weakest of all the bard's his
torical tragedies. Sardou hasn taken very
much from Shakespeare, and he has shown
excellent taste in selecting what he has
taken. The scene in act III, wherein Cleo
patra obtains from a terror-stricken messen-
Octaria, and vents herjealousy in sarcastic
comments upon her rivals attributes is
borrowed almost verbatim from Shake
speare's"Antonya and Cleopatra. The natural
after the , outburst Of P-Th wild rage which
sardoa'sSand the language in which
tS tISeopasras seoGnful Interpretation OF
perhaps in the play, is Shakespeare's to
considerable extent also. There are other
strong scenes of Sardou's own, but the in
to have failed him in certain places where
shine; For instance, how ridiculous
4 Brda SeG hasn Il the in ansSoF 5F
was resolved to have Cleopatra overhear
A,tonys connubial cooings with Octavia,
and in plain sight. of the audience, and
course of her passionate resentment, he
might have given her better platform than
an old four-poster bed and three towzled
pillows. The situation stopped but little
short Of the comic, and great deal of the
glamour of Ceopatrd's charms was rubbed
off as she tumbled about in q neglige red
dress under and over and around the big
bed.
And what manner of Cleopatra is it that
Fanny Davenport brings to usr Not the sub
tie, sinuous shadow of an unholy beauty that
history and the poets have but family
limned, leaving half to be imagined. Rather
passions and veins well filled with red
blood; 9,neeanly woman if y3a WILL whom %
part; sGRsUn eSsraeter gnr cogmpoundeds M Len s09af Of
heaven and hades, with flashes
impossible to believe that Cleopatra was the
Sardou's help, but the creation has no little
charm of its own, and the physical appeal of
this Serpent of the Nile is undeniably strong.
The dressing, or rather the undressing, of
the part has to be feature of the character,
and Miss Davenports solitary clinging gar
ment, or the transparent gauzy robe she
wears at her first entrance in the inter-
conceal very much. The question of
propriety here arising involves the whole
play, but while it is on dangerous ground
the drama is not offensive in any great de-
gree, The lesson it might serve to teach is
the old one which Cleopatra and her kind
have always taught sinners and fools who
followed them. The end of the easy descent
is shown plainly enough.
Melbourne Mcdowell has superb ply
sique to recommend him In his embodiment
of Mark Antony, and some other attributes
of his befit the character of the Roman con-
sui. In several episodes Mr.. Mcdowell
rose to real tragic power, but he has
regrettable tendency to be theatrical in
his gestures, and, when representing any
intense feeling talks SO fast as to be uninte1-
igible. In q lesser degree Miss Davenport,
at times, had this latter fault, also: but she
showed rare elocutionary talent in the rela-
ton of an Egyptian legend in the second act.
Cleopatra, was the only notable actor besides
the two principals, and his work was exceed
ing artistic and worthy in every respect.
Every scene in the play is picture of con-
barge at the mouth of the Cydnus, if not an
exact realization of what Shakespeare and q
host of painters have tantalized us with,
was managed with wonderful skill, so that
the stage was ablaze with color and the
oriental idea of Cteopotro's atmosphere was
Egyptian temples, the seashore and the
desert and the holy Nile, which subsequent
scenes unfolded, We're wonderfully real
and beautiful. The climax was
on the steps of the Temple of Isis
prays for a storm to confound her enemies
The storm comes; the furious typhoon of
the desert, with its wind and sand and rain
wound in weapon of awful splendor and
destructiveness: The storm is reproduced
with exact fidelity. You see the skies white
with lightning, the palm trees bending be-
fore the wind, the thunder roars, and the
wind seems to whistle through the WINGS
A large audience gave the play hearty re-