Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-05-17
THINGSTHEATRICAL
BBEN'S LATEST LITERARY DEFORMITY ON
THE LONDON STAGE.
Mass Of Vulgarities and Indscency, But it Takes
With the PeOpls-Ths Superb Wicksdnsss
Of Miss Robins Achng-NOies About
Players and the Thsaters.

New YORK, May 16.-Last weeks
London Referee contains an interesting
review of ISben'S latest play, "Hedda
| Gabler." IbSen seems TO revel in things
evil, says the Referee, and in "Hedda
Gabler" takes US among a set of people
more deSpicable than those of either
! 'ROSmerShOlm" or Ghosts" Hedda is
/ q wicked woman, without a single re-
deeming quality. She is mean, proud,
selfish, jealous, treacherouS, revengeful.
She marrieS a man she deSpiSeS because
she thinks he can provide her with
comfortable home She lOatheS him be-
fore the honeymoon is ended, and di-
rectly it is ended she begins, even under
her husbands roof, TO encourage the at
tentionS of old lovers and admirers,
who seem TO have their own reasons
for believing they may attack her
virtue with good chances of sue
cess. When she finds that one of these
lOverS-the literary LOevbOrg, who,
when not writing books, is getting
drunk or Seducing wOmen-haS taken
up with another married lady and would
like 10 have them together, in double
harness, so TO speak, with his pride
chiefly in the latest fancy-MrS. ElvSted
this one is called-Hedda goes to work
TO crafty her hate and to satisfy her
jealousy. She burns the mighty manu-
script upon which Loevborg relied for
fortune, and, taking a hint from Ros-
mer'S advice TO Rebecca West, she hands
him a pistol and bids him go forth and
kiln himself, asking as special favor
that he will do gracefully. She reserves
a second pistol for herself, and on herself
uses it at the end, when she finds that
her suicidal prOmptingS have become
| known, and that she is TO some extent
i'm the power Of man like Mr.. Charles
Sugden-that is, like Judge Brack, $"
who has valued her honor at a very
small price indeed 'Hedda Gabler, ="
may not be called a worthless piece,
Notwithstanding that about two-thirdS
OF it is either commonplace or filthy, for
it served to strengthen my conviction
that in Miss Elizabeth Robins the
English stage has found a splendid act
reSs. Miss Robins did not Shirk matters.
In her pOrtraiture of "Hedda Gabler"
she went the entire animal, and was so
superb in wickedneSS that she compelled
admiration.
RoSina VokeS is quoted as saying, in
reply TO the value she put upon her won
derful shock of shaving curlS: Il would
rather go without my breakfast the rest
of my life than surrender one hair; |
think, too, 1 could do without my din
ner il it came to test between the
cook and the barber"
Miss Mary Tempest has been inter
viewed by very ingenious Canadian.
Picture her saying this: Here In
Canada am at home. am in England,
and you well know how much this means
10 a woman who loves home and
domestic life" Her voice trailed of
into sad, low cadence, and the bright
eyes were dim for moment. "BIt for
me-" she said presently, with a little
shake. as though casting off all home
regrets from her, Il can truly say
that l have met with unparalleled sue
cess In the States" The TRAILING
voice" and "little shake" are simply
superb.