Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-13

a woman with graceful bearing; with
soft melodious voice aud a pleasant face
that is Baroness Blanc. She appeared last
night at the Duquesne Theater in an adapt
alton of Dumas lie Demi Monde, called
"Deception." Baroness Blanc is what is
commonly called society actress, and it
is only Two weeks since she set foot
en- the stage, though at a remoter
period, we believe, she appeared in comic
opera at Philadelphia. She does not aspire,
it is understood, to elevate the stage, and
the only excuse she puts forth for appear
ing behind the footlights is her belief that
she can act, and her desire to earn living
bv so doing That she can act she showed
LAST night, though the character of an
adventures, even of an amiabe type did
NOT suit her at all. Compared with her pre-
uecessors who have graduated from society
Baroness Blanc does not suffer, considering
her lack of experience, though sne has not
the emotional powers OF Mrs. Potter, ap-
parently, nor the pronounced physical
beauty of Mrs. Langtry. This is presumably
the fairest standard by which to judge her.
In this light, then, her com
Dosure and ease are remarka bic,
her conversational manner well suited
TO much OF the dialogue, and the charm OF
her Dersonality, not always very definite
perhaps, owing to nervousness was YET
quite marked in the lighter scenes. In tn e
failed: she has apparently no command as
yet over the deeper-toned strings, ana Tor
This reason her Baroness S1lzIIine lacks color.
Summing up the impression she MADE IL
NAV be that in comedy role her success
would be far greater. The play IS not suited
TO her.
sDeception" is desperately French. To
American eyes not solitary character IN IL
will seem wholesome. The atmosphere is
that OF Camille and the story does not
even point tile moral to be found IN that re-
narkabe play. A woman with d1sre-
putabie past that will not die decides to re-
sort to marriage as a curative medicine Sne
chooses a young naval officer, iresh ana
green as the waves upon "hlch ne mas
tossed for years, as her victim. An old lover
OF hers and friend of the sailor she aims to
marry tries to thwart her His efforts
te prevent the marriage form the
salient points o. the plot, but IN spite
-oc them all SirzGnne is about to
land her fish when OIirer, the marplot, per-
Huades her by tawdry fiction that ne has
killed her husband to-be, who, in reality, is
I'm concealment listening to the test of his
fnamorata's love, and she, clutching at the
pnly man in sight listens reaully TO OttUerS
protestation of love. After this cowardlv
deceit for the first time Sasalne has our
Evmpathv. Then the alleged dead lover
romes out and confronts her. With shrek
Suzanne who is standing at the head OF Hight
OF stairs, falls dead and rolls down corpse
at the feet OF the towards who killed her.
The play has an interesting story. although
it is mean and immoral in its motives. The
there breath taking scrap of broad indel
icacy, such as a grass-widow's ailusion to
trip she proposes to take with someone"
There are snatches of philosophy in Gallo
phrase, and probably the characters are
true to Partisan life. The play would be
much benefited by condensation into three
acts, as might be don. witho : difficulty
FiVe-act PLAYS are out OF date.
The company supporting Baroness Blanc
IS very fair. Byron Douglas gave the me'
tlesome Olivier de Jain (whose name should
lie pronounced alike by all the company
swagger and nonchalant ali which made 1t
easily the most prominent part in the play.
1t was great improvement upon anything
Mr. Douglas has done here before Wright
Huntington il a conscientious actor, but
natural comedian has no business in such a
heavy role. Miss Ida Waterman was charm
ingly wicked as intended by the author
Baroness Blanc's dresses are astonishing
and sometimes lovely. She wore among
other things Il wrap of apple green corded
silk trimmed with sable and covered with
passementerie; q dress of pink and white
striped silk trimmed with pink ostrich
feathers and cut decollete; another wrap was
of old pink silk with point Applique lace,and
a dress OF wonderful beauty was of old pink
silk, with green velvet puffed sleeves and
sable fur trimmings. The Baroness also wore
many diamonds, perhaps, considering the
chara acter OF Suzanne, not too many for good
tas te The audience received the play and
the new star kindly