The Indianapolis journal., 1892-01-23
ADJUSTMENTS.

what is commonly known as the emotional
drama is not very clearly defined. but. as
generally understood. the latter deals with
the workings of the strongest human pas
sions as they may develop in the ordinary
course of life and without the accessories of
war. political maneuvers or other public
events as background. ltis an arbitrary
or convental distinction. however. for the
elements of the tragic exist wherever
such passions are aroused and the
story of single life may
be tragedy of the most impressive sort
without involving murder, bloodshed or
death. The dramatist who can use the ep-
isodes of modern civilized life in which
there is comparatively little incident, but
an abundant manifestation of intense pas
sion, has a very different task to perform
from the one whose characters move amid
q succession of stormy events. and in rep
resenting which they may miss the express
sion of the fitting emotions without severe
criticism. In some respects it IS moro
difficult task; for by the slightest
drama may become farcicaL Vlctorien
Sardou has made q study of this class Of
play and of the phases of life and society
necessary to his purpose, and has had great
success in producing dramas of intense
deal with the worst passions, and that the
love element is lnseparable from an IN
fraction of the seventh commandment does
not apparently lessen the popular interest
with whom pure and legitimate love
is the rule. French writers excuse
themselves for this peculiarity of their
plays and novels on the ground that the
peculiar marriage customs of their coun-
try admit of no opportunity in real life,
and hence in fiction for manifestation
of idyllIc affection between young men
and msidens; hence the literary hmita-
tlons. Possibly the taste which finds
pleasure in the presentation of such
pictures of life may be morbid, or it
may be that the sense of Justice
and proprietly iss satisfied by the
always does triumph in Sardou's hands.
There is reason TO believe. though. that the
tragic possibilities latent In every man and
woman, consciously or uncOnsciOusly. ex-
tions CT such feelings that could not other
wise be aroused. 1t does not matter that
similar experiences OIL their own part
would actually bring about o very differ
| ent line of behavior. In real life people
seldom act as they do on the stage. very
tragic conditions being apt to end in
| tame and prosaic actions This, how
| ever, does not prevent the recognition
sion of the highest and most powerful
| emotions. In "Odette" the theme chosen by
| Sardou is that. of mOther-love, and his
purpose is to show that 1t Is the strongest
| and purest of human affections. The story
| is that of the Countess La Tour. who is
| discovered by her husband to be- untrue to
| him and is thrust from his bone and
| separated from her daughter, o child of
| fifteen years the mother. after pleading in
| vain for forgiveness and share in her
| daughters life, leads gay and
dissolute existence. fitting from, city to
| end of this time the daughter. who sup
| poses her mother to be dead. is sought in
marriage by young uran whose parents
| object to the disgrace attaching to her
"Odette," shall be asked to drop the name
| of and title, Countess Ia Tour" which she
has continued to bear. and to promise to
remain away from Paris for her
ehild's sake, THIS she rsfnses tho to
| money offered her as an lnducement
| declaring at the same time that she will
| assert her maternal right and make her.
self known to the girl. She is finally pre-
| vailed upon to refrain from disclosing her
| identity IN the interview and to assume
| the part of the dead mothers friend. This
interview with the innocent and unsus-
| pectng girl so rouses her better nature
| that she retires. agreeing to all that has
been asked and with the VOW to with
| draw from the world. This story, as
may be seen. prasents opportunities for
| some very effective emotional acting. 1t
| is. In fact. concentrated misery from the
| opening to the close. but Mr.. SardOu's ideas
lose nothing in theirintorpretatiOn by Miss
Morris. She is first the self-possessed So
ciety woman, talking airy nonsense, while
the shadow of her sin is beginning to rest
upon her; che Is. little later, the accused
wife, pleading to be heard in her
own behalf. denouncing, her husband
sne ,tsaa.s simmer a,s like with herself sss
mind for the child hidden away from her.
She IS again the cold, defiant woman of the
world. hardened and yet with the red eem-
ing mOther-l0ve warm in her heart. Miss
Morris is too we'll known to Indianapolis
for any description of her methods to bo
necessary. In this play she meets all re-
quirements as few actresses have the power
20 do. The intensity, of her passion Is made
| the more impressive by her naturalness of
| expression; the tragedy of her life shows
| it's bitterness through her enforced calmness
and visible self-restraint. The climax
comes, of cOurse. in the interview with the
| gIrk and nothing was moro effective In
that scene than her effort Rt self-control.
| Approaching il In pathos was her CONVEX
sation with iher husbands friend. when
her attempt at cynical review of the situ-
| alton ended In burst of hysterical laugh
| ter. The triumph of her acting is that she
| seems to feel the emotions of her part and
not merely to portray them. 1t is this
| power that makes the powerful actor. as 1T
I makes the good novelist or public speaker.
| The soul of the actor or the writer must
| enter into his work.
The other parts were we'll taken, that of
| Count La Tour, by Mr.. j. III. Colville,
| being especially worthy of praise. The
| character ia one that calls, first, for the
| manifestation of fiery impulse. and later
| for a display of great dignity and gentle
| ness, and be combined these qualities ad-
| mirably. The part of Bersngere. the
| daughter. was we'll taken by Miss Aheline
| Baarson. The Ingenue. that interesting
| combination of infantile innocence and
womanly qualities. is a being peculiar to
| France. but is rather pleasing on the stage.
The audience W as very largo and unusu-
ally demonstrative.
MISS MORRIS IN CAMILLE"
| Miss Morris's last appearance will be at the
matinee at En- glish's to-day, when she will play
| Camille" her most artistic and finished i'm
| personation. With the possible exception Of
| Bernhardt, she is conceded to be the greatest
Camille" on the stage, and by many she Is
| thought to be even greater In the part than the
French artistic.
Bill Nye's comedy, s'Thc Cadi" which comes
with the reputation of being the greatest novelty
OF recent production comes TO the Grand the
| latter part of next week.
The Williams Speciality Company closes at the
| Park to-day. The first part of next week Henry
Chanfrau will play Kit" there, and the latter
part of the week that perennial piece, "Uncle
! Toms Cabin will be seen.
| Hoyt's "Hole In the Ground" one of the most
| amusing of his farce comedies, will be seen at
| Englishs next Monday and Tuesday evenings,
| and seats are now sale for IL. The company
,1rrA.