The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-19
AS EGYPT'S QUEEN.
Miss Davenport's Cleopatra
q Splendid Success
ATRAcEDY or THE OLD WORLD.
The BssutifuI sorceress Portrayed VIII
Gress Powee-Gsrgeous Scenes
sErem Old Egypt

Just rs Cleopatra. the Egyptian queen,
whom she impersonaied. enchanted the
rulers Of the Roman empire. The house
was filled from door TO roof, and the per-
feet presentation of Sardou's great pay
combined with the spiendor of the scenery
20 rouse the enthusiasm OF the spectators
10 such pitch that they frequently burst
into cheers at times when the words and
action shousd have bean heard and seen
with close attention in order TO follow the
unfolding of the plot
The play opens at Tarsus. whittier
Marc Antony has gone to bring the rebel
lious subjects of the Egyptian queen TO
submission. The lords are begging for
pardon, while Antony, sitting on the
chair of state. sternIy refuses It. Bat
Cleopatra no sooner appears seated on the
bark of Venus. than his attention Is dis
tracted from them by the fascination OF
her beauty and her manners. In . Few
moments he is transformed from the
avenger of the outraged majesty OF Rome
into her lover and is plotting with her
agains, his fellow triumvir, Oetavius.
From the banks of the cydnus the scene
changes 10 those of the Nile, where
IN the palace OF Rameses. Antony's
captains and friends vainly strive to
rouse him from his voluptuous slosh TO re-
turn to Rome, but at Cleopatra's bidding
he goes to make war on Octavius. He be-
comes instead the husband Of his enemy's
sister. and news of his BETRAYAL Of her
comes to Cleopatra A. she waits impa-
tiently for q messenger on the terrace OF
Memphis. Enraged at the news. she vows
vengeance, but when word comes from
Antony bidding her send her fleet to Ac-
tium, where he will give Octavius battle,
she obeys with Interior designs and next
appears in the palace at Actium, concealed
under q canopy. Here she overhears love
scene between Antony and 0ctavia, end
ing in a promise from the former not TO
give battle to her brother, but to make
peace with him. Then he tells his generals
of his decision only to have it upset by q
stormy interview with Cleopatra, who
comes out from her hiding place, strikes
him dumb with her accusations of I'M
faithfulness and wins him back with her
wiies and visions of Oriental grandeur.
He begins the battle and is winning when
the whole feet of Egypt deserts him
and his own ships are panic
stricken. The spectator is trans
ported to the temple of Isis and
there, after Antony has vowed her death,
sees him again bewi.ched and defending
her with his sword from his own soldiers.
She overcomes the Romans by her sor-
Gerry, for at her call the god Typhon sends
a fearful storm which she promises shall
overwhelm the army of Octayius. But
the coneuerors come, Octavius resists her
charms, and as her faithful slave kephren
is about 10 strike him down at signal from
her his attention is drawn away by the
appearance of Antony mortally wounded.
He sinks in Cleopatra's arms and dies
with her kisses on his lips. after a last
defiance TO Octavius. Then the woman
who has been his evil genius puts an asp
in her bosom and follows him to death,
her crown on her head.
Mss Davenport becomes Cleopatra as
completely as any PERSON can sink her in
dividuality IN that Of an imaginary per-
son, and her stately figure fits the part,
for she looks every inch q queen. Cum
ming. vengeful, seductive, she subordi-
mates every other passion to her love for
Antony and determines that he shall not
desert her. though he sacrifice his ambi-
ton for her. The key 10 the whole tragedy
is the scene at Actium, and this is where
both Miss Davenport and Melbourne
Mcdowell, the Antony, display their
powers at their best. While he Law
ishes caresses on Octavia and exc
crates Cleopatra. she sits In full view
of the audience and the silent expression
of the successive waves Of passion which
sweep over her face and make her clutch
the coverings of her couch are q study in
themselves. In the scene which follows
between her and Antony he seems as wax
in her hands and she well portrays the
power which genius aided by physical
beauty can exercise over the strong
est man, once under its spell.
This power is shown again
when he upbraids her for her deser-
ton, while the panic struck by the
tempest into. the soldiers, proof agains.
her destinations. shows how well she
knew how to use their superstition. She
had almost won oc;avius, and ae was
kissing her hand and visibly yielding 70
her when she gave the signal for his assas-
sination. Nothing in real lite could sur.
pass the outpouring of grief and love with
which she fondes and weeps over Antony
as he utsers his last breath. and tears, real
tears. are moistening her cheeks as she
lays the deadly asp 10 her breast,
Mr.. MaeDowell is tit hero for such q
heroine. OF tall, splendid physique and
strong, clean-cu, features. with a clear
resonant voice, he becomes pIiable as a
willow wand under the influence of hi,
master-pession. He enacts the pride O,
the Roman with the world at his fee,
without rant, but With such vigo. as
20 bring into stronger relief his
complete subsection to the woman,
spell With him. too. the scene at Actiun,
is the best. the fascination she has for him
and the irresistible force of his passion 10,
her contrasting well with the comparative
colduess OF the scene with octavia. He
dies with the stoicism of a Roman soldie,
and sinks eontsntediy into his last sleeu
In the arms OF his mi sress
While the other parts in the risy ARE
thrown into the background By the con.
slant presence on the stage Of the two LEAD
ing characters, the most is made of them,
aad the support is good. Mis-,
Ida Frohswk makes of Octavi,
the charming, simple maiden sh,
Is pictured IN history. Miss Annie
Thornton and Miss Lillian Burke had no
easy task IS the women OF Cleopatra
Walter craven depicts kephren, the slave
with great hdslity. especially in the scene
where he is about TO take poison az hi,
mistress command. Mark MAYER a. octa
Was. ]. III. Rowland as Olympus. tn.
priest, Frank Willard As the governor al
farsas and Frederick VI. Maver "a the
messenger al show merit. the last named
particularly so.
ihe scenery = lone would make the rlay
worth seeing. for no pains or expense have