St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-13
SAW MODJESkA
In Her Triumph in Henry VIII
Theatrical Points

In Her Triumph in Henry VIII
Theatrical Points.
The great Modjeska - perhaps the
best living exponent of Shakespeare OH
the American stage-added fresh lau-
rels to her crown at the Metropolitan
opera house last night. A crowded
house boIe testimony to the splendor of
her genius, and Henry WILL" offered
the means. We are accustomed to re
vivals of Shakespearean plays-long-
neglected and put on the shelby Mod
| jeska. This year she brought us pro-
ducIion of Henry Viii" All the
material part of the performance, as
scenery, costumes, accessories of all
! kinds, has been attended to in all artis-
tic manner with great historical cor
rectneSS; but, better than that, the cast
OF the parts is probably the best that
could be selected from our Stage.
The central figure of the play, Car
dinal Wolsey, is in the hands of Mr..
Lane. There may be one or two actors
in America, stars themselves, able to
give more forcble rendition of the
part There is none who can delineate
the character more truly, make it more
consistent; none who Will give more in
|
tainly the ideal Henry VIII. The nanli-
ness, briskneSS and Donhommie OF the
royal Buebeard appear lifelike. If
HenryVIII. in the hands of Mi. Skinner
appears more sympathetic than in his
| tory, it is because Shakespeare, who
had to produce the play before Henry's
daughter, did his best to con-
cedl all the dark sides of his char
acter, and the actor follows the author.
| The third parsonage in importance in
| the play is Queen Katherine. There is
no woman of Shakespeare's heroInes
| who emDOdieS the virtues and goodness
with which the author. true to history,
has adorned the Inflated wife of Henry
VIII. Modjeska makes special point
of emphasizing the divers phases
| through which the queen passes. In
the first scene she appears as a devoted,
loving and happy wife, the best adviser
of her king. In the second act, in the
trial, when her position as queen and
a lawful wife is impeached OH fiimSy
charges, her kindness and meekness
give place TO Indignation. She does not
yet suspect the falseness of her hus-
Dand. and her anger turns towards the
kings chief adviser, Cardinal Wolsey.
In the third act, when she meets the
cardinal, the Queenly majesty disap-
pears and gives way to a tone of depre-
cation and detection. Modjeska repre-
SCENTS Katherine in this act purely as an
injured wife, wretched, finding fault
with everybody, nervous, almost hys-
teric.
LII the last act resignation is the pre-
dominant note. The injuries of the
queen and of the wife are forgiven by
the Christian.
Mojeska emphasizes the religious feel
ing OF the dying believer.
Among the other parts should be
mentioned the forciblenesS of Breemont
Smith in Buckingham, the vigor and
enthusiasm of Guy Lindey in the Earl
of Surrey, the quiet and aristocratic
simplicity of r. +. Carter in Norfolk,
The sympathetic tenderness of Ben
Rogers in Griffith, and the intensity
OF Harris in Cromwell. Among the la
dies Mrs. b. Smith was graceful Anna
Boleyn, and Miss. NJ. Durbn said
charmingly the difficult prologue. To-
night MARY Stuart" will be the BILL
il
married Life" produced for the first
time in America in its entirety, with
magnificent scenic embellishments and
beautiful and accurate costumes, by
Stuart Robson and his company, has
made most pronounced hit at the Chi
cagO opera house, where it is now being
played. The entire Chicago press unite
in prOnOuncing it perfect production.
married Life" will be given at the
Metropolitan opera house during Mr..
RObson's engagement there next week
Seats and boxes are now selling at the
box Office.
HOyt's "A Hole in the Ground'' has
passed onehaif of Its weeks visit TO
succession of delighted audiences atihe
Grand, and everything evidences con-
tinuance of the same hearty welcome
during the week.
On Sunday night, and during the
week, the stage of Manager Lifts popu-
liked character actor, Mckee Rankin,
and his company, presenting for the
first time ODie Reads comedy
drama of rural life in the South,
"a Kentucky Colonel" This play
ran for four weeks last fall at the Union
Square theater, New York, and has
since been presented with great success
through the principal cities of the Mid
die and Southern states, the press
everywhere joining i'll praise of both
the play and players. 1t is claimed for
the "COlonel" tnat III does FOR the South
what 1.-The Old Homestead" does for
New England, and that it is even a bet
ter picture of life in that section than
alabama" These are strong claims,
but the audiences at the Grand VIII
Judge for themselves Of their truth.
-
Riley, the Hoosier poet and dialect
humorist, is booked here for tonight at
Unity church, on Wabasha street. So,
too, is an excellent audience booked at
Ford's music store to hear his funny
stories and laugh with him over his
telling and, sometimes pathetic, yarns.
Everybody has either read Riley's verse
or knows him persoually-hiS friends
are legion in every city and town in the
United States. Even the most phleg-
matte man is moved when he reads
Riley's stories-but the effect when one
hears them from his own lips is in
fnitely greater. He moves his audience
as easily to tears as to laughter, playing
on the feelings of his audience as a
violinist on his instrument. Mr.. Riley !
will have the assistance Of Mrs. Theo- |
dore Bollman, the we'll known soprano, |
and Oscar Lienau, the tenor, each rem
dering several solos between his num-