The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-27

A Big Audience - tho Providence Opera
Hsuse TO Decide Its Morality.

Hsuse TO Decide Hts Morality
The Second Mrs, Tanqueray"--is the
play moral or i'm morali These few words
were enough to attract the largest audi
snce of the season TO the Providence
Opera house last Saturday night Of
course Mr. and Mrs. Kendall are great
favorites In Providence, as they are where
ever they 20, and their reputation sufiices
under all circumstances to give them
we'll hlisd houses, but the house last
Saturday night was more than filled aud
the audience was composed OF the best
people IN this section. The discussion
that the play has caused created the most
intense interest In the produc-
ton, and seats sold at premium. In the
orchestra stalls were noticed most OF the
leading society pecpls. But as 20 the
play. In 10 immorali Well no more 20
than the audiences that assemble to greet
its produstion. The intimation that the
play depicted . side of life that Ia forbld'
den and yss encouraged by society was
enough OF itself to crowd the house. and
yet the women who were there would be
indignant ~ any suggestion OF impro-
pristy. Nevertheless the animating
motive that drew nins.fsnths OF the audi
sncs there was to see IL the play really
was moral or immoral. 10 isa sad com
msntary upon social life, but-ws must
take things a. We hnd thsm.
There Is nothing IN the play itself that
10 immoral. There are only two or three
suggestive pssssgss In ~, and these could
bs eliminated without weakening the
play The story briefly told: A
widowsr marriss . beautiful woman OF
the wsrld . woman who had fallen from
the paths OF virtue, but whose life was
more the rsssls Of the forcs OF circum-
stances than Of vslantAry choice. lie
saw In her the elements OF noble wo-
mas. His only shild was IN convent
and expected TO take upon herself re-
ligious obligations that would cut her on
from the world, 90 there was no psrticu-
lar family reason why ne
should not indulge In his
strange whim IL he 50 desired.
At the eleventh hour the daughter re-
solves 90 leave the convent and comes
into her fathers house She aad her step
mother dc not hit it OF very well and
nually one OF her fathers former women
friends, . close neigh Dor, but one who had
studiously avoided meeting the second
Mrs. Tanqusray, callE and secures consent
to take the daughter cut into the world
and intrsd ucs her. Ia Paris the daugh-
Ter falls In love with q captain in the
English army ana returns sud
denly to her fathers houre to
ask his consent The lover calls
and meets the second Mrs. Tanqueray
face 10 face. She had formerly been his
mistress. The complications that arise
end with the tragic death of Mrs. Tan
qusray, who nrst tells her husband who
shs lover OF his daughter IL.
IL will be seen that this furnishes emf
nent place for tragedy. The scenes nre
In many instances painfully intense. The
second Mrs. Tanqueray appreciates her
husbands sacrinee In marrying her, and
this thought 10 constantly before her. He
makes the mistake OF goinR to his
couatry seat In the hope that
by burylng his family there
his neighbors in the county will
call upon them. But weeks lensthe n
into months and none call The very
sight of the neighboring chimneys
jrritats Mrs. Tanqueray as she realizes
that she Is tabooed. A woman whoss
life has been enc Of restless. high pressure
gaiety naturally grew tired Of snch life
She and her husband have tilts that
Invariably end in her craving pardon, but
Il "
rapidly. She loves passionatsly her
husbands daughter and Graves for a
wsnsn's love and trust. In the second
act when she bsGs for . little love from
that daughter Mrs.. Kendals art becom =
almost sublime. II Was a most magnif-
cent exhibition of dramatic genius. The
call of Mrs. Toftillion upon Mrs.
Tauqusray when she asks TO
Al
we'll carried out, though TO my mind Mrs.
Ksndal gives . tribe too vulgar an inter
prstatisn Of her character for she was too
help thin king that here she spols what
otherwise wsuld be an Absolutely perfect
rsbditisn Of Q most difY1cult part, but she
amply atones In her quarrel with
her husband, whore she upbraids him for
allowing the daughter to 10 away because
she regards 10 as another insult towards
herself on account OF her former life, she
was positively magnificent.
In the last sct, when she came face to
face with former psramour, who now
appears 40 the lover of ner husbands 3
daughter the aGonixcd despair into which
she sinks whom she realizes the situation
IL above criecisr. Surprise, horror.
amusement and deter ainatioR TO do her
duty 20 quickly and truthfully were de-
pict sd In turn on her expressive face
that enc lost himself In admiration A.
the wonderful dramatic ability that
Nrs. Kendall possesses. The elder Sal
vini alone excepted. no actor or actress OF
the present day has greater command OF
his or her facial expressions than Mrs
Kendall.
Mr. Kendai's part called for but little
dramatic ability or expression and he Ger.
tainly added no strength TO his lines by
his Interpretation. Mr.. j. r. Dodson as
Cayley Drummule was most excsllent.
The rest Of the characters were useful as
sign boards are useful on n country road,
TO tell the way, but which add neither TO
the beauty Of the scenery nor the pleasure