The record-union., 1893-12-12
ADJUSTMENTS

-heIiopOlltdu Iuedter 1dSb ulSuG WI
coined the beautiful and stately actress,
Fanny Davenport, as the heroine in Sar-
dou's spectacular drama cleopatra"
The drama was superblY mounted. In
richness of costumery, imposing and
beautiful scenery, in management OF the
lights, the mechanism, the vocal and in
strumental music and the whole business
Of the stage there has been presented
nothing here within the last twenty
years, If at all, that equals it. For every
scene is one of beauty or grandeur,
or both. There is not a weak
point in any of the effects; there
are no scenic cHmaxeS or exclamation
points, so to speak, since every scene
sustains The high key of the whole spec
tacle. The storm effect, the barge arrival,
the palace of Rameses and the terraced
Memphis, are worth seeing if for no other
reason than to learn what can be done III
producing imposing effects by the skill Of
the scenic artist and the stage carpenter
and machinist, where money supplements
originality and boldness of conception.
w hat impresses one most forcibly with
Miss DavenportS method is her ease and
her clear understanding. There is not in
the strongest sensational passages evil
dence that the artist is striving for
effect, or that she has any doubt as to
meanings. Whether it is the passion of
love, jealousy or hate she is in either
manifestation free from the painful effort
that so otfends art, or the doubt that is
not less abhorrent.
In figure, feature. voice and express
iveness Of the three, she is admirably
adapted for the royal part she assumes.
She has mastered the role, studied the
motives presumed to have actuated the
Egyptian Queen, and portrays the char
acter built upon them in manner that Is
a triumph Of art.
Not that Miss Davenport may not be
said to develop blemishes in her Cleo
parra; not that she is not open to fault
hnding-but these are all of minor value
and importance. The general tone, spirit,
thought of the character moves too
loftily to make minor defects of much
concern to those who go to enjoy the per-
formance, and not to pick flaws, and dis
sipate the pleasure of a fine dramatic en-
tertainment by the seeking after open
joints.
The chief scenes of the play are
triumphs for scenic artist and stage car
penters-e specially when it is considered
that all this mass of scenery is made to
bear transportation and much handling,
and is not adapted to the permanent fit
tings Of any single stage.
Perhaps the first scene is not the
handsOmest, but il is, nevertheless,
thing Of beauty, with it's happy illusion
of marble quays and the glistening Gym
dus, with its banks luxuriantly lined
with floral and foliage wealth, and the
great barge floating upon the placid
waters and bearing the Queen to the con-
querer and lover.
In the second act we are given
glimpse of a splendid Egyptian temple,
with the revels Of the lovers at their
hight in the magnificent home of ancient
Kings. 1t is superb stage effect, and
eliciUs deserved rounds OF sincere ap-
plause.
In the third act the Egyptian Queen is
discovered in a gorgeous temple at
Memphis, where she receives the news of
the marriage of Marc Antony TO Octavia,
accompanied by a command to Cleopatra
to proceed with her fleet to Actium. 1t is
a scene OF rare lOveliness and in sky ef-
fects, delicacy of light and shade, the gilt
ter of stars and night mingling hues, has
never been equaled here.
In the fourth act we are introduced into
Antony's house, with the bride of the
hero in her nuptial cham ber, and Cleo
patra listening with Jealous rage to the
accusations against herself, and affection
ate passages between the husband and
wife. Then she discloses herself. proves
her falthfulness, receives forgiveness,
and again binds the warrior in the chains
of disgraceful passion.
In the fifth act Cleopatra meets Antony
in an AleXandrian temple; then follows
her invocation of the god of storms, and
a most realistic effect in stimulation of the
raging OF the elements. In fact, there has
nothing in scenic work ever been shown
here equal to 1t. 1t deserved the
triple encore it won. Then comes the
death of Antony by assassination, and
the suicide OF Cleopatra by the bite OF the
asp. The death scene affords Miss Dav-
export opportunity for remarkably 1ine
art work, which she fully embraces. 1t
is powerful, delicate, an intense, pain
fully intense, piece of acting. Taken
with the splendid scene in the fourth act
between the Queen and her slav Kephron
where she commands him for love of her
TO drink the poison to prove to Antony
the faithfulness of Cleopatra to the war
rior, she demonstrates her right TO the
place she has won in the dramatic world
one of eminence. Miss Davenport has,
in short, that power of grasping and eX-
pressing the meaning of situation that
only the true artist possesses, and that
cannot be acquired, but that is a sign
patent of inherent capacity and genius.
The value OF such a performance cannot
we'll be overrated, since it gives US q
standard TO be respected, and lifts us above
and beyond the commonplace of the
stage, and gives us more exalted esti-
mate of the uses and powers of dramatic
art.
The support Of Miss Davenport was
good throughout, with perhaps two ex-
ceptions, where indistnctness of enun-
citation served to render the text obscure.
Melbourne Mcdowell was the Marc An
tony Of the drama, and filed it not only
acceptably, but with the faithfulness of
the true artist and the intelligence of the
accomplished student of dramatic art
There is in his method that which will
Justify an issue between critics, but it
may not now be considered, since the
play concluded only at very late hour
This, however, we pause to say that Mr..
Mcdowell while not the ideal Antony
of the student of Roman history,
is so far superior actor, one
whose work is fashioned after
an intelligent and defensible inter-
probation OF the character of the fiery and
susceptible Roman, that it stands forward
among the best expositions OF That his
toric figure.
Cleopatra will be repeated tonight,
and ought to fill the house. one can un-
derstand why it cost so much to prepare
and mount it only when one has sat a
long evening through in witnessing its
spectacular beauties, just as one can have
no means of estimating the fine art of
the beautiful woman VINO makes q Geo
patra of fancy, if not of history, live
again with such realistic vigor and
warmth and loveliness that the spectator
all but forgetS that 1t Is all the cunning of
the trained, practiced and gifted artist.
Those contemplating attendance tonight
should be seated prior to s O'Clock, as the
play begins at that hour sharp.
The Clunie Opera-ho Stock Com
pany last night produced the revised
version of William Haley's play, mick
Floyd, or the Train Robbers" as pre-
pared for the stage by James NJ. Ward.
The play is deep in plot, but probable on
the border 1t abounds in climaxeS and