The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-13
NOVELTIES ON OUR STAGE.
ONE ACTRESS, 1HREE PLAYS, AND
A SINGULAR DANCE.

.Tb. osaiianss"-A Dsncsr Multiplied
y, Mirror. In "A Trip 10 Chisstows."
The double interest aroused by q new &C.
,,ass and new play was felt by the audience
=, the fifth Avenue Theatre last evening. The
.ctres. was Kathrne Clemmons the play was
"AIady OF Venice. and not much had been di-
,ufgsdAsto either. Miss Clsmmons proved to be
"Jivinely tall and most dvinelY fair" with the
,,-ht mir and m leu for an aristoctatic heroine
u.r ANAL head and nno features we're
.ri,able to such dramatic purpose, too
I'D her 1.-THE figure was both command
inc ard supple. imposing and graceful.
she smoke with a smooth. musical voice, which
-. ,oft and gentle at times. and aeain capn-
bio OF very forcible utterance. In other
,ords 1t seemed as though nature
MAJ made It possible for her to be-
coma an uncommonly good actress. Her
,.uts we're those Of a novice. although II Is
aid that she hns had some experience on tho
,t.es in England and the worst OF them was
r,onotony Of expression in voice aud visaEe
,iiv. Her voice possessed the power OF fleNl.
hii,v or 90 at least It seem ed as did her visaRc
that Of mobility. but she had not learned the
.,,. Of elocution or facial depletion. or else
IN. s,rsss Of a debut robbed her Of the ability
% prsctise them. Therefore she NAV
n. said to have escaped failure on
this trying occasion by = safe margin.
a, the same time that she did not get very
far over on the side OF success. She did well.
and Ia likely to do much better II she will
YORK hard and long enough. There is n
mace for her on the stage IL She will
p.rsevere patiently and intelliGently to
occupy 1t. Probably she is already schoolsd
IN the theories OF acting. What she lacksis
facility in making effective use Of what she
IL. Il .t,san
that should be entirely feasible.
The dram. in which Miss Clemmons played
the heroine bore the title OF "A Lady of
Venice" 1t was a fifteenth century romance.
in blank verse. and. We think. was origi-
nslly Italian. but many years ago was
known in English as Nina Sforza." TAX
ing its name from that OF the heroine.
The playful gave no hint Of the pieces origin
or authorship. and THAT secrecy led to sur
stist WAS hiding himssli until after the verdict
II that is SO. It is not likely that he will ever
i.ir .xample OF an obsolete form Of the drama,
and it narrowly escaped derision. Aauarter
Of century ago 1t could have commanded as
We are Inclined to believe 1t did the utmost
The story Of the play is that a Prince OF Genoa
was plotted against by enemies, who tricked
the Prince in MAI deceived him Th In LOVE I;s
adventures was a, combat in the euise Of a
warrior and snS,her vas a nsariE fatal at, at,
passages. the one, rousingly melodramstic
and the other ipPressiyely tragic; Lay
Va have already briefly Indicated her, merits
and dsmerits. Her best favor with her au,
dience was won by her martial appearance and
claim to artistic regard was established by q
pathetic scene In which she poisoned herself
The ss G scenery given @f 10 '' Lady o. venice"
was both beautiful and correct: Theirs were
dances and music. and various illustrative ac-
hired. and one member Of 1t. jennie Gold:
thwaite. electrified the audience by the vivid
portrayal oil . woman OF the siren sort.
Tho availability OF the Indian for comic pur-
poses has never been doubted since John
Brougham wrote the historic "Pocahontas."
and at least ono play into which Indian life
largely enters has enjoyed a great measure OF
success In our own day. 1t was this serious
o; Indian life Of which the
author OF The OGallallas made use
last night. Their comic possibilities were
quite neglected and apparently with purpose.
for while the audience wondered at the outset
why the Bostonians had become so serious.
most Of them had read their programme be-
the new work at the broadway Theatre is o
romantic, and not a comic opera.
rarely interrupts tho serious nature OF the
work. Instances OF the spirit OF the new opera
ns SSx 9 es Act which shows
snd his band and the hqais Q, ' the
scout tied TO the stake. ends when the chief
Interrupts duel between him and a Mexican.
Isniment Of the female chorus and principals.
f. a vein In. out little lighter Iiood use
features Of frontier life. There are Mexicans
and Indians. as we'll as leather-leGged scouts
Adequate Representation was given to
al Of these suggestions Tho costumes.
sstiaS Of 1Ssh and %sl painted scensTS The
notably attractive with it's wiCwslns aud grace
The author. Young + Allison. has supplied
coherent story. surprisingly logical for opera,
written. II In no place brilliant A General
and middle aged widow supply the
humor,. and Il cannot DO said that they
action dragged last night. but II seemed as
much the fault OF the players as the authors.
Inc hrst act was notably dull until the en-
Henry Waller wrote tho music. 1t 10 pleasant
sspsGai iavS Spo With the audsnce Isst nIS6t
''I and S' the Indian ch sSSs Witch me closest ss
and soprano in the second act ana a trio.
quite In the style Of sullivan. The work 10
ueHclout IN cnOruses. when Is the more sur |
prslng as the composer has done his best work
IN the few choruses the opeIR contains. Dr. |
pVoTak would never Ind the work illuminAt-
Ing as 10 mclean musical origins. for no at |
color
The singers last night did all that was pos
tiole IN the rather narrow limits Of their roles.
Mss Davis was an Indian maiden, with the |
usual unreIulted attachment for n pale |
laced stranger which the stage squaW is sup
posed always to carry around with her: Miss ,
Bertha Walzinger and Miss Josephine Bart |
RU sang the female parts, and Msssrs. I!
bArnabee and Frothin CHAM were IS amusing |
their opportunities allowed. A stAlwaTt |
Mexican was Eugene Cawlsr and ". II. Me- |
D91nald was an impressiVelY diRnifed chief
NhateVer the permanent success Of the new !
SoIk may ns II Is written In spirit eTeditabls |
nath t. auth Or aud the composer. They have
HseI chosen an American subject and It - a |
p-Hsurr that their operas scene IL not laid in |
tPme foreign land with it's characters |
pond wlRgad peasants In one act and pow
aslsd: haired nobility in some chateau in the |
next They have wisely selected a picturesque |
ssLlect wing within their own knowledge and |
sympathy.
The third act OF a Trip to Chinatown" |
Shleh was last night again found at the Maai- !
son square Theatre. presented a wholly novel |
IDEA Ia dancing This nf courEa