The Washington times., 1894-03-18
TWO WOMEN OF IMPORTANCE
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray" and
"tbe New Magdalene.
SIMILAR AND YET DIFFERENT
Mrs. Kendaps Paula Contrasted With Mrs.
Campbelps Creation of the Character in
London-Mme. ::Rhea's Magdalene Here
this week-strong Attractions at the Va
rious Theaters.

Mr.. Richard Harding Davis says thar he
was witness OF the performance of ''The
Second Mrs. Tanqueray'' in London, when
Mrs. Campbell played the part Of Paula. He
finds that, according to her impersonation,
Mr.. Pinero was entirely justified in having
created the part and the drama. MIR. Davis
says these things-in Harpers Weekly-with
the assurance that he is telling the whole
truth and nothing but the truth, and his arti-
Gle has an air of flnality with regard to Mrs.
Campbeli's impersonation being the correct
one. and Mrs. Kendall's being entirely wrong.
Mr. Davis says that Paula In Mrs Camp
bells hands is a frivolity. loving. light
natured creature agreeable in surface way
because she has no positive qualities, but
almost devoid of moral sense. Her past re-
markable lapSes are more or less accidental,
and she can hardly be ccnsued for them.
When this Paula awakens unreally and finds
herself instinctively loathed by her daughter
and her husband, thereis in reality that inter-
esting psychical problem that Mrs. Kendall
seems to believe that she presents. II such
woman rs Mrs. Campbell presents, first with
out any moral nature. afterward with the
acute sense that sees all her former turpi-
tude and understands it. can exist in reality
ing, even touching
But this is not Mrs. Kendall's Paula. There
is no depth that this hideously experienced
"Second Mrs. Tanqueray, coarse, sensual evil
natured, may not have fallen to and delighted
in, and we cannot fully believe in her repent
ance or sympathize with her almost impossi-
bic lofty aspirations. We may pity her for
her wretchedness, to be sure, but it is kind
of pity that is filed with ungovernable dis
gust.
Aside from the Kendalls' Interpretation OF
the play, it seems to me that Pinero himself
has been needlessy and purposelessly offens-
i've and broad in his situations and dialogues.
What possible end can such prurience serve?
Why do we need to see these nasty things? At
II o'clock are we better or more wise or have
we any deeper artistic perception than ut s?
/ think not
1.-The wages of sin is DEATH That is tho
sum OF il all That is the moral that is rub
bed in so ardently and persistently from cur
tain to curtain with especial and unctious
stress on the sin. And we have this moral
thrust on US so unavoidably off the stage. it is
so trite. if Is so little TO be lost sight of that
We might have been spared its reiteration.
Whether we cnn forgive Mrs. Kendall or
not for giving Us the worst possible interpre-
tation of her part in play that in itself is so
questionable we must at least acknowledge
the strong and picturesque personality her
consummate ability in expressing the slight
est shades OF feeling, her humor. her many
other characteristic eNcellencie5. In all the
stronger parts of Mrs. Kendalls art she sur
passes herself in 1.-The Second Mrs. Tanque-
ray" The question is ineXplicablc to me why
a woman so capable of exquisite delicacy OF
Interpretation should have conceived Paula
to be such a vulgar, sophisticated. coarsely
self sufficient, violent. sensual character.
Curiously enough Madame Rhea's new play
this week. 1.-The New Magdalene, " an original
adoption from wilke Collins novel, is study
also OF the career OF a woman with part
who is trying to reform and whose past
hGunts her present. To one who has wit
messed Mrs. Kendal's portrayal and Madame
Rhea's comparison is unavoidable. Med
anne Rheas reformed woman is the absolute
an!ithesis eff the second Mrs. Tanqueray.
Mrs. Kendall uses all the subtiety of her art
to create in us, perhaps, the bitterest loathing
we ever felt tor Il woman. II is torture TO
watch her groveling repentance and her vul-
gar bursts OF passion. Madame Rheas playis
not fin de steele analysis of filth. 1t is an
old school romantic drama with n powerful
plot, and the intention is by every means to
elicit sympathy for the New Magdal me-"
Rhea uses her own beauty and her matchless
power OF pathos to make the character as ex-
ccIent as she can. And yet the truth that
Mrs. Kendall picture Of degra !atlon can do
no more than show that the result OF sin is
misery is just as evident in Rheas conception. |
Mrs. Kendall says in one place: Il am sleek, |
well-housed, never without a bone to gnaw,
Aeyer without q bed OF fresh straw or words |
to that effect in describing her condition of
material good fortune. Some one answers !
fitly: Il congratulate you on your kennel
Now, this is nauseating. Perhaps it is pow
eriul in its nausaating effect. but there are a |
great many who dispute its right TO be called |
art. Ii one stays through the four acts Of |
THE Second Mrs. TaDqueray'' he leaves with |
an overpowerng sense OF Mrs. Kendalis skill |
and Mrs. Tanquerays utterly futile struggles. |
Il should think The New Magdalene" |
will be Madame Rhea's leading play There |
can be no doubt OF its beauty and its strength. |
l had few moments conversation with |
Madame Rhea yesterday She told me what !
no one can doubt who witnesses her rendi- |
tions. that hes theory is thar art should have
for its aim the beautiful rather than the |
teaching Of lessons. Every one OF her char
acteri2ations is magicaily drawn in every lIae |
with this end always in view. In the New
Mag6alene a woman who has been ruined /
ard who has repgnted finds way. appar-
emily safe, apparently harmless. OF taking up
Il new life in the character of a woman whom /
she thinks dead. The dead woman comes to
life and finds the Magdalcne filing her place |
Madame Rhea has ended her play differently
from the novel or from any of the other stage
versions. The man who helrs the fallen
wonan to make restitution asks her 10 marry
him. She refuses. because she knows that
such n marriage would be 4 failure. and the
play ends
Il cannot think" Madame Rhea says. with
her delightfully."- piquant accent. ''thot I am
wrong in striving to make this woman's
character beautiful" II. C.B.
THEATERS NEXT WEEK.