New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-12
THE ORA MA.
MISS DAVENPORT IN "GISMONDA."


Plays by vlctoren sardou produced in these
days with bewIlderng frequency. The curtain was
raised upon another last night at the Fifth Avenue
Theatre Il is called "Gsmonda" and the title part
In 1, was played by Miss Fanny Davenport 1t teis
the story of an hysterical love affair between
perurcr and a fool. The perjurer Is Gismonda
She is the Duchess Of Athens She sees her child
fall into a pit where there Is big. fierce, hungry
tiger and she swears standing before the cross,
that he who saves the child shall be her husband,
her duke. her master and her lord. moment
later. before the same and with her child in
her arms. she renounces her oath. because the
man who has saved the child is her social inferior
She deies the command OF the Church that she
keep her vow. she is deaf to any whisper OF graft
tude the man who has saved her son from
horrible death at the Imminent peril OF SUFFERING
the same himself; she SCOTS at heaven she counts
her oath nothing at all She is heartless, faith!ess'
ungrateful. blasphemous. perjured.
Yet there is living who wants her 10 DE
his wife. There are half dozen of them. in TACT
but there Is one IN particular whom she has tricked
insulted and wronged. and still he wants her 10 DE
his wife No man in his senses would want 10
live in the town with her But he Is worse
than bereft OF ts lie has her in his power;
the Church Is his side; IL holds her accountable
for his life, and II she is married to anybody e.se
IL will excommunicate her and her husband he
takes advantage Of this condition. and would force
the woman whom he loves into marriage which
she loathes. He is therefore a moral coward as
well as a fool. They = precious pair. After an
they seem TO be born for each other ana atter
having killed another VINO is bad, nut not 50
bad as the Duchess they are joined ana II 'ne
audience wants to believe that they are happy II
is welcome its opinion.
Such a story as this naturally abounds IN 'hose
scenes and situations which 1t Is the custom |"
praise as strong" AS piece OF stage worh 1t u, -
indeed contrivcd and written with NJ SarH,u VII
known technical skill The hrmness ana dlrectit.Ss
NJ he discourse show the hand or WORKMAN WIZ
knows his trade There IL "A trifie less OF thc Pte.
llmnary talk than is usual In a Sardou play nut
there is still too much . ,,,,,
II f. not to be expectel that any actress couir
he svmpa thetic In the Improvisation or sucn a
souless virago but Miss Davenport vas Amos
icy She gave excuse. except her duKcu"''' ~.
mo lavishlng OF six mems hove upon hei ntI
heariessness and her impiety gave plenty OF reaSo,
rhv they should hate her. and her wiies did no,
for A moment deceive anybody but her iniat ate s,
lover That lover played by Melbourne MacpoWNcna'.
rocmel I'm Iced lust the sort OF person VINO might
no =, deceived lie was stclid and immovable, eX,
conf vhen spurrcd into action by his one ldea Oh
marrying the Duchess. , - ,,on
Good and gratifying impersonations We're g,Fen
hy Arthur Elliott the bishop ana Ats. NalS
= narkor as C;sm0llas godmo Their and there va, vas
a graceful one ~ the Duchess n"phr" ny MISE
Ila Frohawk The play * mounted win stedt car
,nd .laborat.ness Five scenes are sho"n' am
re are au handsomely designed and painted a.
,ook far too much time set them, nut thrre wlI
nrohably be an Improvement in THIS respect WHICH
he stage hands 90; more used to their WORK