The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-21
Am USEM ENTS.
Academy OF Music.

Rarely have theatre-goers in Jersey
City witnessed a better performance than
hat of last night in the Academy of
Music, when Mrs. Potter and Mr.. Bellew
presented the tragedy of Charlotte Cor
day" In itself the play is not partieu-
larly attractive from the paucity of dra-
matte incident to an event in French his
tory, the details of which are much
shrouded. The assassination of the
bloody Marat by a country girl, imbued
like the maid of Domremy with the idea
of a divine mission, is surrounded by an
exceedingly tame love romano ineffect-
ually heightened by the odd contrast of
sans culotteism. The within of the play
wright in dramatizing this event in his
tory is by no means u~nattractive, and
when superb stage mounting and clever
acting is included, the play is extremely
fascinating. One thing is certain, indif-
ferent acting would make it distinctly
fat. The very mention of Charlotte
Corday recalls the story of the terrors
of '93, and brings to the recollection the
reign of bloodshed in which the infamous
Marat was a prominent figure. The story
set forth N the play differs somewhat
from the accepted version of history. 1t
tells how Charlotte is beloved by an
outcast, who had the ~imprudence to praise
louis XVI. in a public place He was
pie and thrown into the Bastille with
the father of Charlotte, who harbored
seeks an interview with Marat. to save
and she stabs him. VOLTA tout.
ever ere an r0ie easy 81 t one. heTSlns e mot sb n0T Is
impressed with the belief that she is
another Judith, whose mission it is to
while Mrs. Potter strives c-onscientiousiy
TO depict this the part requires more
dramatic force than she apparently pos
sesses. In some of the scenes, that, 70.
instance. where she seizes the knife and
murmurs the words. A Judith. did to
Hofofernes SO win I do to you" Mrs.
roles demands. Perhaps her best effort
was in the third act as she stabs Marat.
Here mannerisms were concealed and a
bit of genuine acting was exhibited. Mrs.
Potter has not a good voice, and her
much Of the ihstaginess" about her style;
in her lines and business" none can
deny, It is, however. possible to ever
override that in a part.
Bellows portrait of the wretch, Marat.
The actor carefully separated him from
the popular impression concerning the
Bellew,. Marat did not possess. the polite
ness OIL h~ODeSploTre nor the rugged
courage of Danton. but he was an alb
ject. debased coward. cruel alike to
Nothi Reie could a' BE- More fo gefss t Sassf lis
hears the bell announcing the beginning
wretchss frenzy Of JOY IN the bloody
business about to begin. followed by his
terror on beholding his WI reflection in
a mirror. which he took for one about
to a~ssassinate him. were the most de-
lightful features of Mr.. Bellows work.
The makeup of Marat was admirable
and worthy of note. There is a SINGER
ity about Mr.. Bellows acting which is
pleasing and the house last night appre-
ciated him immensely: Although he Is
| apt to be stacy, yet his intelligent read
ing of his ines throws that suspicion of
| a fault into the background.
With these ARTISTS is an exceptionally
| good company, each member of which
does his or her part we'll. The mounting
| of the play was perfect and the entire
performance was intensely interesting.
Many well known society people were
present. among whom We're: General and
Mrs. ". C. H~eppenheimer. Mr.. and Mrs.
F.. L.. Young. Mr.. and Mrs. j. E. Huls-
hizer, Jr., Mr.. and Mrs. Andrew J. Cor
| coran. Mr.. and Mrs. John p. Feeney,
| Mr.. Fred c.. Wolbert, Miss Wolbert, DR..
| Albert j. Lignot, of G~reenville: Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert A. Simpson; Mr. J. = Det-
and Clarence Detwiller and Mr.. R. Van
| Worst.