The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-09
GODEFRoI AND YoLANDE.
Miss Ellen Terry's Remarkable Acting
In q New Part.

Ellen Terry In her new role of Yolande,
In Lawrence Irving's "Godefroi and Yo-
lande," is called upon to exert her hnish-
cd art, to lend her authoritative presence,
and to apply her individual characteris-
tics to the delineation OF repulslve per-
sonage and to the illumination OF a Pc
culiarly difficult role. Her uccess In do
ing these things at Abbey's Theater is
one OF the most memorable achievements
of her career In this country, and II IL
were not for the disagreeable nature OF
this one-act play its repetition would be
welcome for the sake OF this personation,
which was seen for the only time In this
luxurious sin of the courtesan IL made
known at the beginning. and the audi
ence Is soon informed Siso that her indis-
position, concerning which physician has
been summoned, is due to the incipient
stage Of leprosy. The entire situation In
all its horror Is therefore revealed before
Yolande, still unconscious Of her terrible
fate, appears on the scene. This ignor-
ance CT YoIande enables the actress to
run the entire gamut OF the emotions OF
which such O woman Is capable. Con-
tempt OF all things noble, heartlessness
In ell matters of love, cruelty TO the un-
fortunate, triumph In her power. eager
expectation OF having the King and the
Archbishop as her guests in her palace OF
Venus, cupidity more than lust in her
consideration Of her lovers, and total in
sensibility 10 everything which could
appeal to a woman's true nature are ex-
hibited by Miss Terry in her brief scene
with her maids and the doctor and God
efroi with remarkable vividness-- As she
laughs at one and the other, and as she
lounges on her throne and utters bitter
cruelties, she is the embodiment OF
beautiful and reckless vitality, yet even
here she betrays, for an instant, uneasi-
ness under the masterful love OF the poor
secretary whose poverty she despises. All
these. traits, except the last, are empha-
sized in picture OF mobile and statues
que grace when the woman reappears in
all her glory to receive the homage of her
lover from the Holy Land, and of her
royal and princely guests. The know
ledge of impending and immediate catas-
trophe possessed by the audience is power
less to quell the symathetic realization Of
the woman's abundant aud victorious
loveliness. 80 admirably does Miss Terry
simulate the demeanor of this later Ven
nus, who seems as powerful as Aphrodite
gliding through the woods to the house
of Anchises. When Sir Sagamour recols
form her dead white hand, and the
crushing revelation comes, and she Is
cursed and abandoned, she stands bewild-
an extraordinary picture OF suspended
despair. Her distress and argument and
final conviction. with none to teach her
but the faithful Godefroi, are as dramatic
as one would expect In this actress; the
supposed awakening of her souI,to recog-
milton Of other things than riches and
lust 10 so admirably depicted that 1t APP
pears like a revival of some things heard
long ago, and her ultimate entire SUBJ
mission to the one strong man who be-
friends her in q world Of rage and dis
gust has in 1t an air SO swectly womanJy
that. despite her uncleanness, in heart
and body, pity goes out to the stricken
Yolande as to woman deserving better
things. This last pitjful scene is the
acme OF a unique and memorable ifftstra-
tion of Ellen Terry's art.--N. Y. Sun.