The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-16
AFFAIRS OF THE THEATRES
mn. TREES PORTRIITURE OF THE
HYPNOTIST IN "TRILBY.n


Charueterization-Mr. Hnrlow TAX s HE
lnttatien or . Woman into Vaudeville
nipples La che Current of Amusement.
The acting by Herbert Beerbohm Tree in
"Trilby" at the Knickerbocker Theatre gives
further and positive proof of his skill In char
aoterization. His reputation does not rest upon
any one Of his performances, nor upon any sin
Gle quality Of his dramatic gifts. but It has been
earned and maintained by the good average of
many essentially different approximations.
His depletion of SuengalL, the abnormal creature
Of Du Maurler's creation. is fine and strong. He
shows the man described by the author. Tho
physical aspects are displayed with perfect
fidelity. and the mental sinRularities are indi-
Gated quite as clearly. Mr.. Tree humanizes
the monster . little moro, perhaps, than
Du Maurler did in the book, and sure
II more than Mr.. Laokaye and other
American actors did in the play. In that
respect he is moro artistic and possibly less
popular than his predecessors. There is no
appreciable departure In his conception of the
extraordinary being, who is no moro to DO con-
strued seriously than the evil phenomenon in
DIR. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde" and the only possible
method 10 to put him forward az . marvellous
exhibit in ethnology. But Mr.. Tree saves him
from extreme grotesquery in looks and manner.
and makes his practice Of hypnotism rather
moro persuasive, considerable and logical. The
selhshness, cruelty and malevolence are not
too harshiy expressed. The details of the
representation have been thought out caro-
fully. and they are executed with technical
precision. The speech Is fluent, the accent
easy, and all the signs Of assumption are con-
cealed with that nicely which marks all the
decentralization has been altered by Mr.. Tree in
some particulars. Kate Rorke's 7rtlbv is satis-
Tree, the cast is not equal to the hrst one at tho
Garden, nor is the Bohemian spirit which Mr..
'prssSrsy im p = r., tb 70 K me .o erhncs production
Richard Harlow is exhibiting at Proctor's
Pleasure Palace, in o sketch called Catching q
Duke" the came sweetly feminine graces that
made him q participant to DO remembered in
"1492." His impersonation of q wealthy sooi-
ETY. woman is quite as close copying. and is quite
as free.from any trace of burlesqus or any dis
closure Of manliness, as was his Queen Isabella.
His attire is gorgeous. There is a dress of fg-
ured black silk with q sweeping train. and as he
first appears his shoulders are covered with q
iuffy cape of heliotrope stun. the same color
showing in the dress trimmings and linings.
When the cape 10 removed his shoulders. breast.
and arms arc covered only with some cos
metio that makes them g~listen like white
enamel. Eyes and lips are made up
d9inEiy. ana the Wig aids q stylish coinnre:
effaeed from msnners and eerriase The ssit
10 mincinR. tho management of the cumbrous
train Is skilful. and the poses are carefully
with o coy airiness. and o great TODD Ia made
of taking o powder put from . pocket inside
the lining of the dress train. usinG 1t. and re-
.terfeit woman receives an offer of marriage.
and accepts 1T after doing q few stems Of Q dance
iaundresses. Paired with Mr.. Harlow is an
actor intended TO represent q titled weakling.
woman, and his bulk is about one-third Of the
others. That he wears coat. vest, and trousers
is .sa nar 20 gh e ' Harlow esssse IN NJ !, i Isssii ana con-
O.. -
Phyllis Rankin, daughter Of Mckee Rankin.
mas oeen ~iueu 10 inc speeiai.S ioth " luz
Geezer" at Weber & Fields's Broadway. She
hr. e. ona ~ ,hs .nts-t.ins-s hronaht IN ~ ~.
omn e 0ns OF s%' , sn' csinssa p pnIsr s M 'U :. s sno
nouneed to give an imitation OF Anna Held. and
Nor" Her short skirt is deeply huted. and .
trace of bodice that is green ends below the
level OF her armpits, two tiny straps being all
tha. pASses oveI . snnuiaerA- mar eha eyes
.nes ~i"o's e'e u Sotof vi 'he tA'rs anu
oe" u ANN 'n"s sukks'' eno uss-
wy queen more IMAM tney 10 fFFAS
"' ~ 'ne nems =" q PIC
ute IN" eteAr, s"ee' 'o'ee she e'hks t"e
roia' y invi.Atioh' using out u trace Oh 4
eho "omAhs "'spronuhctation Inc accom-
thnsy. aenSh % Are re out MIC rspro1uetion OF
who are continually on the Jump, and when she
hits the hem Of her skirt It's folds are displaced
So 100 whs m.' 10. 'r TIssi tne'r ro Sr,gin MAJ ou \. / ne.
covered in an orchestra seat behind the cello
Convincing ottts urgency as to make the most
s me5,.S, { TSs nh feel either either !; :bsSnsa or G9o%pI III
delicacy, and there 10 nothing in It that
esepol the conventional loud-yoiced.
a~erohatic exaggeration; That factor is sup
PILE 16 By two T R mGGs Cinnamon, sam Bernard
the stage, and who initiate the vocallst's
gestures and steps, for at the close she waltzes
Prettily Tor q moment During the last stanza
they busy themselves over two huge milk cans
and a tin oathtuo; From the cans they pour
OUT q white liquid into the tub; and as the last
refrain Is reached Bernard paddles in the bath.
thTowing up hnndfuls Of the mixture and grim
scinE invitingis; AS the song Is finished the
Lo1 Is carried Oh oy bernard. who. with sleeves
roiiea up. makes as COMIC pretense as he can
Of ,f a Go coming milk bath; The ragged o9toast Of
the ouriesque STANDS at one side or the stage
During the lSst stanza. 6nt does not attempt
Any copy OF "'i'am Hoeys iooiery.
Our three stock companies are figuring in the