The evening times., 1896-03-13
CHANGE OF BILLS.
Mr.. Hare in Mrs. Ebbsmith" and
Saruh Bernhardt A. Magda.

Sarah Bernhardt as Magda.
John Hare and the London Garrick The
ater Company changed their bill al the New
National last night and TO large audience
was submitted Arthur Wing Pinero's latest
problem play, The Notorious Mrs. Ebb-
smith, II was given careful and forcefui
rendering, One OF the most elaborate ip-
terror settings placed upon a local stage in
som. time is seen in the eearlierportionso oil The
play.
Mr Hare. though Ostensibly on n starring
tour pla yed a secondary part. the Duke o1
81. OlphertS. IL was finely wrought CHAR
actcrization OF an old roue. In makeup.
voice and personality 1T was not only a most
complete disguise OF the actor. but
there was not the slightest trace OF Lord
kiiclaTe or Mr.. Goldflnch. There are only
three or four American actors the equal OF
this versatile English gentleman. They
are +. NJ. Holland. ". j. Ferguson and
W. II. Thomson. Mansfield is his superior
All others than these could learn of him fine
points in their art.
Fred Terry had the insipid Lucas Cleere
to drag through four acts. He struggled
brdvely, but poor Mr.. Cicero was an invalid.
mentally as well as physically. {. Aubrey
Smith was satisfactory as young clergy
man. and Fred Thorne did a small part OF a
physician as well as he does all these inter-
estlng bits.
Juiia Nelson wa every moment the center
OF attraction. She lie an actress of power.
and, with a belief in what she is trying to
express. would undoubtedly impress her
likely incident OF comedy and tragedy
living verify. but the impossible Mis-. Ebb-
smith is beyond any ones power. Miss
Nelson will be heard from again in less no
torious characters II is to be hoped. and her
coming shall always be the promise of an
attractive woman and fine artist.
And the play? Leaving IL till the last
doesn't Obviate the necessity of spea king OF
it. 1t is a purposeless exposition OF
wrciched state OF affairs. With revolving
ma kedness, it discloSes the relations and
remedies OF several weak. misguided peO
pie. The cases are exceptional. but posi-
bie A man and woman have each mar
binds. They think they are affinities. but
they are not. So ii goes. Mr. Pinero Of
fers no solution; he simply states the un-
happy condition of the people. Ii cannot be
because there are some unhappy marriages
that he advances Mad A Agnes' platOnic propO-
sitiOn as his own panacea. No one would
believe the man, II he declared SO hin self.
There is no other weakness in the play.
1t is not convincing, because the dramatist
has no conviction. A positivist in error
always has a more possible front than a
swings like rudderfess ship in gale. He.
Cleeve and Mrs. Ebbsmith lose sight of the
fact that life demands certain sacrifices OF
problems is resignation and silence,
"The notorious Mr.. Ebbsmith'' is need
less, 1t is hopeless, 1t should never have
on this play was given him for IA better
purpose. The truth need not always be
told.
Last night young man and a young wo-
man came into the orchestra chairs. They
were trinity dressed and apparently genu-
inely happy. They enjoyed the music of the
overture and they enjoyed each other. E.sy
were evidently making holiday Oft. Inc
curtain rose and the Ebbsmith case began
to be taiked. TIE couple were interested.
At the end OF the second act they had
ceased chattering When the curtain low
cred next they were ominously silent.
Whenfinally Mrs. Cleeve made her abnormal
proposition to A gnes and the end came, there
were tears in the young woman seyes. The
two rose to put on their wraps. not daring
same time few grains Of rice fell out of the
flowers In her hat. She blushed. Was
1t their sin, or Piner0's?
Sarah Bernhardt put by her French patri-
otism last night and became a German
FOR the nonce. That is. she appeared in
a play by Il German The locale was n
provincial town in Germany. The char
acters all bore TeutOnic names. and Sarah
herself pretended to be Rhinelander.
That all sounds original. Sarnh has been
everythingelse but a German. Shehasacted
all sorts OF berOines. frCm ancient Egypt
and remote India to modern Italy and fin
cursiOn across the high wall set up along
the west frontier of France in the early
seventies.
To De brief, Sarah appeared as Magda in
Sunderman's problematical drama. II was
vigorous labor for her. 1t involved keep
Thoughts, while you were perfectly certain
every moment that what Sarah wanted TO
do was to tell the pastor to tend to bis
own affairs, order the meddlesome aunts
out of the house, give wcll-flled pocket
book OF stage money to unreasonable papa