The herald., 1897-02-14


to see Modjeska in the character of Lady
Macbeth last night was one of no ordin-
ary kind Apart from the unfortunate
circumstances of the illness which pre-
vented the appearance of the great
Shakespearean representatf e, cir
cumstance that impaired feeling Of
deep personal regret, there was a genu-
ine loss experienced on the part of those
who had desired to study the grand Gre
alton presented by Modjeska in the
character about which there has been
so much dispute and of whose PERSONAL
ity there has been such widely different
interpretations.
That a woman inspired with the gen.
ius that Modjeska undoubtedly possess
ses should select such a character as
that of Lady Macbeth, and, with her
reputation as an actress at stake, should
place the result of her studies before the
public, not once, but continuously, indi-
oates that she must have an abiding
faith in the correctness Of her interpre-
tation and that, at any rate, her views
as illustrated in the treatment given to
the impersonation would be worthy of
discussion, and that any attempt to op-
pose them should be backed by argu-
IltHlS tHdl ShOuiu nave WCl6HI III tiC
eyes of Shakespearean scholars. 1t Is
q curious fact, however, that the remarks
appearing in the San Francisco papers
on the occasion of the recent production
of Macbeth in that cultivated city, have
uniformly been to the same effect, name
ly, that Madame Modjeska was entirely
unequal to the heavy demands of the
character of Lady Macbeth. Such
unanimity of sentiment would give rise
at first to the thought that the Bay City
must be unusually we'll supplied with
journalists whose reading in the works
of the great bard was at once profound
and intelligent, were it not for the fact
that the notices showed in their fiippant
treatment ofvhe subject that the writer's
were pronosEcing judgment on sub
ject of wha-'1 they were lamertably ig-
norant, or. echoing with parrot-like per-
sistency the ill-considered opinion Of
one who ought to have known better.
The fact Is that the Lady Macbeth of
Modjeska is a creation SO widely variant
from the conventional Interpretation,
which is that of a melodramatic Amazon,
that people accustomed to a coarse and
brutal personation with a display of
strength and superhuman audacity, fail
81 tie ar}istect ilae
gives of this complex and difficult char
acter.
1t was unfortunate, from an artistic
point of view, that the management de-
cided to put MacbSll before the public
last night. 1t was about as judicious an
act as it would be to allow the play of
Hamlet to be performed with an under
study to read the lines Of the principal
part. The characters of Macbeth and
his consort are so evenly balanced in
interest and responsibility, and they play
so much into each others hands that a
deficiency in ability on the part of either
cannot but have an injurious effect upon
the presentation of the play. Whatever
Mr.. Haworth may be able to do with the
character of Macbeth, 1t would manifest
ly be unfair to Judge him by last nights
performance, handicapped as he was
by an actress whose study, probably
from lack of time for preparation, was
so imperfect. The lines of the bard were
severely dealt with by Mrs. Levick, who
was put forward to assume the part for
which Modjeska's name was allowed to
remain on the theater programs.
Mr.. Haworth made very picturesque
appearance as Macbeth, ,and,i in addition,
he has voice that is round and full,
well modulated, and pleasing in it's ex
preston. That he did not feel at home
last night in the part in which he has
gained laurels elsewhere was very evil
dent, and, under the circumstances, ex-
cusable. The performance by the sup
porting company was very crude and so
imperfect as to justify the structures
that were passed upon the lack of judg-
ment that permitted 1t to be given.
The creation of q theatrical trust fill
not be a matter of surprise to people
who are familiar with the methods by
which monopolies in every other paying
business manage to control matters so
that competitors are frozen out and
those in the pool reap harvest of il
licit profit.
Manager Hayman has had the con-
troll of an extensive circuit for consid-
erable time, and, according to the San
Francisco Examiner, he has succeeded