The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
FIGURES IN THE DRAMA.
1rAUBICE BhRRrMoRE AND ELfTA
PROCTOR OTIS PICTUR EsOUE.

1VNNtoto Foftuhe TetIer-Nbuck Comuorn
Z ~ n TouGh RHhibit In Scenes or the
Bovery-hlezandrn vlardn as n Jowess.
Maurice Barrymore and Elita Proctor Otis
ere the striking figures in q Ward Of France
at Wallack's. The other excellent actors in
that lively drama, as well as the authors and
managers, should concede unHrudRingly to
those two much Of the potency Of the perform.
ances. Mr.. Barrymore represents in q pictur-
esQuo fashion tho character of Jean LATTE, the
historical buccaneer. who is introduced in this
horid Illustration Of pages from tho annals of
Louisiana. This actor has taken many parts,
from Shakespeare to compositions of his own,
but no has never, IL we arc to judge by applause,
done anything half 30 entertaining. His per.
sonality and his accomplishments are employed
TO their fullest possible value. He is an ideal
pirate, breezy, audacious, devil-may.care and
very handsome. There II another hero in the
piece. we'll portrayed by Stephen Grattan, and
other mon important in the action are given by
Mr.. Whiting, Mr.. Flgman, Mr.. Herman and Mr..
O5bourne, but their -6les are comparatively
conventional, and so Mr.. Barrymore can and
docs stand out before and above them. The
ease 10 much the Same with Miss Otis. The au-
thors have put into their story q quadroon for
tune teller, and they may cling to tho idea that
they are mainly responsible for the material
with which Miss Otis has made q tremendous
e's oeS e~SS ~ NASeD tAot ~ U
eclf gives great distinction to the part. A more
striking parsonage has not lately been seen on
eur stage. This creole prophecies IL no hag in
rags. She is q beautiful woman, rich and
luxurious, witt o commsnding, presence, and .
Dominant power. "A Ward OF France" 10 an
overab9ndant matter; but beyond all It's other
suceos . appeals for aeceptanee. MT; Barry.
ideaiiscd soothsayer are responsible for the en-.
thusiasm which 70 aroused BY the piece as pei.
Chuck" Connors Is hoisting the drama at
the Columbus, taking the place in "On tho
Bowery" that was once filed by Bridgejumper
Brodie. His elevation Of the stage is accom-
blished by means OF much In speech and gesture
that Ii unusual, though'a disclosure of the same
quiet, but ~forceful methods was had with the
stage employment of Brodie and John L. Sulli-
van OF the three, IL is Brodie who wears his
chin furthest in front of his vest, and it is Sui
livan who can swing his open hand outward
from tho wrist with the greatest promise of car
mage. In voice there is some resemblance be-
tween Sullivan ana Connors; not that the lat
fer approaches tho others bark. No human
being has yet cut OF husky tones quite so OK
plosively as docs the one-time pet Of Boston,
and the only Imitation Of his speaking that il
all . counterfeit comes from tho whistle of o
New York, New Haven and Hartford tug
DOht. "LlCh mas never y0t udu u COLLISION De-
cause scows, canal boats. and even sea.going
vessels meekly sink at sound of its footing.
The Connors tones are faint copies of the
others. There Is about them q touch Of that
huskiness which won for the comic lover of
Fanny ,Hcrring's company the nickname OF the
Of the e~x-champion's tones that made 1t possi-
BILE to shut the eyes on his speaking and see the
% aStiSsefd Of oipPti he " fMasSsss of II C thh II t5 10
missed, too. for the play has him a Bowery
5siSt. when IN q b sFSSIE as iis that antid he p dssertse es s as E
etrating power in Ills tones makes no difference,
when he inquiries of ar, untidy damsel. lis
Xonse tryin' to gimme de dinky ,dinkf' All
try to do is to tell the other what to say as an
accompaniment to pouring drinks and rinsing
.6terature. 1t interferes somewhat, too With
E song about a young person who. the audience
In singing. Connors lays his cigar aside and
discovers that his hands are two. Then he Is
on the defensive, arms close to the body, and
waltz follows. His partner lays her head on
face, bends her back. and let's her arms hang
limp. He, grasps her around the hips with
the folds Of her dress skirt at the back. Con.
nors swings u bottle and threatens to strike q
'm 1asfs with = a,a &c w a4hor no !. la %s, OF w realism u and nhee
through the door Of his groggery with sufficient
force to fill tho back drop full OF wrinkles, but
when he promises to imprint the picture of his
foot in the face of a ragged hummer, the DAM
aging huskiness is again felt. 1t is sad TO hear
the pleywright's fine lines thus weakened, but
1t Is elevating to see that the bartender does
rinse some of the glasses and doesn't blow the
roth OF the porter.
Nine. Viarda's appearance as tho heroine Of
'Mosenthal's gloomy Deborah" shows no now
phase Of her talents. She Ia not SO nervous as
when she appeared first in Alexandra" but
A. - A-IA
then are quito as plain in this second role.
There are occasional evidences of q certain dra.
matte temperament which Is unschooled and
misdirected. Her speech Is invariably solemn
In manner and her voice deep and hollow. 1t
10 impossible to believe that she is experienced.
Her movements have the crudity of q beginner
and she crosses the stage with as little dignity
and grace as a person could well exhibit. There
was the force Of earnestness and enthusiasm in
the curse scene, but apart from that her acting
revealed no commendable quality. Any CORE
spondence with tho mistaken flattery that pre-
coded her appearance here IL no longer ex.
pected. But she doubtless suffers still from
that old.fashioned method of introducing a for.
Sig aT artist ;r..h Her ne hs engS Sgrta fIad at tn The g Fifth !; Aye e
her managers that she will make no further eli.
fort to act in this country, although she has pre-
One Incident In Nine. viarda'ss acting in the
churchyard scene will make it clear how naYve
storming at Joseph in the customary way when
she has perceived him with Annd In the church,
the actress carefully prepares tho way in which
she will receive her lover when he enters the
churchyard. On ono side of the stage was a
GROSS standing on the top of three steps. Sud.
denly dropping her emotions and her heroics,
Nine. yiarda made for the cross, and, labori.
ously climbing the steps. draped herself about
1t. In that attitude she awaited the appearance
Of Joseph. There is nothing new to Be said OF
Mosenthal's old play beyond the fact that II
should, never be acted again, at least in English.
tIOsSlOly that IL not new. Even Sarah Bern.
hardt could not make the old piece vital, and.
under ordinary circumstanoes, 1t is unendur,
Imaginative and subtle. Albert Gran looked
hopeless. as Joseph. and Ellen Cummins, with
ono brief scene as o prosecuted Jewess, made Q
real impression. Nine. Viarda wore q number
Of picturesque gowns of a kind that are a vast
Improvement over the customary yards Of white
cheese-cloth and black alpaca in which actresses
are accustomed to wrap themselves when they
appear as Leah.
''The Princess and the Butterfly" Mas acted