The times., 1897-12-28
NEW PLAYS AND OLD.
Mrs. Fiske in "ress of the D'Urber
ytlIes,"


The brilliant and fashionable audience
assembled within the Grand Opera House
last night to see Mrs. Fiske in Tess of the
| D'UrbervIlles' recalled the da VS. when
| this house was Albaugh's Grand and the
rendezvous of the same type of playgoers
to see the greater stars. Those who keep
posted on current dramatic matters know
that Mrs. Fiske appears here at popular
priced house because she declines to play
I'm theaters controlled by the syndicate.
Many came to see her last night because
they heard that Mrs. Ffske is the Minnie
Maddern of ten years ago, who charmed
them with her comedy in In Spite of ALL"
Caprice" and other plays. Others came
because the bruit Of her more recent
triumphs In serious roles had reached
them. Though she has played several
pieces since her return to the stage, this
is Washinston's first opportunity to see
ner since the Minnie Maddcrn days.
The performance by Mrs. Fiske of Lorimer
Stoddard'S dramatiZatiun OF Thomas Har-
ny's Tess Oh the u Urt efViiIes" was a
confirmation of the extraragant praise
which newspapers and magazines the
country over have accorded IL. Mrs. Fiske
has three frightful facts to fight in her
career. Commercially she Is antagonistic
to the syndicate. In nationality She is
opposed 10 the caddish notion that to
be great is to be foreign. Artistically she
is unconventional daring, and serious
pUrposed with bold lack OF consideration
for that class of theatergoers who are
either sensuous or laughter seeking, or
both. Had Mrs. Fiske come to us from
abroad, speaking another language, and
charging double her present price, she
would have been proclaimed ere this the
dramatic event OF the century. BY some
she has been so proclaimed, and such she
is. We should try and realize it, for
la
not, and she is American, i'll BIRTH edu-
cation, achievement, and pTeferment.
Tne play suggests consideration from
three poin is of view, while for acting, as
reproduction Of the story and as an ethical
propos tfoE it is a strtkingIy good acting
play. Yet oue shudders to think what it
might be without its present interpreter,
not only for her presence in the title role
but for her artistic and temperamental in
fiuence in the whole presentation. Mr.. Stod-
dard's play strikes into tie center OF the
novel. 1t begins with Angels proposal.
From that on the dramatist has borrowed
the main line of the plot from the book, de-
flectng sometimes for dramatic coherency,
sometimes TO strengthen the characters,
q $ IN Withholding from Tess the knowledge
that Angel did not receive her written con-
fession before her marriage. Morally
the book is improN ed upon, if only in that
one hasn't staring him In the eye that title
page absurdity, A pure woman." This
was Hardy's Hing at,thristiau Ii morals. HE
Tess was pagan; a creature Offate. With
out contributing positive qualities, Stod-
dard has removed these unsympa thetic
blemishes. He makes her q human, erTing,
repentant, suffering woman. removed from
the unnecessary qualitative pagan or
Christian The dramatic Tess might have
been either, There is contrast between
Tess'S mother in the book and in the play.
hN pnfnrflll
nificant than Mr.. Stoddard has made her.
She is a strong, picturesque figure in the
play but she has been given rositiveneSs
of meaning which in certain connections
substitute her for the fatalistic motif OF
the novel. The drama is interesting and
impressive. but is either so fine or 10 weak
that without the genius OF Mrs. Fiske or
the dramatic talent of the other players
it would not be attractive.
The company was notab bly, excellent in
its entirety. Mary Shaw showed fine skill
in Characterization as Marion, Mrs. Baker
presented an original Joan, John Jack was
adtnira bla as Sir John, Forest Robinson,
as Angel, was capable in his last scenes,
though deficient earlier, and Frederic De
Bellcville, while he looked the ideal Alec,
did not give the note OF eNpressivenesS
that would have lifted his performance
10 a plane OF greatness.
Mrs Fiske, as Tess, domina ted the piece,
acting was great triumph. IT was the
conquest Of convention by truth. 1t gave
the lie to the sophisin that "a player must
look the part This small, 1.-THE, I'M
beautiful, rCd-haired woman is not the
realization OF the preconceiyed notion OF
the authors Tess. II is not the physique
OF q woman which is in evidence. 1t is
the soul OF woman, and il is very
soon evident that it is the soul or Tess
which is seen in the expressive face of
the wonderful actress, her tragic siiences,
her rneaningful intonation, her suggestive
action. her significant Tepose. It is not
a performance for the eye and
the ear. We grow TO feel the tragedy
OF the suffering woman, we come into a
harmony with Tess, we reflect
her sensations, and our senses are but gents, |
avenues to the heart.
She achieved this wit h the simplest and |
subtlest, because simple, methods pos |
sible. Her performance was reNersion |
10 the impreSsiveness and potency of first |
of art, unallied to the trickery |
of theatricalism. DuSe gave this school |
its first important recognition, yet Mrs. |
Fiske is in no instance remotely sugges- |
tive of the Italian, except in her potent |
results. She does not seem to act. She |
is literal. Yet her liberalism is allied TO |
a drs matte force which impresses, not by |
theatrical contrast with our natural lives,
but by profound 1nttOspecuion Oh Dufilan
actua lit Y in contrast with the cheap tricks
Df the trade which have heretofore done
duty for art, a nd have succeeded in induc-
ing belief in their greatness.
Mrs. Fiske IS not perfect, but she more
nearly pproaches the point where human
lrt, refined by genius, achieves its limita-
ton than almost any other actress. Ger
N inly she is more literally endowed with
genius and more eXquisitely developed by
4 tina n other person who acts |
English. 1t is a new, pleasure and
notable sensation to hear our native
tongue on such gifted lips. Mrs. Fiske
gives a ma tinee tomorrow.
aSaprpt SeryicaS -