The herald., 1897-02-11
I At THE THEATERS 4;
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LOS ANGELES THEATER-The
German playwright who evolved the
title of Heimath for the play called
Magda In its English form, must have
been moved by spirit of irony, for the
home he pictures is sad indeed The
life in 1t moving sluggishly from day to
day, domineered by an aged, crippled
martinez under whose orders wife and
daughter bow with trembling reverence,
brings to mind tale that is old, no part
Of which figures in the scheme Of things
according to the up-to-date reckoning
of the young idea of today. All the same,
the picture of German home life that
Suderman presents, has a truthful as
pect and its narrowness and petty
pleasures and obligations are brought
out in strong relief by the daughter
Magda on her home coming, after twelve
years Of absence, during which she has
graduated in the Bohemian world and
has become a singer whose name is
famous.
The story is cleverly focused in the
events of two days which take place in
the old fathers l. use,, and the whole
gamut of human emotion is sounded by
the dramatist, beginning with the light
tones of Magda on her return home,
deepening when she meets her former
paramour, and coming to a tragic cii-
max when the old father dies from the
excitement caused by his attempt to
save the honor of his family name.
Modjeskas personation of the famous
but unhappy Magda is so perfectly i'm
agined and so completely portrayed, that
1t cannot but carry conviction to every
listener. In her fine carriage and de-
meanor and her rich costumes she salts
fies the eye before word Is spoken, but
when that we'll trained voice with its
tones now delicate and now strong, but
always full of meaning, falls upon the
ear, one recognizes instinctively the
presence of queen of her art, whose life
like that of the Magda she impersonates
may be conceived of as devoted to its
chosen cult.
The play has been seen here before
and its repetition last night but deepens
the impression then made of the power
and charm of the woman who interprets
1t. There was perhaps, in her first scene
not so strong an accentuation of the
lines as to some might have appeared
desirable, but in the later acts the en-
ergy, the fire and the pathos were all
there, from the incest point of express
sion to the topnote Of scorn, reproach
or agony, as the situation demanded.
The well-known scene with the Coun-
cillor Won Keller, where he proposes
marriage, was brought to a superb cli-
max by the indignant Magda when she
orders him from the house.
At the same time it is also in the
quieter parts of the play that Modjeska
shows the consummate talent of the true
artist. Not an opportunity is lost either
in action or expression of voice to give
color and force to the Characterization
Whatever may be thought of the play
itself, and of its pessimistic tone, the
originality. excellence and force of the
acting of the chief character must he
conceded, and it would be hard for the
most inveterate faultfinder to suggest IN
what way it might be improved.
George Osbourne is an actor of ex
perience and acknowledged talent. He
appears to understand the part of Coun-
cillor Won Keller, but he is temperament
ally unable to assimilate 1t. The kind
of Gentleman Jack, which he furnished
in it's stead was to a certain extent an
Injustice to the author whose concep-
tion of the phlegmatic, prigsish narrow
minded and conceited bourgeois, rapt
in contemplation of his own excellencies
and blind to everything but his own
future prospects. was belied by that
alert and sensitive American smooth
scoundrel portrayed by Mr.. Osbourne.
The Major Schubert of Mr.. Haworth
was played with great feeling and With
q grasp that strengthened with each
successive act His death scene and, in
fact. each incident of the last act was
worked up with great skill and elicite1
an applause that was only subdued by
the painfl.- nature of the scene itself
Mr.. Lonersan as the rector was clearly
out of his proper line and he had a char
acter of such delicate proportions that
failure in any part was failure altogeth-
er. 1t must be confessed that he was
very bad indeed. Sympathetic express
sion is evidently not his forte in dra-
matte work.
Outside of the leading characters the
women of the cast are somewhat color
less as sketched by the author, and the
players did not succeed in improving
on the text. Miss Joliffe was pleasingly
ingenious as the sister of Magda and
acts as if she might do better with q
better part. The mother as represented
by Mrs. Levick was unobtrusively prop
er and powerfully weak. The slender
soubrette part played by Miss Alice Per-
kins was unexpectedly good and life
like.
The house was crowded to the ceiling
the audience was attentive, applausive
almost to enthusiasm; flowers were
passed over the footlights and the re-
ception accorded the great actress must
have gratified her every WISH
Tonight Mary Stuart in which part
Modjeska is without rival, will DE
given.
FANNY RICE.-The sale of reserved
seats for Miss Rice's engagement opens
this morning at the Los Angeles theater
She will present the new version of At
the French Ball, and her new musical
comedy, A Flower Girl of Paris.
BURBANK THEATER.-A Runaw ay
Wife continues to draw good houses.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Capitaine in her
graceful trapeze act is the chief attrae-
tion this week. Crowds flock to see her
shapely form and watch her daring per-
fcrmance.
AN DISSATISFIED THIRST
William Vincent Steals a Bottle of Vermuth
nnd Comes to Grief
William Vincent, wild-eyed fellow
who was evidently suffering from the
effects Of prolonged debauch, made a
home run yesterday afternoon, and with
in an hour after he had stolen bottle of
vermuth with which to appease his
unquenchable thirst, had been arrested,
arraigned, tried and sentenced to a term
in jail.
Between 2 and o'clock Vincent went
| into the saloon of TT T St,Ihr on Fir 4