Evening star., 1897-02-13
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talk collars and cuffs or ordinary dry
goods, yet he speaks loud enough for the
whole boat to hear, and as one having au
thority. At this retreat you will find
AIRY and his "'Arriet" who long ago
discovered Coney Island and found it very
good. He wears his wcolen sweater and
slouch cap, and she has the black sailor
hat which has seen season or two, and
the shirt waist, a year or so behind the
mode. Yet they are supremely happy. They
care not for you and your criticisms. This
multitude takes possession of Coney Island
the moment ii diSembarkS from the crowd
ed boats. 1t splashes in the surf, whirls
in the merry -gc-rounds and hears the per-
ennial wall of the soubrette. 1t fills up the
hotels The beer kegs yield to it. The
provender of the landlords and the res
taurant keepers disappears rapidly as a
wheat field before an army of locusts
At the time Margaret Mather retired from
the stage she had already gained position
in the front rank of American actresses. She
had all the attributes of success. A slender,
graceful and beautiful woman. she salts
fled that Cnwritten demand, or yearning, it
may be, for physical attractiveness which
was powerful factor in the success of
such stars as Adelaide Nelson, Modjeska,
Ada Rehan and Ellen Terry. She also
and a rare ability to interpret the
deeper or more intense emotions: Now she
returns to the stage more mature physically
and with ripper intelligence and with an
ambition to attain even greater professional
prominence. In speaking OF her present
venture Miss Mather said:
Il have an excellent company, which has
been selected with extreme care and
which already works together with smooth
ness and precision. In costume, scenery
and other properties We will surpass al
most anything seen for several years. l
have selected for the opening piece that
majestic drama, Shakespeare's 'Cymbeline'
in which 1 shall take the part of Imogen.
The play has been very seldom presented
IN the United States. and never. IL l re-
member Alright, in q manner worthy of the
matter, excepting when brought out by
Henry Irving: it will be a novelty to a
great majority Of theater-goers. 1t is set
in time and place which can be treated
In a very artistic manner, Cymbeline being
a mythical or semi-mythical king of Brit
ain, and the leading characters represent
ing types of ancient Celtic or British man.
hood. of Roman character and of those
mixed creations which the Roman dominion
had evolved in the course of centuries. The
impetuosity. the emotionalsm, the gener-
osity and the other good qualities of the
old race are charminS1y incarnated by the
great poet. and yet through 1t and through
all runs vein partly sad and partly tragic,
as If to express the great fact that this
race was doomed to dwindle and die be-
meath the newest types coming across the
channel from the European continent. 1t
was a period in which savagery was yield
ing to civilization, in which the peoples of
the north besides their own armors, furs,
SklnS ana TOuSn weaving, were also be-
ginning to employ the richer and more
beautiful material of the Mediterranean
races This part l have endeavored to
produce SO as TO satisfy the one side the
love of the beautiful and on the other the
student of history and of fashions. ] shall
nave the armorS and weapons, the jewels
and robes, the furniture and equipments of
that time, SO far as 1t is possible to obtain
them, regardless of expense, today. 1t was
romantic age in one respect. People were
more ignorant and less self-controlled.
Their passions were more intense and
quicker lived. The sword was everywhere,
ard was everywhere put to use. The old
family rule was existent and the king, as
the father of his people. possessed the
right of life and death over every subject,
and exercised Ii only too often without a
seconds delay There was cruelty; there
was animalism. jealousy and horrible anger,
and again there was wilder joy, more fren-
Zied happiness and wilder orgies than .we,
in our present civilization, ever dreamed
Of. / believe that the time is here for a
vival of the great tragedies and classical
dramas. We have drifted, SO far poou-
lar taste is concerned, upon a sea of humor
and fun and nonsense until we have touch
ed each point of its long shore. Events for
the past two years. beginning with the
war in the east. have appealed to another
side of the character America and the
rest of the world sees that human life be-
low the veneer of enjoyment is based upon
principles which are never less than Sc
rious, and are often more than tragic. So
far the theater represents life, the
grandest and gloomiest of the old tragedies
chapter of the history of today pertaining
TO Armenia the other chapter regarding
our little neighbor of Cuba, next door,
Miss Edith Crane. who impersonates the
role of Triby next week at the Grand
Opera House. is said to be the most beau
tiful of all the Trilbys who have thus far
played the part. Miss Crane was a mem
har Of Charles ms
ttrion Company for several seasons. and
was a great favorite at the English capital.
With the present company she played Tril-
by six months in Australia. where she be-
came a great social as well artistic
favorite. Tho governors wife gave ball in
her honor, which was attended by over
100 of the most nguished people in
Melbourne. In Sidney there was a Trilby
over $1,000 for the benefit of the poor. She
appeared each night after the performance
in the magnificent costume worn by her
in the third act of the play.
Columbia Decentralization go TO
prove that Margaret Mather's Forthcoming
production of "Cymbeline" at the Column
ba Theater will be the finest Shakes
pearean production this country has ever
witnessed. Not only will the production
cost $4,000, but the actors enganged to
support Miss Mather are the best on the
American stage. In fact, 1t would be diff
fCult to duplicate hcr company, which is
composed entirely OF Americans. The whole
production Is essentially American, for be-
side the actors the scenic artists Orchard
Marston, w. w. Burridge, John Fl. Young.
II. Logan Reid Homer F. Emens and Har-
ley Merry are all natives of this country
Even DaZien, the costumer, can lay claim
to that honor Miss Mather has returned
to the stage to stay. She mas ample means
her disposal and when she determined
upon the production of "Cymbeline'' she
gave orders that no expense was to be
spared. The production has been under her
direct supervision. to the minutest detail
ard whatever credit will be due for its
success must be hers. With force of char
acter, ability of the highest order and am
pie means Miss Mathcrs venture is sure
to prove unqualified success. Her COM
pany Is extraordinarily strong in every
part, and ''Cymbeline'' will be played as 1t
has never been played before. Miss Mather
will play Imogen. a part made famous by
such artists as the great Mrs. Siddons
Miss Faucit Adelaide Nelson. Ellen Terry
and Modjeska; l.. j. Henley will play
Iachimo. the villain. The others in Miss
Mather's support are William Redmond of
Richard Mansfeid's company. William
Courtleish. II. A. Weaver who played
Belarius with Nelson, and will play 1t
again with Miss Mather; J. II. Kolker
Walter Stewart. William McNay, Lynn
Pratt, Joseph kilgour. V. NJ. de Silke, u.
L. Fdrnham. III. De We're. ]. L. Wallach. T.
7. Whiting, George S. Stevens, Mrs.