New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08


a supreme effort of lf-control. with an ambi-
ton burning like witchcraft in her heart and
an invincible resolve to goad on her husband TO
his high destiny by access OF her own strength
Of will Having convinced herself that his weak
ness mcnacing that fatcful chance Of SOW
ereignty forecast by the weird sisters she was
ready to unsex herself, to steel herself to nsen-
sibility to all mortal thoughts. and to cry aloud
for supernatural aid in accomplishing her fell
purpose With a passion for ambition conauR
Ing her like a demoniacal frenzy, she was CO..
as ice and hard as flint. mcrciless in acr taunN
naughty in her hospitality, and without tender'
ness even pity for the man whom she wax
dragging into crime. The end Of such Lady
Macbeth could only be insanity, as prefigured IN
the remorse and frenzy of the sle"p-walking
scene
The method by which these effects OF impor-
sonation were produced was realism. There
was a statuesque beauty which chilled. There
was Il stern. unbendinr will which was as re-
lentlcss as doom. There power without
gentleness or charm. Miss Calhoun was as
merciless in her truth to Shakespeare as lady
Macbeth herself 10 her husband under the
spell Of her witchcraft: and she made the char
acter terrible in its consistency There was
nothing Of the dreamkc idealism with which
Miss Cushlnan used to in with poetcal mag
natiop the lines:
THE sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures: It's the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil"
Nor was. The sleep walking scene pathetic
spectacle Of fcvcrish remorse 1t was acted out
with dramatic realism ike The mesmori' trance
In The Bells" and with one rather startling m
noyatiou. Al ;ho end Of the seen" TN" sleep
walker aNak.s TO find herself in front Of The
entrance 10 the chamber where the CHASTITY
murders were committed. and recognizes the
door with heart broken scream. That is bit
Of realism which is not in the play. but it serves
H. intensity the dramatic effect after the or
binary resources of the scene hay" been OK
haustcG 1t is novel and powerful effect. and
one easily justified 10y the assumption that
Lady Macbeth in one Of her rounds with her
candle might have awakened to find herself at
the portals Of the chamber Of horrors
Seldom has hcartcr applause followed an in
tense dramatic effort than that with which this
sIccp-walking scene. with its weird awakening.
was greeted Miss Calhoun has one of the most
mclodious voices to be- heard the English
stage and she has beauty. grace dignity Of
prcsenc, and knowledge of art She has also
an hnnorahl, ambition for undertaking difficult
work II IS worth something IN these days or
thoughtlcss burlcsqu. and frivolous drama 20
have glimpse Of earnest acting with high
ideals
JOHN HARES PROSPERITY.
Mr. John Hare has entered upon a new career
~ prosperity at the Globe Theatre. with The
Bachelors Romance" which will disappear this
week after good run. 1t is an American play.
but is slight in construction ana bears Few
marks Of transatlantic origin. What rs regard
ed az "A more Characteristic American play IN
spite Of its Franco-';erman subject. IL The
Conqucrors" which Is now running AT the 81
James, Theatre. II has not excited much DIS
cussion here Possibly the indignant protests
made against il in NeW-York prepared the pub
lie for something more offensive than was actu-
ally presented. especially when changes had
been mad. II, and when Mr.. Alexander had
taken great pains to minimize the effect Of the
most conspicuous scene by undcracting the
rakcs part Their. is no revolt OF IN" moralists
against this play but the critics nave con-
demncd If as faulty IN construction. unconvinc-
Ing IN method. and theatrical rather than dra-
matte ia form tn. company has done every
thing IN its power to say. it 10y enacting II with
power and Judgment. Better acting has never
been seen in that theatre than Miss Nelson's.
Mr. Alcxand.r's and Mr.. II. b IrNings perform
ancos.
Whatever may be- the defects Of American
play. writing nd acting. there is general agree
mcnt among London critics that there is no lack
Of dramatic power in the work which IS now on
exhibition here While English playwrights
have been cxhausting their energies in refining
cplgrams and giving sparkling effect to dia-
ogu, their American colleagues seem to have