The herald., 1898-10-25
AT THE THEATER
Observation-Disclosures 9

BURBANK-Nance O'Neil's appearance
last night in the character of Leah, the
Jewess, that having been chosen for the in
itiatory performance in her weeks engage
ment here, drew together very large audi
ence. Miss O'Neil has been profusely and
judiciously advertised and she appeals to
Cahfornians especially on account of being
native daughter of the state. So much
has been said and printed about her remark
able power and intensity in melodramatic
roles that the curiosity to witness her inter-
probation OF the well known character Of
Leah, the forsaken, was toregone conclu-
| sion.
The play, as most people know, is of Ger
man origin, having been written by DIR.
Mosenthal. An adaptation OF it was first
produced in London some thirty-hve years
ago, in which the American actress Kate
Bateman made her reputation, playing the
character for 2lO nights, which was then con-
sidered a tremendous run. Since that time
i it has been played by any number OF leading
women. Clara Morris, Margaret Mather
and others have essayed it, and the cele
brated curse scene" has arrived at the dis
tinction of being considered as grand test
OF declamatory ability and power on the part
of the actress who attempts it.
| In Miss O'NeIl the unfortunate Jewess
has representative of very unusual force
and of considerable magnetic power This
| remark is made in face Of the fact that the
audience was, as Los Angeles audiences al
ways are to new comers, comparatively cold.
But the attention given ITO the play was OF
| the closest kind, and it is safe to say that
not a point of the drama was lost, while
there were occasional bursts OF applause
that showed sy1npatheticspi
Viewed from the physical standpoint, Miss
| O'NeiPs performance is a really wonderful
cne. She makes her first entrance with a
shrek that is, in fact, the key note to every.
| thing she does that follows. All her en-
t1ances are accomplished with a dramatic
sweep, her lines are sustained on plane OF
almost unvarying eXaltation, and both tone
and gesture suggest the EXTREMIST tension.
From beginning to end the audience is
obliged to contemplate the Jewess in con
dition of most profound, most acute and
tunitieie that a.; afforded in the character
of giving some relief to the agony are not
taken advantage Of These opportunities
occur in the demonstration of her love for
Joseph in the earlier part of the play and
\ again in the melting mood that happens
when in the last act She fondles Joseph's
child. This last named scene usually sets
the current of easy tears flowing in an aver
age audience, but they did not apparently
flow last night. The fact is that Miss
ONeil keeps so continuously on her high
| pitch that she loses the sense of that beauty
of proportion which consists in giving the
minor and subordinate, but not unimportant
details of the more subdued shades of feel
ing.
In person the young actress is cast in
heroic mould, and without any effort of her
own presents at once the vital embodiment
I of health, strength and passion. She has
! been exploiting her energies in a lavish way
1 for say fifteen months past, and the effect oi
her continuous work is shown in the con
dition of her voice, which has grown husky
and apparently incapable of translatng the
! tenderer tones that give relief to the stronger
passages. She needs rest, above everything
/ else, for the sake OF preserving powers that
are destined, perhaps, to adorn the. stage fol
/ years to come.
Miss ONeil shows the possession of keen
!. quick intelligence, her every movement gives
evidence of complete absorption in the
character she is playing. She has the first
grand requisites for tragic actress, power
intensity, nobility of appearance, and aquck
''curse" was given with wonderful concen
tration of utterance, spoiled only by the
huskiness that affected all her lines. In
!, the love passages she was not so good. hel
demonstrations being of the tigerish form OF
passion, purely physical, and giving no hint
] OF the mystic power of an affection ruled by
any gentle emotion. Perhaps Miss O'Nei
intended all this. but the objection still re.
mains good that the resultant picture is one
that has no relief of light and shade, but is a
dark cloud of gloom. As the fair actress is
to be seen in other roles this week, it is not
to be understood that the present notice is
j intended for more than a passing opinion
I upon the work accomplished last night This
evening Camille" will give her an oppor.
tunity to display her powers in very
ferent direction.
The supporting company appeared to con-
siderable advantage. Gertrude Foster, well
known here. and accustomed for some time
past herself to play leading roles gavete
part of Joseph's bride an interest not usually
excited in such minor character. She
was prim, correct. sweet and dutiful, in ex-
act contrast to the unfettered and undis-
cplined Jewcss. Miss Foster shows abil-
tiles that shine out even in this little part,
and make it matter Of regret that she has
nothing more important to do. Ricca AL