The herald., 1898-02-20

he past week has been comparatively
IN local theatrical circles. but the mo-
iy Is to be cnivened by the advent
rho Girl From Paris who will ster
ic stage of the Los Angeles theater
ucsday night in company with forty
fly other girls, from Paris and else
e. Next week Primrose and Vests
trels arc coming, and they will be fol-
| early in March by Marie VAIN
1t in u problem play entitled: shall
Forgive Her?'
my. Davenport has cssayed new
icter in the person of Joan of Arc in
W written by Frances Aymar Mat
5. In spite of expensive mounting, the
is a failure, the comfortable en-
d with popular ideas of the visionary
isiast, the young girl whose history
;gestive of self-sacrfice and an ascetic
A correct estimate of Fanny Daven-
ent issue of Life. The writer says:
nay be honestly said that Fanny Dav-
t is now in the full maturity of her
RS. She cannot be excused on the
Id of inexperience. and, If faults are
they are not to be CLOSED over by
ctions concerning her future career.
ured even by the low standard Of our
she cannot be called great actress.
Possesses fair amount of intelligence,
ty little of the true artistic temper
It, large quantity of staginess,
& physique, and of convincing mag
m not particle. She supplies fairly
late pictures of the heroines of Sar-
but In weak part, like the Joan of
Matthews, she is not even pictur-
s, far and away, an actors elocution
than all else that fixes his status In
profession and all he does with the
-making apparatus comes strictly
in the province of elocution.-Alfred
len Modjeska appeared at She Garrick
.er In New York in October, 1895, she
In taking farewell of her audience:
IL probably the last time that shall
ar before YOU" That was her sincere
ession Mt the time. but circumstances
changed her plans. and she has once
appeared before a New York audience
two weeks engagement at the Fifth
ue theater, as Mary Stuart. Isabella,
liza and Lady Macbeth. The New York
IS have treated her with all the respect
Is her due, but only one of them has
tiated upon the merits of her per-
ance in language that is at all ade-
to the occasion. William Winters
aum in the Tribune is so finely con
d that l cannot refrain from quoting
rtion of 1t. He says:
ihen Nine. Modjeska first acted IN
York. in 1877. she was hailed In this
rnal as great actress. That Opin-
was justified by her achievement
n. and 1t has been abundantly just-
by her subsequent career. She is
somewhat past the zenith of her
'sical power, but she retains all her
trm, and in her embodiment of Mary
art there was the same loveliness
endeared her when she first came.
the loveliness of a beautiful spirit.
hrined in person Of exquisite grace.
nobility of presence, the exquisite
nement of demeanor, the majesty
visage, the mournful tenderness of
dark, melancholy eyes, the sweet
IS and the trcmulous emotion of the
a. sympathetic voice. the easy COM
nd OF diversified resources. the con-
-ency and symmetry of fluent and
n h., a..
ements, working from the soul"
len at once proclaim authentic roy
Y of nature and inherent equipment
art. The character of Mary Stuart.
drawn by Schiller. while typifying
eadly struggle between worldly pas
n and celestial impulse. is, at last,
perfect image of sorrow-stricken
litepce and sublime self-abnegation.
| with that ideal the actress shows
'self to be completely harmonious,
se IN temperament and person. Sell
n IN stage history has there been an
!mple of such absolute correspond
e between an imaginary character
TITS actual representative The great
or Adelaide Ristori and of Marie !
bach in Mary Stuart" is well re-
mbered, and has become historic:
power of Ristori at the climax of
imperial encounter was colossal:
pathos of Marie Seebach at the final
well was irresistible; but that
ttness is surpassed by the saintli-
!, the holiness, the poetry, of the
ng of Modjeska.
same eminent critic takes occasion
course OF further comment to casti- |
the criminal tendencies of the New
stage OF today in the production of
plays as "The Tree of Knowledee"
Inc Conquerors. He SAYS:
metimes a reader is helped bv he
told something that he knows al
y;. and. besides, for a large seq
or the play-,going public, Schiller's
Il. stuart. hackneyed though it be
ne veteran. Is practically new ana
nat class II ought espociallv to ho
ineiiueh. II may not be "for tho
m"n o. thesc times There is no
zen, neither is there any strSnr,,I. u,jnh
or tfugacious concubincs in the S,,,
-school interests of tho trn nor,
!dments: but there is lifeIiiso Iol,.- I'm
tnre OF stately and splendid hist toric
'ohs, inere Is the painting of amhi.
.uwa.tse anu rove despoiled. there
ate grief and patient heroism pn an1
ush II all arc woven those threads
nty and terror with which FRO aio
us binds tho human heart. To saa
great play as illuminated by the ehe
ltifu' art of Nine. Modieska is to re
sacred privilegc-because If is
c 3hown the solemn import of hus
ilic and, together with the nwfuI
=, n,Hty or death. the dignity with
n lt may be met and the firm com.
IRE with which 1t should alwnvs ho
em2lated. Always DC
o o .
iesic,s Warde's non-success in bis n
N OF ISLANDER" was followed bv n
nent that, no intended to join tho
viiic ranks for the season. Later in
ton. however. is to the effect that
~ made combination with louis
(, and Almc. Rhea. and will to,,r -