The herald., 1898-03-04
At THE THEATER
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LOS ANGELES THEATER.-The ad-
vent of a new aspirant for stellar hOnors
in the person of Miss Janet Waldorf, who is
already fortified by many kind expressions
of admiration from the interior press, is
an event that demands something more
than a passing notice. Miss Waldorf has
been under the tutelage of Mrs. Ada Dow
Currier, and has been studying hard for
the past three years. Principal among
Mrs. Curriers' claims to distinction is the
fact that she launched Julia Mallowe upon
the stage, as she is now attempting to bring
Janet Waldorf before the public.
The piece chosen for Miss Waldorf's ap-
pearance before a Los Angeles audience
was 'Ingomar," a play that has for many
years been a great favorite with budding
tragediennes. Mary Anderson won fame
In the character of Parthenia. Minna Gale,
Eugenia Blair and last but not least, Ju-
liza Marlowe, without mentioning others
less we'll known, have essayed 1t with more
or less success. 1t is in fact recognized
test character for a girl aspiring to be
considered as entitled to a position In the
front rank of actresses.
1t demands ability, both for comedy and
tragedy, ranging, as 1t does, from the de-
lineation of light-hearted simplicity to the
Characterization of passionate scorn and
eliminating In the exhibition of the devot-
ed love of pure and trusting nature. The
ldCt tNdt the lilies are III Dldnk verse makes
an added demand upon the powers of the
speaker and indicates the extent and
soundness of her training in elocutionary
art.
Otherwise, the play has but few recon-
mendations. Its sentiment is exaggerated,
its incidents are absurdly impossible, its
language, while here and there pure and
flowing. is but too often the reflection of a
school Of poetic drama of which Byron in
our own tongue is the best example. I'm
gomar" was written by the German Won
Muench Bellinghausen and was translated
and adapted by Maria Lowell, who is often
given credit for the authorship.
The first act affords a very poor oppor-
tunity for the actress, and it was not sur
prising If Miss Waldorf failed to secure
marked applause for her acting in it. She
was naturally somewhat constrained and
did not succeed in working up the inartistic
climax of the scene, for which the author
and not the actress is to blame. Her scorn
OF Polydor was well rendered, showing
latent powers of intense emotion, and was
only injured by the artificiality of the
laugh with which she made her exit from
the scene.
The real interest Of the play does not be-
gin until the wood scene in the second act
and here Miss Waldorf was far more at
ease and began to show in earnest what
cAC COuiu w. CAOAA ILLS punt vi SIe Iudl-
ifested no weakness and acted with the ap-
parent ease and self-possession of a we'll
trained and experienced actress, securing
curtain calls at the end Of each act and the
evident sympathy of her audience.
Miss Waldorf has personal attractions
which will be of the greatest value to her
In her chosen career. Her figure is suffice
iently tall and we'll moulded to make her
of a classic costume not only
perfectly justifiable, but an artistic de-
light to the eye. She wears the trying Co.'S
tune OF the Greek girl as If she were ma
tive to 1t and moves about the stage with
q grace and dignity that show but little
traces of the novice. A striking feature of
her acting was the ability shown to assume
a pose that was always artistic without
appearing studied, and this was observable
whether she was prominent In the scene AT
the time or not.
The chief charm of the personation of
Parthenia was its girlish innocence and
frank directness. The fresh touch of
spring appeared to have found visible form
In the lightness of her voice and the bright
nes of her smile. 1t was only in the later
scenes, when the passion of love is SUM-
posed to have been aroused in the breast
of the Greek maiden that the fair actress
showed q lack of warmth. Her response
10 the fiery pleadings of Ingomar was but
! weak one and even her determination in
the last scene to follow him out
into the world was conveyed in
'ones which. while they were clear