The Portland daily press., 1898-02-22
TESS OF THE D'URBERvILLEs.


The Jefferson seems to have the LUCK OF
it when any great ATTRACTION comes to 1t
in the shape of fierce and most dis
agreeable storm. Such was the case when
| Mrs. Minnie Maddern Fiske and her ex-
cellent company presented "Tess of the
D'Urbervilles' at the house last night.
| 1t has been long time since tragic
play dealing with modern conditions has
been SO successful as "Tess of the ID Ut
beryilles, The success last season OF
this play was marvelled at for this rea-
son. yet that success is easily explained.
Hardy's great story, from which the
play was made, fascinates the reader be-
cause it seems to deal with men and
women of flesh and blood, and underly-
ing their movements and pointed by the
climax, is the eternal problem OF the
sexes. The art of the play, like the art OF
the story, imposes the vital topic With
ut.seeming to do SO, through the acts and
accidents of really human beings that
| strongly grip the emotions and play upon
the sympathies. The characters are not
| mere lay figures, and therefore the play
seems an abstract of life itself.
| The first act opens at this Crick dairy
farm, where Angel Clare proposes to
Tess. Her mother, accompanied by the
father and the younger children, comes
| to persuade Tess to marry Angel. Tell,
despite her mothers warnings. insists
that she must confess to Angel her
former betrayal by Alec D'Urberville.
When she tries to tell him her heart fails
her, and she resorts to a message which
her mother intercepts. ~ Believing that
Angel knows all and has forgiven her.
| Tess happily prepares for the wedding
| This act, aside from its interest centered
in the leading personages, all Of whom
appear, is filed with the atmosphere of
the story.
The second act takes place in the
ancient manor house of the D'Urber-
villes on the day of the wedding. Tess by
accident discovers that Angel has never
received her letter. He confesses his
previous affair to her and she, while
forgiving him, sobs out her own heart
breaking story. The act ends with her
piteous cry, as he lsaves the house with
out a word.
The third act is in the D'Urberville
house. The children are sick and starry
one of TESTS old comrades, has been dis
missed from the farm. Her place is
open and Tess in desperation sends her
| little sister to see If she can have the
place. Alec arrives more Inadly in love
with her than ever. He tells Tess that
Angel is dead in Brazil. Marian corro-
| borates his story. Alec begs Tess to re-
turn to him. Her mother implores her
to go to him; the hunger in her little
brothers. eyes influences her. There Is at
last no other way open, and the tragedy
of her life Is resumed. The murder scene
in Alec D'Urbervilles room is handled
with marvellous stage craft and wonder
full effect. Mrs. Fiske scorns every assis.
tanoe from accessories. She picks up the
knife from the breakfast table, and
walks in to the bedroom, where A leo is
lying in a drunken sleep. The stage is
empty for minnie. Tess reappears
Her face and action tell the whole story.
A more thoroughly tragic scene than
this, it is said, is not known to the mod
ern stage. Angel comes to her again and
they slip out Of the house together. The
last scene is in the forest in the ruins of
the Temple of the Sun. The stage is in
pitch darkness. Presently the dawn be-
gins to break. Tess takes her farewell
Of Angel. Utterly exhausted she falls on
the altar where they used to offer sacri
fees to the sun. Just as day breaks they
are surrounded and Tess springs up, her
face filed with great gladness, exclaim-
ing: "The sun has GOMEZ
One needs not know the novel to un-
derstand the play, for tire latter really
moves and it's ensemble is admirable even
to the smallest part, which is we'll acted.
Rarely, if ever, are better character
studies seen than the men and maids at
the dairy. Wilfrid North's Jonathan
was rare bit of acting, while Mary Shaw
as Marian. Miss Chester as LIZ and Sid
ney Cowell as Retty invested the play
with an atmosphere typical of the book
itself. Another capital character sketch
was Mrs. Barker's Joan, and the huInor
of John Jack was quaint and delicious
in his impersonation of Sir John OAR
beyfield. MIR. Bellville was of handsome
figure and acted his role foroefully with
a deliberate villainy and deviltry fine
as needle. Forrest Robinson, the hero
of the play, had resonant voice and did
a finished piece Of acting.
To do justice to Mrs. Fiske. heralded
and deservedly SO, as having achieved
the greatest dramatic success of last sea-
son. is indeed difficult.
In capacity for emotions and ability
for expressing them she has few equals.
She is magnetic and original, almost
speaking with her eyes. Her tenderness
for the children and the maids is touch
ing, but it is not until the agony of the
confession that she shows her full force.
Nothing could be more pathetic than the
sobbing with which this act closed. Her
voice Is wonderful which she changes