New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-08
THE DRAMA.
MODJEsKA AT THE FIFTH AVENUE.
scHILLERs MARY STUART"

scHILLERs MARY STUART"
The return Of Helena Mod5sska, who appeared
last night at the Fifth Avenue Theatre In the char
acter Of Mary Stuart places within the reach OF
this community not only great artistic pleasure
but a great intellectual benefit. The eminent &C.
tress was greeted with enthusiastic pls udits by 4
numerous audience and she gave a magnificent
performance. When Nine. ModJeska first acted IN
New-York In 1871 she was hailed In this journal
as q great actress That opinion was justified by
her achievement then. and II has been abnndan,ly
Justified by her subsequent career. She is now
somewhat past the zenith Of her physical power
but she retains all her charm. and In her en.bod.
mcnt Of Mary Stuart there was the same lowell.
ness that endearcd her when nrst she came. II 10
the loneliness OF beautiful spirit, enshrined In
person Of exquisite grace. The nobility OF presence.
the exquisite refinement Of demeanor. the majesty
Of visage the mournfui tenderness Of the dark
melancholy eyes the sweetness and the tremulous
emotion Of the rich. sympathetic voice. the easy
command Of diversihed resources. the consistency
and symmetry OF fluent and cumulative action
those are "clo,e denotements working from the
SOUL" which at once proclaim authentic royalty Of
nature and inherent equipment for art. The char
acter Of Mary Stuart as drawn by Schiller while
IMPLYING a deadly struggle between worldly pas.
sion and celestial impulse. Is. at last the perfect
image OF sorrow-stricken penitence and subms
self a bnegation and with that ideal the actress
shows herself to be completely Harmonious. ak.
tory has there been example 0, such absolut.
correspondence baween imaginary character
and its actual representative. The greatness o.
Adelaide Ristori and OF Marie Seebach In May
Stuart Is we'll remembered and has become hlsto-t:
the power OF Ristori. az the climax OK the in.
perial encounter. was colossal; the pathos Of aars
Seebach at the final farewell. was Irresistible; bu,
that greatness il surpassed BY the saintllness the
holiness, the poetry Of the acting OF Modjeska
Mary Stuart in history has always been, and
apparently always will be. an object OF contro
versy Her life has been written by many hands,
and many acute students Of human nature havs
analysed her character Some OF her judges think
Of her as a martyred saint; others as beautiful
demon Never vas there wider diversity Of view
than the reader may find, as to this subject, IN
the pages OK such authors as Jebb Robertson. Bell
Scott. Balzac Thackeray, Froude, and Swlnburne
The literal truth. seemingly can never be known
Schiller writing in the las: century, lacked sources
Of historic Information which have since been
opened: but he close student and a pro-
found se1rcher into character. and while exonerat-
ing Mary from all participation in plots against
the life Of Queen Elizabeth. MS play assumes and
expressly declares. her completely in the murder
OF her Scottish husband Lord Darnley and her
guilty love for the Earl OF Boutwell,, by whom ne
slain: for those sins her plea is female frall
ty" and she exp.a,es them by a violent DEATH
accepting II the decree Of Divine Justice. In all
other ways she is bameess and noble; and, depict
ing her in her last days (she beheaded In 5s7.
at the age OF forty-fve). the poet has shown her
a woman OF formidable and exceptional charac-
ter. chastened by suffering. redeemed by contr.-
ton and repentance. sustained by religious faith.
and made sublime by the surrender Of every selfish
desire and by the meek acceptance OF felons
death To say this Is 10 tell an old story, ou;
sometimes a reader is helped by being told some
thing that he knows already; and besides. for q
large section Of the piay-going public. Schiller's
Mary ha n
veteran. is practically new, and 10 that class II
ought especially to be commended II may not
be "for the fashion or these times" There is no
attempt in 1t at criminal outrage upon women
neither Is there any strangulation OF fugacious
concubines In the Sunday-schoo interest OF the
Ten Commandments: but there is lifeike po--
traiture OF stately and splendid historic persons,
there is the painting OF ambition thwarted ana
love despo!led there scenes OF exultaton. con-
fct. passionate grief and patient heroism, and
through it all are those threads OF pity and
terror with which tragic genius binds the human
heart. To this great play as Hiuoained by the
beautiful ar, of Nine. Modjeska is 10 enjoy
sacred privilege-because It Is TO be shown the
solemn import Of human life and together With
the awful certainty Of death. the dignity with
which II may be met and the firm composure With
which II should always be contemplated
Those observers who know Schiller's tragedy arc
aware that it uses picture more than action, show
ing the formation II purposes more than the doing
of deeds. and portraying the Sow march OF nexor-
able fate rather than the rapid sequence OF inci-
dents Its intrinsic strength is In character and IN
eloouence The excelsior OF Mortimers der.um Of
passion in one scene with Queen Mary. has much
improved II. Mr. Haworth gave vivid expression 70
the impetuous Mortimer's fanatical zeal, and Mr..
John Malone simulated, with rare fidelity 10 nature.
the Graf, and the cold malignity OF Lord Burleigh
Miss Anna Pro Tor. while lacking weight and au.
thor,ty for Queen Elizabeth. made her duly Of
fans wi th4fW Of mi AZ
malicious spite. But Mary Stuart is the pay. and
Modjeska's wonderful building Of the character
enchanted everv heart. and when the OF
royal indignaton.-the resentment, not Of virago.
but OF Prncess.-rolled over the assemblage al
the climax OF the encounter between the two
queens. the response tumult. The actress
was six times recalled. and was laden with roses
W. w.
CAST OF MARY STUART