Evening star., 1898-12-07
AMI SEMENTS.

the unfortunate queen CI the SCOTS, HNeu
| again her tragic life at the National Thea
| ter last night. In the person of Modjeska
she became reality so human SO woman
ly. pathetic to win the pity and af-
fection of the highly intellectual and SYM
pathetic audience. Where history fails to
animate with eye and voice and gesture
the beings whose griefs and triumphs fill
its pages, the drama brings them with
microscopic clearness before mind and
heart. Then the perception that men and
women are alike in all ages, despite the
barriers of race and environment, becomes
clear. and heart and memory imperishabiy
record them on their tablets.
| Those who remember the Modieska of
twenty years ago and who saw her again
last night witness that time and art have
dealt kindly with the Polish genius Her
acting is forceful and inspired as when
she formed one of the galaxy of great
artists of. the past decade Only her voice
shows the work of destructive forces, and
lacking the fieXibility of more youthful
years, her foreign tongue sometimes
fails to give an Interpretation of the lines
that Is clearly understood or that eXcites;
the sensibilities as it should This was no.
ticeable in the superb garden scene. when
touching suppncation by the humble wo-
man changes into vehement denunciation
by the outraged queen. Only the critical
ear observed it, however. and to nearly all
those who sat spellbound before the foot
lights Modieska's Mary eeemed unap-
2roachable by other actresses, as, indeed,
she is.
Above all else. Modieskas portrayal of
womanhood is comma rding. often awe-in-
spring, and the queenly, noble quality of
her bearing is never adulterated by poses
or bids for applause Her creations are
lessons to the younger generation, raising
new ideals of womanhood to inspire imta~
, tion and veneratiOn.
The pathetic character of the last act.
In which Mary goes to the block. was mos,
effectively shown. Scarcely less impressive
and powerful than Modjeska was Mrs. Sar-
gent as the nurse. Her art suggested the
heaTt-hroken, anguished old companion in
most natural and pathetic manner, and
CAV the queen a background of grief that
emphasized the pathos of her last mo-
ments as nothing else could do it.
Frederick Nroom received unstinted ap-
piause for his Shrewsbury; a strong. mas
terly virile imperSonatipn. that stirred the
pulses and received unstinted applause.
George Spencer was effective and admira-
BILE as Mortimer. Lester Lonergan's Leices-
ter was a handsome. dignified cOurtier. All
the supporting company Wera more than
excellent and form about the best that
have surrounded Modjeska of late years.
Tonight, Antony and Cleopatra"
Sign OF THE CROSS THE Sign OF
the Cross now in its third American sea-
son, and greater success than ever. comes
to the Lafayette Square Opera House Mon
day evening, December l., for a week.
Practically the same company that pre-
sented the piece last season will appear
during the coming engagement. Charles
Dalton, the eminent young heroic actor;
Irene Rookie, who was the leading lady last
year, and w. F.. Bonney, who was seen as
Nero, are still with the company and the
changes made In the cast said to be
for the better. Maude Warrilow, who has
made a wonderful success in England dur
ing the last two years as Stephanus the
boy martyr, will be seen for the first time In
this city in that role, and Barbara Huntley
who was with the company during its first
American tour, returns as Poppea. Others
in the cast are Frank II. Westerton T. y.
Wenman. George Flood, Harry Child II. T
Harris, Harry Burcher, Agnes Scott, Nellie
Fletcher, Winnie Cassell, Retta Walton and
Lily Child.
A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
Bright lines, funny situations an original
story and a splendid company are the four
features which account for the success Of
"A Stranger in Strange Land which will
be seen here for the first time at the Co
lumbia Thpatcr on next Monday evening.
The new comedy witch goes with d dash
and spirit from beginning to end serves to
introduce some of the vague ideas which
many English people have Of America and
Americans. It's n weil-knOwn fact tnat it
is the belief over in England among Il GER
tain class that the Americans are a sort of
haif-civilfZed nation, and that Indians and
cattle run wild in the streets of cur prin-
cipa! cities, 50 that when young Thorn
has been sent over here TO mend his some
what broken ways, writes home ii does not
at all surprise his maiden aunt when she
receives letter from him in which he says
that he Is the proud poSsesSor Of a cattle
ranch in Buffalo. with 1900 head of cattle
Likewise she is not surprised at his numer-
Gus requests for money to feed the cattle
because the grass in the streets of Buffalo
has all dried up Oh account of the lack of
rain for many ~eehS. But when Fred
Ihorndyke, the hero of the play. returns
home and finds that there is a young Amer
lean girl visiting his family, who in a
measure enlishtens the good aunt as to her
shortcomings Of American geogra ply: also
that trees and grass and strawberries and
Indians do not grow in front of the New
York Firth Avenue Hotel why the young
man has a little difficulty in explaining
some of his letters. as it were. His trou-
bies begin at the opening of the play, for it
Is IN his auntS power to shut him out of an
Inheritance left him by his father, and OF
which she is to judge if he is fit to receive
ii. For three acts things look pretty black
for Fred, with part of the family against
MN and part with him. Among the latter
is well meaning, but laundering Old uncle
who, through his fondness for the bov is
trying to help him out but who with every
one Of his new ideas instead Of helpinpr his
cause gets him deeper and deeper into th,
mlre. Between the uncle and an American
Indian. which the boy was supposed to ha We
brought from his ranch at Buffalo, Freddy
IS IN constant hot water. So is his sister who
Is in love with a schoolInate Of Fred's and
who has been forbidden the house In fact
1t seems to be hot water for everybody but
the aunt, who comes up smiling at every
turn, and even smiles at the end when
everybody is forgiven, and even the Indian
IS happy with bottle Of fire wafer
winch, after hard tusse he manages TO
secure although he Is "A Stranger in a
Strange Land"
LAFA1 ETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
il 1roVatore was sung by the Roysl
Italian Opera Company last night at the
Lafayette Square Opera House in a manner
that was thoroughly approved by the au-
dience present. There was no lack of en-
thusiasm, and Ferdi'S beautiful solos duets
and choruses were encored repeatedly The
members of the cast were In fine voice.
while the chorus work was acceptable
throughout. "TrovatOre" has always been
an opera popular alike with the masses
and musicians. The score is not too
heavy to lose effect with the former. while
the themes and arrangements are such as
to attract attention and adlnira ton from
those VerSed in the classics. Signoriua l.,
Montanari essayed the role of Leonora. her
performance lending a tone OF excellence to
the entire production. She entered into the
part with fire and enthusiasm and her vocal
renditions were received with enthusiastic
applause. Signora f. Danti's voice was eff
fectiVplV heard mani, a,,r,a.