The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
TAvORITES OF THE STAGE.
nrs OF THE ACTRESSES WHO HAD
VIEW PLAYS LAST WEEK.

AN and Virginia Harmed Mako the DE
ara. Heroines Attractive in Some of
~. Fresh Theatrical Fiction Now Here.
rr,to Narlowe Ia young yet. and II any one
~, 10 the theatre last week expecting to see
lin A disguise OF age he was disappointed.
IVA, no matter to her that she was imper-
n.,Ips barbara Frietchis OF Frederick. Md.
Nm whittier had described as an old woman.
sh. mat would not disfgurs herself, and that
~ a., All there was about II. Clyde Fitch might
~ 10 the dickens for all she cared. He was
mi, the author OF the play. anyway. He had not
tn,,nded, however. that she should put on the
,h,ss score years and ten prescribed by the
,o.n His fiction for the stage made her
,,,l But he wished to whiten her hair by a
.,,s,. nisht Of anguish. so that at the climax Of
N. drama there might be "yon gray head
-, stonewall Jackson to take pity on. That
~. done In the first Philadelphia performance.
pnt the actress declared that the hair bleach
Inc phenomenon was absurd. and IL was not
r.r.,t.d So the only resem blnnce left be-
IAN Fitohs barbara and Whittior's Bar
,,ro was that both waved Union
"a, denantly in the faces OF thu
Gon,sd.rate soldiers marching through
rrstsrick. Gen. Jackson's order against
s,rmine A hair o, ths old woman's gray head
~., obe,ed But tho black hair OF the girl
"a, M, unanimously respected A fellow
,,,zsd with a grievance Of unreQuited love
,n,n.d assassin and killed her. Nobody hlames
Mics Narowe for remaining young. but there
49,, ,h,.a who think she should remain alive.
pu,i,th, play were to end happily. tho smiles
Mn. departing audience would DO more cyni-
al than sn,isned rs it is. the tears are heart
,at n Barbara we're left happy in the arms OF
.r.roverel lover. we would not remember her
syear, But the sight Of her limp body hang
ing over the balcony rail. piti'ui picture Of
rnidsr's wartime woe. will STAY in mind a
lifetime Mr. Fitch's play is non" the Iess oieV-
s,vnrginal because it rarsphrases Shakes
naare. Mss Mar.owe had distinguished her
sclt in Romeo and Juliet" by ranging with
facility from the lightcst Of it's comedy to the
heaviest Of it's tragedy. Therefore 1t was
GOOD .afs scheme Of the pnyvright's to make
b,r,gain a girl in love with forbidden wooer.
svlll!ng runaway to a clergyman. stricken
inourner over her slain hero. and victim
finally Of violent death. Watch the action OF
the new play at the Criterion and you will
SEQ how closely It follows the old one In
srlrit and how nearly the actress repeats
herself No shade Of feeling In her Juliet is
missing from her Barbara. II ia not too much
to say Of Miss Marlowe that in vivid variety OF
expression. facial as we'll as vocal. she 10 not
squallet among American actresses. Hor feat
the signs and sounds OF emotion are at her
really command. THE suS said on the morn
Inc after the production OF barbara Friet-
che" that 1t was an open question whether
the author had done more for the actress than
the actress had done for the author 1t Is sure
that they have done deal for each other.
Virginia Harmed came out as the heroine OF
THE Story OF the Sword In a character usual
TO her and In which she has been liked deserv-
edly. III that OF a high born lady on polit-
zeal mission Of peril. in which she is opposed
by Mr.. Sothsrn. whose duty eventually gives
way to his love o! her. so that from persecution
he shifts to protection. Perhaps II the audi
snces at Days were not permeated with
this dramatic scheme and with the rela-
tive attitudes OF Mr. Sothern and Miss Harmed.
the purport Of the new melodrama would he
less comprehensive to them. 1t IL essential to
these Harmed roles that at some Juncture she
should put on the disguise OF a boy. and that
the hero should make free with her until he
discovers her identity. There Is such a scene
In the play which Leo Dtrchstein has m ade
out ofShortZs novel. The Gift OF Napoleon
MlssHarned has feminine deliciousness which
refuses TO succumb to masculine garb and she
couldn't fool police detective. much less an
ardent lover. She is too handsome In the soft
way OF her sex to make a counterfeit man who
would pass undecided in an asylum for the
blind. Miss Harmed played Trilbv only q few
years ago. and her feet, perfect then. cannot be
unreasonable now. SO 1t must be no.
ton OF ths playwriRht's. and not OF her
own, that MS tho italian countess she
will not take of a shoe and stocking in
the presence Of man. She pretends to have
hurt her foot. serving woman proposes to
treat il with hot water. 1t would seem AZ
though. II modesty prevented her from barring
the foot there. she would retire to the next
room, But no. great ado Ia made OF her
shyness. screen OF cloth Ia set around her.
and behind that with her head in view. and
the other woman fumbling below. she holds
converse with Mr.. Sothern. who IL disposed to
peep.
Julia Arthur is gorgeous as Josephine in
More than Queen" This is an attractive pa rt
Tor actress 1t gives an opportunity to dre.s
az handsomely as her purse will allow and it is
almost monoogue. 1t Ia not q reck lessne.s
to say that no actress has worn so many rich
gowns in any one production. Perhaps some
um'S whe'e wealth OF Jewels has been dis
T'Ted the expense OF costuming has been
greater When Fanny Davenport was seen
here first In "Gsmonda." her dresses caused
much talk by the women. Nothing m ore costly,
and at the same timo beautiful. than her we'd
ding gown in the last act could he i'm agined 1t
mas never been eaceed not even in More
IMAM Queen" But in the Sardou play this
urcss was the handsomest OF all Miss Daven-
ror's lot and nothing OF especial richness was
required OF the other players In Miss Arthurs
production there is n uniformity OF elegance.
fsrhaps the most expensive stage gowns OF
recent years were worn last spring by Mauds
ADAMS as Juliet. But these were 30 subdued.
IN order TO be In keeping with her treatmen OF
'hs eharacter. that their richness went to some
si'eht unseen. In the earlier scenes at the
BROADWAY Miss Arthur stands out in her
wealth OF attire because no others are
required to dress exec ptionally. 1t is
~ thls part OF the play that the
queen dresses hsrsolf as Cleopatra to attend
costume bail Here Miss Arthur looks
neF hand'omest. The Oriental dress is be-
coming 10 her dark almost Egyptian beauty
''ne coronation an excess OF adornment is
tacned' and tbs more curious than attractive
Almost any one OF the women on the well. filed
oSe Is goUnod as well as we have seem
'uea'Fe queens before. The Napoeonic court
'hoWn In Nine Sans G6no" pales into In
"kn'neance in comparison with even the early
AN ol More than Queen" The coronation
a pnDia1 frDp 10