New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-25
NEwYORK DAILY TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25 1899
THE DRAMA.
JULIA ARTHUR IN MORE THAN QUEEN"

JULIA ARTHUR IN MORE THAN QUEEN |
The spectacle play Of More Than Queen" trans
lated ard adapted from the French Of Emile Ber-
gerat. was produced last night at the Broadway
Theatre. and Miss Julia Arthur making an auspi-
cious Remittance before wei pleased multitude
impersonated the Empress Josephine. The play IS
a pictorial synopsis Of the amatory he first in
courtship and afterward in marrlage.-of Josephine
and Napoleon. This synopsis assumes on the part
Of the spectator. at least general knowledge OF
The story Of those imperial persons and also It In
trenches itself within the theory that all be-
holders Will contemplate Napoleon as an image
Of grandeur and Josephine as an angel Of virtue
IN which case sympathetic and respon-
sive public necessarily must rejoice over their
cOnugal union and their coronation, and must sadly
depore their ultimate severance b. the decree OF
divorce This was the only practical way 10 deal
with this subject. for the purposes OF the stage.
Historical plays. almost invariably. are false 20
the records NJ historical fact. but thinking people
do not expect a drama 70 rectify their Ideals of
famous characters n is enough II those characters
are an7reciahly indicated and are made interesting
by ingenious movement and by striking theatrical
accessories In More Than queen the element
~ picture much exceeds the element NJ action hut
the pictures are steadily iluminafve. and as the
theme Is opulent the incident abundant and the
story-more particularly toward IT'S close pa
thetic with the suggestion n magnanimous sell
sacrifice and ruined greatness the total effect 70
frosneS memory, stimulates IMAGINATION anu per
haps enriches the mind. All the old popular delu-
sons As 10 Napoleon and Josephine are ratined and
emphasized by It. and for the ido.ators ~ those
princes n IS one long ecstasy o. pure delight
Mss Julia Arthur. IN assuming the character Or
the Empress Josephine has the obvious advantage
OF personal beauty and this is fortunate for. with
out eauty the performance would ho haccid futile.
and completely nconsequentai Everything de-
uends on Josephine's charm. she fascinates Napo-
leon IN the first scene entces. hewtchcs. and sub
dues him I'm the second. conquers and commands
him in the third Is superb accompaniment Of his
triumph md a colossal comfort 70 his vanity In tho
fourth and although the last she loses dominion
over his person. she never 10 lose dominion
over his heart The piece is So little Ike play
that ITS several episodes iu no other way con-
/ nected. except that womans oveliness. dis
/ played throughout them ALL permeates them and
/ IN some sense binds them together. Jose
phne is not in a dramatic sense. moved by any
/ controlling impulse Nor IS she furnished with
any specific object % Re accomplished once. In
deed she counsels Napoleon not 70 accept the i'm
peria crown, and thus incidentally II is intimated
that her purpose Is the preservation Of his happ-
ness IN the haven o, domestic peace But nothing
Is done nothing happens The old familiar pageants
OF the Napoieonic movement slowly succeed one
another and the spectator seems 20 be gazing
+ on Headeys spasms or Abbotts heroics. IN the
glare Of "a limellght. Mss Arthur. who entered
/ readily and fully into the character Of the gay.
/ canrioious ardent and sometimes impetuous Creole
was especially happy In the IN which Jose
/ phine paciaes and bewitches the angry and jealous
Napoleon who has just returned from his Egyptian
wars poisoned in mind against her, and rancorous
with maievolent rage. a more delicious eNhinlton
or feminine Establishment could not he desired and
would be hard 10 find The actress was potent and
impressive likewise. IN several mpassoned eoul'
ltions or wounded womanke feeling. cOmmngllne
love pride. scorn and the majesty Of truth ano
she delivered with true eloquence and tenderness
rho adjuration 10 refuse the crown. At all time'
her aspect was lovely, IN the scene 81 the corona
(which is a skilful copy Of James Davds
famous picture-lt was Respondent and superb.
The best strokes Of drama reserved TIL the
last when the Empress herself accedes 10 tho
decree of divorce. Miss Arthur was repeatedly
called before the curtain. and great quantities OF
flowers wera heaped around her AS a whole hel
embodiment Of Josephine IS more passive thar
active more picture than artistic fabric. more
a pose than achievement. but II contains fine bits
and II IS sweet with the vocal music Of certain
careless plquancy OF intonaton and flexible de-
livery for which indeed this actress has long beer
notable There are many other persons in the
drama -Taleyrand Junot. Eugene Bonaparte
Murat Hortense Pauline. and Pope Plus among
others-but nobody attract particular attention
aside from Josephine and Napoleon II would be
a pleasure 10 commend Mr. William Humphrey fol
his presentment ~ the Emperor. FOR his zeal va:
obvious. bur surely Napoleon Bonaparte. had as h
was and Few men have lived who were 30 coarse
cruel unprincipled. tyranncal, and obnoxious)
Is not truly shown when made loose BARR
Jack" as shallow as a chicken and as garrulous as
q magp!e Nj Humphrey never once made hin
formidable never indicated Inherent force OF
character. and therefore the part was shorn Of al
authority Upon the vocalism tho articulation
the emphasis the shading % tones and words
f. would be a misery dwell. These are things -
which he actors Of these days. with very little ex
,er.,o- give No heed whatever More Thar
Queen" as a spectacle will delight the public fo
a long time and wherever n goes will doubtless
extend the professional empire Of Miss Julia Arthur
" "