The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-15
(ubanOld
AMUSEM ENTS.


ME8s l8kG NJ DCCky nnE
The dramatic event of the year in New
York thus far was Mrs. Fiske's production
OF Becky Sharp Tuesday night at the
Fffth-avenue Theater. and. as it win be one
of the chief events or the year here and
elsewhere. theatergoers will be interested
in knowing how the play made from
Thackeray's great work appeared to the
New York audience and how the chief
critics Of the country viewed Mrs. Fiske in
her daring venture. Franklyn Fyles, the
author and critic. on the New York Sun.
reports the production as follows:
THE material transferred from book to
stage was restricted TO Becky and her inn
seeker of a rich and titled husband was kept
foremost and the other characters were
p principal percentages SoS in D@ the novel. She was
the only one OF much account In the play.
That was not a chance result In Mr, Mitch
nance TO her so as to provide a heroine for
Minnie Madden Fiske to impsrsonate; In
doing that to order, he had written a part
longer. probably. than the one given by Mr..
Belasco to Mrs Carter in .Zaza.' In misbe-
havior. too. Becky EQUALS Zaza, but with
impulse arouses the deepest sympathy.
while the heartless English schemer is quite
devoid Of excuse. 1t was a bold undertake
bislly repellant young woman for portrayal.
IT was well nigh reckless to present her
without a winning trait or a saving grace.
But Mrs Fiske Is an aseertfve. aggressive
and very resolute actress. 1t Is a pity thai
the outcome can hardly reward her with
of purpose and hdeiity of effort serve but
10 put forward a repulsive character, utter
~. graeeless In mind. heart and In person:
introduced Becky as an inmate of Miss
Crawleys house, a confidential intimate OF
s that hs aslSgsly cs old al %aid' a and ta she se finds w ouf
that she might have made a match with the
wealthy Sir Pitt instead OF the untitled and
dependent son. and chagrin over the lost
opportunity makes her vicious. She Is later
shown at Brussels, where she figures at the
e eis' Waser Ssa5 on Th she ns nifn sb. fsi IS to the her oe Cure
zon-street residence, where she sets traps
for unwary visitors and lives the life OF e
nickel, where she sinks to the very bottom
of feminine degradation and dies In we'll
merited misfortune: The nr5t two airs are
tive Of Thackeray. They do not tell a CO.
herent or moving story. IT was not until
the third was reached that any, firm hold
was taken upon last nights audience. Up
TO that time the attention had been per-
funstory and the applause only polite lite But
quis Of steyne. the payment by him Of the
price. and the interruption of her delivery
the return of her husband, were gone
through with so graphically that the assem-
blage was attentive perforce. The nasti-
by Maurice Barrymore and Tyrone Power.
and with whimsical naturalness by Mrs.
rdske; was far greater shs e1 IA In T ~ X wsrs
TSey e Utterly unideaiized on the stage.
e a wsn to es wSma ssrm and a F PsseIlis she S Sla mna
came I'm. thrashed the purchaser and went
on with the money. IL all looked and
the TenderIoln. The audience was friendly
10 Mrs. Fiske. she has a loyal following.
VET rousing act called her out five times
After that the play slumped back into dull
ness and closed inauspiciously."
WILLIAM WINTERS VIEWS.
The doyen OF the profession in this coun-
try. the aged William Winter. of the New
York Tribune. Is noncommittal when 1t
comes to his final Judgment. writing as fol-
lows: Mrs. Fishes impersonation of
Becky Sharp revealed a distinct ideal. and
1t was remarkable for It's physical as well
as mental brilliancy, its clear and pure YER
bal utterance and its splendid energy of sus-
tained, yet thoroughly concealed. artistic
effort. II would be useless to make Becky
Sharp as callous and as fiippantly frivolous
Tor that would defeat dramatic purpose.
Mrs. Ffske furnished what the dramatic
omittcd-Becky's idea OF her self-justifica-
emphasis on the memory OF Becky's III
treated and misguided childhood and also
on S,I her d iph herr Inability to Escape TSs sef from the 8
commonly denoted as the woman of the
world has not In our day been better por-
play and this performance Ii may with
truth be said that Mr.. Mitchell has got
more out OF the book or vanity Fair foI
ever touched the subject. and that Mrs
Fiske has given TO one OF the most truth
ton a visible. beautiful and tasting form and
pressure. Her success was great. Mr.
Mitchslrs play. which does him honor, has
The costumes are of the period OF the
regency. The general representation was
don Crawiey lasts till the end OF act third
and this part was finely played by Maurice
Barrymore who. indeed. gave an uncom,
softening effect of love upon a raw ane
rough nature. Mr.. Barrymore has no
hitherto for q long time done such smpl,
as Lord Steyne. whether lowering dark,
OF the fringes OF the festival or fierceiy urg
and grim power and unspeakable wicked
ness. Both these actors and also Mrs
Fiske especially manifested fine artistic In
stinct In making the scene OF the exposure
and the punishment intense and not bois
ferrous The impersonation of 10.
membered as one of the best studies Of
Thackeray that have been presented. The
redoubtabls Jos; vain; silly and gluttonous
element of humor In Vanity Fair and a.
acted by Mr.. Owen he furnished much Of
the sunshine OF Becky Sharp"
BREEZY ALAN DALE"
The breezy ALAN Dale" of the New
York Journal. appai emily let's down Mrs
Ffske and the dramatist. Langdon Mitch
ell. as easily as ne can with dignity, in tn,
following manner: You and / who hav,
Thackerayed up for the occasion have en-
5oysd the gorgeous description of Becky
Uphill climbing and the roseate stories o
how she got there. IL was all missed a