The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-03-30
Annie Russell in "catherine,,

Annie Russell i'm "Cathcrine,"
 The dramatic menu in this city is varied Sometimes it is very good and sometimes very bad. "The Turtle was eXecrable and the critical spirit was sadly depressed. Last night it was splendid performance of a serious play and the atmosphere became more cheer ful. The difference in the character or the audiences on these two occasions would seem to indicate that the puphc has a commendable preference for the better effort and as the comparison Tn box office receipts on the two occasions must be analogous it would seem that the difference would be of importance to the managerial mind in the choice or future productions. The audience last night, representative of culture and fashion of the city, and if 1t were not holy week the assemblage would un- doubtedly have been limited only by the capacity of the theater The play is we'll known to the student of the con- temporary drama. Lavedan has been a prominent dramatist for several years and his pieces have had considerable vogue in Paris. "Catherine" is much leSS SlTOHSly ldNOItd lltil ito PhSoNSSS sors and Lavedans temporal lapse into morality is said to have been bait for the academy. Morality won the aca- demic approval and Lavadan was duly crowned and immortalized. His latest production the successor to "Cather- inc" shows a return to his earlier pro- clivities and is said to be entirely shock ing and disreputable. Thus Lavedan proves himself at once an ungrateful beast and indubitably clever. The adaptation of Catherine" for the Amer ican stage was a difficult task and 1t seems to have been skillfully and sym pathetically done. MT. Frohman's pro ducton of the piece is admirable III every respect. Many who have seen the Comedie Francaise people say that the present cast is fully as good and ln some respects better. MT Frohman had the scenery copied directly from the French mountings. The cast has been most carefully chosen and apparently with no regard for expense Miss Rus sells charming personality IS potent feature in the success of the piece put it has been the general opinion that It was the excellence of the whole cast that has made Catherine" notaple dramatic event. And Mrs. Sarah Cowell" I.e Moynes wonderful art must be rec ognized as very important element of any production she is associated with
 Miss Russell is a favorite of the local public, and she has a very lovaple per sonality. She is quiet in her methods. and her effects are obtained through the simplest means. She is refined and sympathetic and now and then strikes particularly deep and tender note. Her acting in the first three acts was wholly delightful and she seemed 10 fill the role completely. But in the last act she failed to carry out the perform ance along the same lines she had de- veloped it. The psychology seemed false. It did not even appear that she wished to indicate repressed emotion, but rather lack of emotion that could not have been possible in woman of Catherine's nature. It did not seem like mute suffering, but rather inditfer- ence AS consequence the final de- nouement was weak. Possibly Miss Russell should not be severely criticiz- ed because it cannot be very interest ing role.
 Mrs. Sarah Cowell-Le Moyne made her re-entrance upon the dramatic stage last spring in ''The Moth and the Flame" after an absence of some eighteen years. During the period of her retirement she gave readings from Browning and was recognized as an elocutionists and reader of especial in- telligence and charm. Her advent in the Fitch play was greeted with gen. eral delight and the public has given her an unusually cordial welcome. Her acting last night was as near perfec- tion as one may hope to see. She plays the role of duchess with wonderful tact and appreciation, and her delivery of the text is the best enuncia tion of the English language that the public has been privileged to hear in long time. She is absolutely mistress of emotional expression, and her technique is ex- traordinary, The audience was quick to note the character of her perform ance and applauded every scene w. J. IeMoyne, her husband, for many years with the Lyceum company, does won derful things with a small part. Like Mrs. LeMoyne he has perfect control of the audiences sympathy. Elsie de Wolfe played disagreeable role effec- lively, and Frank Worthing did excel lent work in his own queer way. The rest of the cast was competent and the ensemble was remarkably fine.