The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-13
ADJUSTMENTS.
"Gismonda' at English's a Fine Pro-
duction by Walsh-MacDowell Co.

Sheer perversity and a pitiful lack Of
chivalry combined last night to once more
deny Miss Walsh the full need of recognf-
ton she so richly merits. Constant thea
tergoers have in the past witnessed few
more satisfactory dramatic productions
than that given to "~Gismonda." at Eng
lish's Opera House last night. To the
French. victorien sardou occupies a po-
sition corresponding to that held by shak-
speare in the hearts of all the English
speaking people. An acquaintance with the
French masters wonderful delineations Of
human emotions would easily explain why
his c~ountrymen hold him in such high re-
gard.
Previous to the appearance and extraor-
binary success OF Blanche Walsh in the
Sardou pieces. two famous actresses es-
sayed the trying roles of La Tosca. Gis-
monda and Fedora-Sarah Bernhardt and
Fanny Davenport. 1t is not claimed for
Miss Walsh that she is like either one of
these. or that she initiates them in any
way. The most and the best that can be
said of her portrayals of these characters,
90 full OF dramatic possibilities, is that she
plays them in such a way as to fully real
lie them to her audiences. Tuesday night
she was La Tosca, a veritable woman Of
IRE, a human tigress- Last night as Gis-
monda she was a woman as remotely diff
ferent as Lands End from John O'Groat's.
The story OF "Gismonda" Is one hat will
repay a second and a third reading. Briefly
outlined, 1t is OF a woman who, for love of
her child. rashly vows before the cross
In the Acropolis to wed the man who will
save her offspring from a tigers clutches.
Almeric. a man of low degree and with
scant title even to the name he bears, at
the risk OF his life returns the child un-
harmed TO its mothers arms. He claims
fulillment OF the oath, for he has long
loved Gismonda In secret and without
hope The naughty Duchess of Athens
recoils in all the horror that centuries of
patrician blood can feei from the prospect
OF union with a baseborn wretch. How Al
merio hews out for himself a name and
fortune, as well as a noble title, and finally
succeeds In beating down Gismonda's pride
and making her fall into his arms, q weak.
helpless. loving woman constitute as
beautiful a story as was ever developed on
the stage. The delineation of Gismonda
by Miss Walsh, and that OF Almerio by
Melbourne Mcdowell. were equally of the
highest types OF dramatic art. At the close
OF the second act of "Gismonda" Miss
Walsh received the applause which else
where would have been showered upon her
the night before at the fall of the curtain
on the first act OF La Tosca." Though
long delayed. the recognition was sincere
and hearty. IL has become proverbial that
untried geniuses have to break through
several inches OF ice In the theaters OF
Indianapolis. Miss Walsh struck an un-
usually hard freeze" and had 10 force
her way through a foot's thickness at
least. That she accomplished this feat
being OF the weaker sex-but adds sweet
ness to her triumph After the second act
applause and frequent curtain calls were
handed out with lavish prodigality. The
supporting company appeared to better adj
vantage In "Gismonda" than in La Tos-
Ca" and the settings OF last night were in-
comparably superior TO those of the night
before The scene on Nymph's Hill and
the interior of the church at Santa Maria
will compare favorably with the best that
has ever been placed in position on the
stage OF English's Opera House. All i'm all.
there is great room To pity those who
missed last nights matchless production.
But two more opportunities TO see these
SPLENDID revivals OF the Davenport plays
remain. AT the popular matinee this after
noon la Tosca" will be repeated. and the
final performance tonight will be a most
elaborate one or Fedora" also written by
the French genius OF the drama