The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-26
Large Audience Present but The Performance
Was Disappointing.


| ....... ...... Miss Maude Adams
| Nurse TO Juliet. Mrs. w. q. Jones
There was gathered in the Providence
| opera house last evening as brilliant
and intellectual an audience as
| that theater has ever held dur
ing the nearly three decades that
have elapsed since its doors were first
| opened to the publie. e.-It-Mas a large
| audience. too, for 1t filled every box
and chair and overfiowed into and oc-
cupied all the available standing room.
And this large and cultured assemblage
during the three and a quarter hours
required for the unfolding of the play
testified at frequent intervals its ap-
parent pleasure and satisfaction at the
method and manner IN which wen re-
membered lines were spoken and ia
milar scenes enacted. The applause
was not enthusiastic, nor can Ii be said
TO have been either spontaneous or dis
criminatey given. When il is remem-
bered that Romeo and juliet" was the
play and that the impersonation OF the
ill-starred daughter or the house OF
Capulet was entrusted TO an actress
with but two short weeks experience in
one Of the most trying roles of the
Shakespearean drama, the lack of en-
thusiastic commentator can be well
understood.
What sort OF a Juliet does Miss Maude
Adams present? Is IL the Juliet with
which great actresses have thrilled
the Juliet of tradition/and convention?
Far from It, Such a juliet as Miss
Adams portrays has no counterpart in
the history OF the stage thus far. 1t
discards every tradition, tramples un-
der foot every convention, and pursues
it's own way in audacious disregard OF
every element that has heretofore been
held essential To a fitting or even pass
able portraiture. The whole atmosphere
OF Romeo ana juliet" is surcharged
with tragedy. The portent Of coming
evil iss,ever present. lntuitively these
lovers feel the Dalefu influence and
their love, little less tnan idolatry. can
not -dispeEtA tAe-iFa palpable- -Eaanaee-af-
fore-doomed disaster Sucn has been
the Interpretation given the character
of the daughter OF the Capulets in the
past; but Miss Adams cares nothing for
that. Though actresses admittedly I'm
the forefront of the exponents of
Shakespeare lovable. loving, but with
al wretched heroine have consistently
emphasized the tragic Phase. Miss Ad-
ans chooses To ignore IL almost entire
ly and to substitute the pathetic. The
result OF such conception can be read
lily imagined. Instead of the girl turn
eu 10 a NoiH-
an by the power of love with which we
have been fanI we have throughout
a being whose nelplessness excites pity
and sympathy. but that Is all. She
never sets the heart strings throbbing
nor does she rise TO heights that make
one forget that he Is witnessing the
atrical performance. 1t Is not intended
to convey the impression that Miss Ad-
ans does not give a painstaking and in
many respects charming performance.
She does, and IL was expected. Those
who saw her in her delightful character
ization of Lady Babbie and who had
correctly gauged het capabilities We're
not disappointed last evening. Those
who accepted the fulsome praise Law
ished upon her as Juliet prior to her
appearance here must have wondered |
ar the great difference between what |
they expected and what they actually !
saw. In this respect grave injustice |
may have been done Miss Adams for 1t |
raised hopes that could not by any |
possibility be realized and the result |
ant disappointment was all the more |
deep.
Miss Adams Juliet, like her Lady |
Babbie, is quiet. soft and winsome. 1t |
IS never forceful. There is a great deal |
OF personal charm about il and much |
originality and cleverness, but Il is not !
the Juliet Of Shakespeare.
Ine supporting Wouli Dt
one of rare excellence in latter day !
drama, but ii is much overweighted in |
the present instance. Mr.. Faversham |
as Romeo gives a conscientious render |
ing. but is lacking in viriity and fire, |
While like ali the others in the cast. his |
reading is haphazard. often unintelligi- |
BILE and seldom authoritative or con- /
Mr.. Hackett's performance is
marred in the same way and almost TO |
the same degree, but his Mercutio has |
brilliant flashes that are lacking in the |
work OF Mr. Faversham. ana these in
dicate that with serious study Mr.. |
Hackett may yet become an adequate
and worthy exponent of Shakespearean |
characters. a word of praise is &C.
served by Mr.. Thompson for his Friar
Laurence. which was one OF the no.
table features OF the performance. !
Truly Ii may b. said also that Mrs.
Jones rs the nurse gave one OF ,he most
delightful characterization Of the
evening. The stage investiture was
and the incidental music ex-
cellent.
This evening there viii he an elabor-
ate production OF "All's Fair in Love
and War" 1t will be the first produc-
ton OF the play and should prove OF
decided interest to all lovers OF the
drama.
Women are cats" snapped farley.
"Nonsense" said Dawson "Did Won |