The Portland daily press., 1899-09-12
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
TRILBY AT THe JEFEERsoN.

TRILBY AT THE JEFFERSON.
The Shnhert company began the second
week OF its season ut the Jefferson BY
scoring hit moro pronounced, n any
thing than that mads In their opening
pieoe. Du Maurisr when be took the pub
lilo into his confidence and told them
about the life Of the art student OF his
youth In the Latin Quarter Of the French
capital, made his pictures Of Bohemia
the setting for story Of rare interest. II
is didicult IN fact, TO tell which contrib
uted more to the success Of Trilby, the
light and confidential narration of the life
of the Three Muskeseers of this Brush
and their friendship for the strange and
altogether delightful heroine, or the lat
ter chapters Ia which the comedy Is lost
to sight in the tragedy of that wierd tale
of hypnotisin.
Paul Potter, who drainatized the novel,
seizsd upon the dramatic possibilities of
the character of SvengaH aud made him
the central figaIe while at the same time
adhsring closely to the DuMaurier set
ting. From the opening scene TO the end
musician with his wierd power holds
the closes attention of the audience and
tie interest in the story Of his machina-
tiuns does not lag. At the same time, the
dramatist has succeeded In ira nsferring
to the ftaee the characters CT the novel
with such fidelity to the conception OF
the author that the friendship of the
three Engiishnen, the charm of the
young gitl with whom they were all In
love for the womanly qualities which
sSe res saleu, and the whimsicaiities of the
two French soldiers and Nine. Vainard
have lest none of their power to charm
and amuse. The RESULT Is a play of
great strength and ore which calls for
high order of acuing.
The Shubert company met the demands
upon them 10 a manner to merit the COM
mendation they recsiyed. MIR. Pest, the
Syengali, played that difficult rolls with
power and finished attention to detail
which marked him as an actor of mo-
mean ability. In voice and manner he
was the Svsngala OF the story brought to
lire. In tho earlier scenes he portrayed
the bringing, treacherous hanger on of the
studio. Then came the change wrol ght
by the discovery of that grisette who
had the best veice in Europe but was
stone deaf. The scenes in which Svengali
hypBotises Trilby and thus secures his
influsnce over hsr, were admirably ham
died by Mr.. Pest, but it was In the third
act, the meeting Of the hypnotised Trilby
with her former friends and the death of
Svengali Immediately after, that mir. |
Post made the strongest impression.
His scene with Gscko. in which his voice
becomes strained and sharp with passion
was given with an intensity which sug-
gested scme of the scenes in which Rich
nrd Manifold has scored mis- greatest su o.
csssss. Miss Mcintyre played Trilby in a
manner in keeping with the excellent
prosecution Dir. Post gave of the charact-
er OF Svengaii. She was winsome and
bright in the earlier sosnes aud In the
more serious portions of the play rose TO
the demands of the situations and shared
with MIR. Post the honors of the evening.
AS Nine. Vainard, Miss Melville sEetched
to the life the nannerisms the y1yAcity
and shrewdness and kindness of the
French women. In speaking OF Mics Mel
vllle's work praise should be accorded her
for the Song in the third act, sung behind
the scenes. She is the posssssor of rich
and sympathetic voice and her singing
of "Ben Eolt' found the evident favor
with the audience that 1t deserved. OF
Mr.. A1sop as Taffy, MIR. Manson as the
Laird and Mr.. Probert rs Little Billie, 1t
10
the DuMaurier pictures. Better than