New-York tribune., 1899-01-31
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
NoNARY LOVE AT wALLAcK's
-.,rpsoLr AZ CAMILLE.


far Oh That is the trend. at present ana
tune "' - s,o,e NJ nature the stage may soon
70 'h" I .o,ress In that direction should meet
CON- ,,,.sen,lv check Miss Olga Nethersoe' IN
", revortinr 10 the raimeni OF sixty years as"'
y. -osssed great onportunltN-ior N'n' 'o''
.' nSs hsrdsorne and Camille in hoopskTt is no'
y =. striking as she would have oeen !"
eounce and halo SIN 'he hoopsAii ~ M "
ho"". oysl,v and Camille. with her incipient con-
es' -. ,ertainlv stands In dire need OF some
SUI :. refreshment There IL nothing fresh m the
So t nm, Camille and Armand when shown as an
.,",e guys certainly are shown in new hshI
"e" luz &c m uncommon or superior quality IN MISS
,..nsrsole's embodiment OF Marguerite "au'noi
~. .ar, has been much more thoroughly and any
Inv - ~ lean Davenport (Nrs. LANDER who was
p"' a., repreSentative in America: by Matilda
W ", rough and exuberant, hut superoy true
c1ors Norris. by Bernhardt. and better thah all
% ,,oaiaska The chief and controlling attriou'e
.! III is nathOs Miss Nethersoles performance
o. s,.av remarkable for physical force me i'n-
" ,o, that remains from II is that OF power "''n-
~.rserness skill without snceri-y' and oriiiiaheS
ou' s-.b The imitation of tenderness Is clever.
va si.uatiors that. of themselves. excite ten
anu .,o~ n is practically effective but oenea'h
W. ..,,ation there is always, In MISS Ne'nei so's
." or and voice.-in every element OF her per
,.v "A formida bic force or character N"'O''
- al sense Of weakness or suHer'hs aoS"'"'
- exclamation why 40 hNt' ""'7 '''
me ,sss indeed II be from those persons whose
A-r,rsl glands always ready hke 'hose
10 - The endearments prompted by amman
'0D - ,Arv well copied but that Is easy Ml7S
...o-soa is an actress for powerful psr's. S"o
- oc,rese at all; and Camle's essehua' eie
msni IS WEAKNESS 1,-,,a,,,.s heean with
.o-,hv and creditable play, poetic III lue"' ",''
o. and tender in feeling. but IT was marreu us
C.fa n
.ss, o"' oo- sadness should enter into "ors OF
v-lass as frequently happens IN human NJ
o. .ooodv o- the sadness is inevitable. III INC
-.ogen," there was apparently the uc""''""
r-nose 10 compel a tragic close.-'o cIea'' ".'
rdsrstanding which could not poss'o'S nav "
,-rs6. 10 prevent an explanation lHa' mus nav
sorfd. and thus 20 reach terrible climax anu
as,hetic end. Even SO the play m'eh' nav 80 80
- Inca ny really sympathetic acting: ou' Nnlss
,-,,bersoe is not a sympathetic acuesS' N'o
,.s ,.ases an average audience. but that Win
nlav containing the means OF "a'''1'I
I.snarce s not difficult and u does nol mean any
,h,,r The mass Of people are very easily io'''N'
Me- Nethersole's singular custom OF "a"u0i,"e
- ,,.o The recesses of the scenery ana lmparu"s
~ ohserva ,ions 10 the back street 10Y lns'"'Oe'
non-esses her admirers az touch OF Na'"'.
~ -o,-esentative Of Armand seemed 10 oe an
gooo,,rtant who had gone astray. Olo MI D"N"'
oo,oipdAs his interview with Camille oN A'ssi's
,er Why not have made the whole matter ''s"''
without waiting for the deathoedt
Camille" as d play is. 10 some extent po'',..
.,, Gov a. arouses interest holds the spectator IN
suspense and affords scope for the af' VI a.l'"s
Bu, IFS subject is unciean and ITS mora vi i
iruous and hurtful and from IT'S mora drli' 'neie
d, No eecane No device of treatment mas ever pre-
vailed 10 place This piece before the triouha' u
,houeht unon exclusively dramatic GROUNDS. II III
sisrs on rs didactc purpose lne sSulp" "'e"l
era,-stor NAV CIV over IT, much as he hNes' ""'
whenever no wipes his weeping eyes and scrlilhizes
us meaning n will observe that 10y me Spr'i"1S
rresentnnent Of an exceptional and fictitious case
~ feminine experience q directly tends 10 subject
-hs reason 10 the feelings, 20 perveri mora per-
ception and TO insl loose views as 10 the integrity
~ woman When the tnird curtain falls. every
snectator VINO ran be duped by such an ar'lce
detests old DuyaL-who Is entirely IN the n-h|-
and every saoh person is persuaded that Camille IS
quite good enough to the wife Of any man. now
ever worthy and that IN a u similar crCums tances,
all such women as Camille ought TO be indicated
That is the drift of the play There Is no remem-
brance in il Of the respect that Is due 10 yirtuous
women no consideration Of what rs due 10 cnilaren
vs- unbo-n. no scrupe as 10 the principles Of
domestic purity and personal honor upon wnlcn'
and only upon which. fabric OF civilized society
can securely rest Sense expires in sympathy. and
everything is conceded 20 wild unreasonins emo
,ior No result for listeners who can ne harmed
nv PLAYS could be more noxious.
Let us" said Or Johnson. free our minds
from cart"-the cant of vice equally with me
cant % virtue 80 doubt the case of Camille Is
hard one. but the laws which govern the moral
STATE of the human race declaring themselves IN
their continual operation and consequences. totally
irrespective of human theories and emotions are
irexora bic It is not society. 50 resonanty abused
IN hi, drama that regulates the reTlhuuon Sc
ouent upon sin. IL is a mysterious force tar PACK
Of all conventions Every wound leaves scar.
TIE scar may not always be visible but Il always
exists The spirit like the flesh. can ne wounded
and when wounded although II may heal it must.
Ike he flesh bear the mark Of the injury II has
received The awful fact about wrongdo.ng is the
feet that when violence has once been done TO the
spirit all the repentance and all the atonement
possible IN this world can never make things pre-
cisey as -hev were before. Camille. no doubt is
the proper ob'ec, of pity. but the stage present
ment Of such figure a proper object OF SYM
ps'hy and respect IS both foolish and vicious
The questions implicated in the play are questions
for private judgment The subject should not be
in,rIoed ,r,o The theatre II concerns the medical
profession and the clergy II does not concern the
arts Leas, Of sn should n he thrust upon the
consideration of young people, who. for the most
part compose the theatrical audience Camille cies
hard. Consumption is an obstinate and hnger-
ING disease. But there is hope that she Will soon
F9t aer release. The pious aspiration OF the olu
farmer whose wife had been hopelessly sick for
many is not inappropriate 10 her present
condition 90 wish" he said. that she would get
"ei-or something"
The subiect is old and hackneyed and comment
upon II must necessarily take well-worn track
lne word for the moment has often been sa'a
and T. can only now be repeated The theme OIL
AlcN love" mas no place the stage, unless you
nave something important TO say ABOUT H. some
liz : and
unless In your use OF II you can rear a. Shake
speare did In Measure for Measure. ana as
Ooethe dio in "Faust." fabric Of dramatic deeds
ana events which shall not only be noble and spieh-
ola m itself but noble and splendid in it's sigilh-
canoe II you can do that you are able 10 renHer
valuable service 20 mankind. and you nave your
.@nhcaion II not the Introduction OF the SUBJECT
az lmpertmence II you have nothing 10 say
e~Ssn thst evil nmunicat tions corrupt GOOD man
'. you Weu afford 10 refrain from opening
'h'1ipe the public mind. for that has Deeh
' thousand times already. and a thousand