The record-union., 1899-11-13
ADJUSTMENTS.

Nance O'Neil last night presented
at the Clunie Opera-house the powerful
play of 'Magda," appearing in the title
role. Her Magda is an art work of the
higher order. The piece itself will
bear warm praise for literary merit,
and in design and action it is one of
the most realistic and powerful of the
whole range of sensational domestic
dramas. 1t depends almost wholly
upon the three characters and their
skilful drawing. The chief of these is
Magda, and the second that of her
father personated by Mckee Rankin
in a mastery manner and without even
a minor and immaterial flaw. We do
not know when there has been given
here a stronger, more delicately and
naturally drawn, yet powerfully de-
picted character. But, of course, it is
Magda who dominates the play. This
PRESERVATION by Miss O'Neil is original;
it is like no other; she invests it with
the same virility and characterize as
sertion which distinguish all her work.
There is the strangest and most capti-
waiting mingling of exquisite sensibility
and the tortures of agonizing soul pain;
the most intricate Intervening Of re-
bellious pride and repentant sorrow.
She makes it a character of blended at
tributes that command respect, and of
conflicting purposes which negative
sympathy. Her method is open to crit
icism in several respects, but not for
faults of character to mar the SYM
metry of the performance as a whole
Such defects as may be held to reside
in her Interpretation of Magda and her
method of picturing that willful, but
courageous. naughty, but guilty, and at
last broken and repentant woman are
of minor character, and are likely to
correct themselves as the young actress
more natures in her art. For, assured
ly, Nance O'Neil is an artist with
present deserved fame, and with prom
Use for greater achievements nd a still
higher position in the dramatic art.
The third character in the play. that
occupies a central position, is that of the
Lutheran pastor, assumed by Frederic
Vroom, capable and conscientious art
ist who comes of so excellent a school
as that once presided over by Edwin
Booth and Lawrence Barrett With
these artists Mr.. Vroom served six
years. His Pastor last evening was
artistic, carefully prepared and excel
lent work. 1t was characterized by
consummate assumption of strong emo
tional feeling expressed only by a mas
terly will and bitter self-sacrifice. Mr..
Canfield's Won Keller, an unsympathet-
ic character, repellant and cold, was
given with entire effectiveness
practically fiawless Mr.. Berthelitte's
Max was altogether too juvenile. indeed
1t was boyishly weak. The other sup
port was acceptable, Miss Crolias' Marie
standing out most prominently, but call
ing for little effort. Miss O'Neil was fay
ored by fine audience, very few seats
being vacant. 1t was a thoroughly ap-
preciative and a highly intelligent
house. and called the talented tragedi-
enne out thrice after the second act and
thrice after the third act, with as sim
cere applause as has ever been given
in a theater.
Tonight the play will be the New
Camille" 1t will be the first time the
translation of Camille" adopted by
Sarah Bernhard, has been presented in
this city. Miss O'Neil saw Bernhard
produce it, and was so favorably i'm
pressed with it that Mckee Rankin, her
manager, at once bought the play, and
Barton Hill, the veteran actor, also
member of the O'Neil company, adapted
1t for her and the American stage.
While Camille" has been produced in
this country many times since it came
from the pen of Alexander Dumas fls,
none have seen the absolute transla-
ton of the play as produced by Bern
hardt. The costumes are of the time
in which the story was written and are
absolutely historically correc- The
same version of Camille is row pro-
duced by Bernhard in French, Duse in
the Italian and O'Neil in the English.
So many requests have been pre-
ferred to the local and O'Neil manage
ment, for presentation of "Magda" at
time other than Sunday evening, that
the two have agreed upon a Wednes-
day matinee and for which seats can
be now engaged without extra charge.
That the opportunity to see Miss O'Nejl
in the splendid title role may be ex-
tended to the largest possible number,
the curtain will not rise until 3 O'Clock.