The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-30


Iuliette ...,...............M Maiorie Bond
Nlnlche .,......,.........ts isabel Lowrie
liennie .........,..........k Kate Bronson
'lalrette '..........,... -. Mabel Ellison
Adele Aurela A. Granville
Flower Girl .......... Louisa Burnhan
Naihalie ....,.,.........-.-H Helen Tracy
Zaza .....,...........M Mrs. Leslie Carter
IL is long road from the unnedged
Miss Helyet" to "Zaza" part that
has taken its place with the greater Gre
@,ions OF emotional drama.
The development Of Mrs. Leslie Car.
ter is represented by that span.
AS Miss Helyet," Mrs. Carter was
less than an experiment. She travelled
on a notoriety that is sometimes innict-
ei on the stage but which the stage
doesn't court Probably there wee few
critics OF the day OF the farce who ex-
pected 10 hear anything more Of Mrs.
Garter Dramatically speaking she WAS
not taken seriously.
We venture To say that M. Mark
Smith who interprets ver' delightful
character study I'm ghe drama that was
presented at the Provid nee Opera
House last evening. never looked for
ward 20 finding himself supporting a
conspicuous star In The person of Mrs.
Garter when he used 10 sing tSat song
about the girl who fell over the cliff aud
hung suspended head down and heels
Up.
Mr.. David Bclasco IS. we believe. to
ba credited with the recoch-i,n 90 a
rem rncncy, SO 10 speak. about sirs.
'a"'r. Ilr e. was, accorillg To- all &C.
counts. who saw in her the dr1u,aiic
stu" nat ptcTised 10 be caplhle af n,
dependence of an angel" the possibil-
ties - d,Ncl, pment of a star OF e.cc-
tonal drama
Belasco developed Mrs. Carter's tall
emit Then he found a play for her. And
the play and the star have achieved
success that has had few parallels in
the history OF the stage
''Zaza, which opened for n weeks
engagement at the Providence last ev-
ening. has been compared to Camille"
IT isn't a bit like /. except that * COM
mands a place beside that standard OF
emotional dramas nearer to it's high
plane as a dramatic composition than
the many merely limitations which
have had their day on the stage
'ZaZa" is unique. SO Is Mrs Carter.
II is likely that Mrs. Carter might doe
something else as well as "Zaza." Per-
sons who saw her performance last ev-
ening. however. would be hard 20 con-
'Zaza."
Camille. IAN emotional classic. Is un-
relieved by humor. "ZaZa" possesses
lots OF humor The sudden laugh saves
the shock OF some OF it's passages. It's
pathos Is direct and convincing. IL rs
vigorous rather than sentimental. OF
the two. II indeed comparison is neces-
sary. 'IaZa' is the more wholesome. al
belt II is bolder. IL does not aim 10 win
approval through Inspiring the senti-
n,ent Of pity. You are not asked to toll
crate Zaza's social sins becouse OF her
reform or because she ls going TO die
''Zaza" doesn't offer extenuating cir
cumstances. She is tough and garish
She loves as she ought not To love and
she isn't consumptive. ON the contrary
she Is a lusty Jade and glories in her
love because she has been happy i'm II
and she has never been happy i'm any
Ghing else.
II is "A very worldly play is "Zaza"
and it makes no excuses. There is no
maudlin sentimentality about N. That
doesn't mean. that IL Is necessarily vi
cious. 1t is only naked. You are not
asked to accept an excuse for sin There
is no problem" presented for sophistry.
IL n a character study. As such you are
impressed with its faithfulness. You are
entertained. Beyond that the dramat.st
and the actress do not bother you. Take
II or leave IL, but don't discuss IT, For
there is nothing to discuss.
The story has already been made IA
miliar.- X concert hall singer developed
from the slums comes Ito love a man
whose acquaintance she has made in
the spirit OF couuetrv. She lives with
him because her station I'm life is such
that She does not expect him TO give
her his name. She finds he is married.
She did not know that before. And there |
YOU are. She parts from him but even
40, the dramatist does not undertake
TO give her credit for scruples. But for |
the indignity he heaps upon her the i'm |
ference is that she would have contln- |
ued to live with him. once parted she |
refuses To resume the old life. But that |
Is because n can never be the same |
rather thnn that she has any conscience |
about u only because her lover can
never be free for her to have to herself |
So there L. no s'temrt 20 draw moral |
or To- demonstrate better self"
As dramatic composition "Zaza" |
j. remarkable Tor contrasts OF scene.
action and emotion "Zaza" The char |
acter is distinctly a hard case as the |
world goes. But she is rugsedly honest |
She doesn't know shame burt does know /
love and grief and jealousy She knows /
when she is happy AMI she knows i
when she IL hurt. r. is no cornpensatiOn B
iot nef tnht She nad no right To be 4
happy She would be happy ~ She could /
whether she he'd the social right 20 hN 4
or not. She fights with he conditions \
that deny ht, happiness anl is not F.
recorciled hy arv harkinr back to ihe
cFhics &c the situation. Ethics Is not I'm
"Iaza's' catalogue.
The opening scene " "Zaza" Is y
comedv treat. II presents n pioturA az
'hehnd tho scenes" ~ = corcori hail.
CO. .fH.If Hs..s.
ers. acrohn y. the pron1ptcr. the mana-
""i AMI "fher s,age peOple iotne iu
thc oct. They iea'e rho real stare Al
Intervals 10 dO their tlru b frrn fba
r'vthirnl audience suggcs,ei fo d. IA
fhD wings Tie prohs4trl "in fr0ut' ia
heard qpd be- puplqusa 81 tho qudi.
N~os on" 0ctor doc y turrt nuf or
sight to 90" accomuor n,ciei uf various
fovires which 're in fun view fha ou-
Grafton ~ which II not familiar 10 \ |