The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-28

ing of the illustrations. Thus a picture OF
Sarah leaning against a huge cross In stated
t. represent Medea-the heroine OF a Greek
tragedy. written several hundred years be-
fore Christ. Another picture OF a youth
with a guitar-doubtIess Zanetto in Coppee's
lie P~assant-is labeled Romeo.
or far greater import to the American
stage than Sarah's recent performances Is
the fact that a native actress. i'm whose
talent connoisseurs have long believed.
has at last established herself before the
general public as one OF the best equipped
women now acting In the English tongue.
1 am hinking OF Miss Blanche Bates. who
every night at the Garden Theater begs.
ooaxes and conquers her maynard lover.
running the whole gamut from the sublim-
est delight 10 the blacklist despair, with an
irresistible power OF veracity never sur
passed by the famous French actress even
ir her happiest moments. Under Two
Flags is a crude melodrama. but on sundry
occasions. especially I'm the last two acts.
Miss Bates informs and t~ransngures II with
the spirit OF the noblest poetry. 1t is to be
hoped that this artist will soon return 70
plays OF a higher order-nOne should be too
high for her.
OVERPRAISED ACTRESSES.
We have had numerous instances this
winter of good. even very good, acting
the American stage just now is anything
but poor In capable performers-but only in
the case OF Miss Bates may such terms as
great and genius be used with prOpriety.
Anent Miss Henrietta Crossman, for in
stance, the Congregations OF a courteous
press were of almost g%rotesque propor-
tons. Miss Crossman is an actress OF
average talent, but far more than usua!
experience and. energy. She happened,
luckily for her. 10 be on unfriendly terms
with the syndicate. and somehow man.
aged on that score TO be looked upon as
a martyr. And so she was written up as
an eminent artist and many other won
derful things. and enabled to keep the play
in which she Observation-Disclosures Nell
long enough in New York TO make out
siders believe both il and her highly sue
cessfuI. As a matter of fact. after the
trumpets that heralded her advent so
noislly had ceased blowing. the interest in
Miss Crossman rapidly sank TO the degree
OF Iukewarm esteem. where It should. and
probably will. henceforth forever remain.
Miss Maud Adams was much praised for
her acting as Napoleon's feeble son in
l. AlklOli WHY ~ h'A NH
word ard call II in good honest English.
The Eaglet?'D This actress is always
interesting. but her Intelligent admirers
regretted TO see her waste her strength on
those tableaux, some strikingly conceived,
others terribly false and affected. which
Rostand has strung together i'm a manner
little worthy OF the master-builder of
Cyrano de Bergerac. Miss Adams's tai
ent is essentially and delightfully."- modern.
and should be used in modern parts. She
could probably play Ibsen's Nora better
than any other actress ever seen i'm the
part I'm America. and she would have made
a much truer Dora than Miss Anglin.
For the sake OF completeness. 1 must, be-
fore closing. mention two men who. al
though not actors, are making themselves
ever more conspicuous in connection with
matters of the American stage, and whose
influence is sure TO tell still more i'm the
future. One is MIR. Heinrich Conried. the
manager Of the German Theater in Irving
Place. The high ideals which this ener-
getic man so ably pursues in his. finan-
cially remunerative, work are gaining for
him rapidly the respect of all Americans
who believe i'm the high artistic and moral
mission OF the stage. IL has become quite
the fashion for such universities as Co
lumbia, Harvard, Cornell, etc. TO have
Mr.. Conried lecture before their students
on dramatic art. and probability is that
one of more of these institutions will soon
honor him with an academic degree. If so,
Mr.. Conried will have. earned il honestly.
The other man to whom | referred is Mr..
franklin Sargent. president Of the Amer
lean Academy OF Dratamic Arts. and the
Empire and Lyceum schools. which are af-
hliated with that institution. The work of
Mr.. Sargent's pupils as exhibited i'm mum
erous public performances in the Empire
Theater has during the past season al
tracted more comment than ever before.
Sometimes his bold attempts at presenting
such ultra modern plays as the symbolistic
Tragedy OF Death" have been ridiculed.
but the general verdict is. and must be.
that the academy gives its students a
training Of admirable breadth and thor
oughness, and that in the long run the
American stage cannot fail to derive great
profit from the labors of this school. One
need only cast a glance at the list of
graduates in its last catalogue to discover
that the managers as we'll as the public al
ready are aware of its efficiency. 1t will
suffice here to pick at random a few
names: Ida Conquest, John Blair, Grace
Kimball Judith Berolde. Grace George,
Florence Kahn, Blanche Walsh, Robert
| Tabor, Kate Hassett. | might continue
long. but everybody familiar with the
| stage to-day will have learned enough to
admit that Mr.. Sargent is honored i'm his
| pupils. JOAKIM REINHARD.