The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-29
DRAMATIC CALM and STORM
AS CONTRASTED IN LAST WEEKS
TWO NOTEWORTHY PLAYS.
Extremes OF Charm and Force In The VIII
derness'' and "Du barry" and In the
Acting OF Mrs. Carter and Miss An.
glin-Other Topics OF the Theatre.

lnb tWO new DluNb VI ihSt Ntth NtIc u5
different in character as they were alike in
gaining approval. There was quite as
great a contrast between the two actresses
who distinguished themselves In the per-
formances. The Wilderness was an ex-
ample Of charming quietude. 'Du Barry
was an example Of exciting turbulence.
Margaret Anglin's success as a heroine OF
propriety was noteworthy, notwithstand-
ing Mrs. Carter's overshadowing triumph
as a heroine Of indecorum. These cases
prove the assertion. as frequently made
in THE SrN, that no kind OF an interesting
play or Of excellent acting ever fails OF
appreciation when properly put on the
stage in this big city. II there were not an
abundance Of people susceptible TO the
calm, and most of the time cool, but always
nicely artistic, composition and repre-
sentation Of The Wilderness the piece
at the Empire would be futile. Its theme
of a girl giving up a young sweetheart to
marry an older man, and after marriage
falling in love with her husband, is here
used for the thousandth time; but a new
treatment freshens it into peculiar interest
for those who know the typical maiden of
contemporaneous society as she exists ana
a. she is here portrayed.
In former fiction, commonly, II not always,
the unloving bride gets wrongly the right
bridegroom without being a conscienceless
fortune-hunter. But the instance written
by Henry V. Esmond is that Of a girl who,
though sweet. gentle. clearly and amiable,
Il ready and willing TO practise the on
Elements Of her sex upon Il wealthy bache-
lor. She Is more than a Coquettish beguiler.
She il a deliberate liar. The modern play
wrigh Ia finding out that audiences, at
least those who go to first-grade theatres,
do not require that heroines shall be un-
humanity immaculate, II only there = enough
of good In their natures and conduct TO
make them save themselves from their
own evil. This husband hunttr is a case in
point. Through two-thirds OF the play
her duplicity in courtship IL accompanied
by insufficient excuse to sa "a her from
your contempt, but during that time she
entertains YOU with her polite wiles and
gracious lures. In the last third she be-
| comes lovable with her sincerity, and when
at length she pleads with her husband for
his heart-pleads in the anguished voice
| Of Miss Anglin-you find that she Il a pro-
foundlv engrossing creature.
There IL fever in the millinery shop Of
"Du Barry" and IL extends holly through
the gambling house to the royal bed
chamber. II David BelaScu's drama did
not rise steadily TO its highest temperature.
if it, delirious state were not the climax
of a reasonable pr, gression, the kind Of
people who go TO the Criterion would not
permit themselves to catch its excitement.
But il is Just such "A play a. Victorien Sardou
use to write for Sarah Bernhard, to be
unappreCiated by those critics who feel
bound 10 decry even the best grade 81
mclodrama, but as surely 10 sweep It, way
into SUCCESS with all who do not stOutly
resist il power. Here. as in The Wilde
ness" We have a humanity weak woman,
good and bad. but in Du Barry those ele-
ments are more dlsastrously divided,
and she sinks into the tad instead OF rising
into the good She, too, gives up "A man
Sllo loves and entrances one she does not;
but il il miserable concubinage. not happy
wedlock. that she thereby g't- herself
into, and We nave a thrilling tragedy In
the place Of a charming comedy So,
Will The WILDERNESS and ID Barry"
may have struck you AZ being altogether
In contrast "a they surely are m manner
they still are similar in putting forward
each a frul woman with strong emotion
II has been saii that Will" playwrights
used the French King Louis other cuur-
tesau. Nine PompadoIr. for a heroine
over and over again. they dared not utilize
Mine Du Barry. because me lad gone 90
the guiilutlne "A coward. Nj b"lasop d,
uua ~ the stage writers Who have lately
learned that the w-akue--r- 90 a woman
IN a drama may be- hcr sympathetic strength,
and ~ be- sends thu on" 80 hrr death cnug
ing. meaning and shurAug That would
not hay, l@eu "a shrrwi thing fpr him 80