New-York tribune., 1901-10-29
THE DRAMA.
HENRY IRVING AND ELLEN rrpnv
''MME. SANS GENE

NINE. SANS GENE"
In the repertory chosen for the prese,. a..
| tour of Henry Irving and Ellen Terry tbs
| play In which they have not before been V my
the American public is Mime. Sans Gene" ~.
was produced last night. and Miss Tsr-y tns
| Catherine,-the sprightly washerwoman - ,a'uns
comes Duchess at the court OF Nano,. 'e-
Marie Louise,-copiously liberated that wild s u
of piquant frolic which. in her Temperament, pt
| sutution, Is intimately blended with poetic -
ment and deep and ardent feeling The cbar...N -
is neither subtle complex-Catherne bsS. .
a sweet woman, generous. tender and trua a, =.
vidualized by piquant originality and r,. u
through rough experience. IutrinsicaIlv ron, "
mind, but completely unconventional in rn.n.. "a
| her presence among polite and specious cou-,,
anords the refreshing contrast OF truth with s.I
hood. makes delightful confusion and inna-, ~
hilaratng merriment. She is payfulIy misebisvons
and, to serve good purpose, she can ernplov ar1
Die artince. with demure plausibiIty aIika :,
demeanor and speech, that is delicious both N -.
| and hear. s
Ellen Terry. naturally rejoicing in such fabr,
Of animal spirits, womanlike caprice and ,n,
blended run and feeling, assumes the charac,.-
with perfect ease, yields herself without restratr
10 impulses of mirth. employs with sharp ersc,
her exceptional talent for nimble raiIery and.
serious moments-is impressive and beautiful =
her candor and simple dignity. Those serious ma
| ments involve GATHERINGS rebuke OF her unns-,,
persecutors.-the parvenue prfncesses of thu g.
perial family-and her explanatory interview u,,s
the Emperor: and in both OF these passages tbs
actress created and sustained a complete fu.,oD
On the part Of the dramatist there has psrhsn.
been some sacrifice of nature for the sake of broad
comic effect. In Sans Genes portraiture: a csvs-
woman. however humble her origin who rise, IN
the social SCALE seldom fails adjust herself mora
or less aptly, 10 her condition: Catherine "a
mains consistently eccentric and grotesque-ans
thus she is almost 'ncessanty comical Miss
Terry has played much greater parts. and in
greater way but she has not any time show,
more efficient skill. given an impression A.
deeper sincerity: her humor was never mora
charming. Guard her carefully" says Napoleon
at the close, you will not find her equal"
Henry Irving fmpersonated Napoleon repeat,,
a performance first given by him in 1897. In Eng,
land The makeup is wonder Every personal
popularity Of the Emperor has been observed and
copied-even to the lock Of hair which grew at ths
back of his head and carefully cOmbed for
ward and spread upon the front. Accuracy OF
physical investiture could not be more exact The
acting was marked by incessant. restless energy,
wtde-seeing perception, and balefuI prescience-
and therein. no doubt IL shows the predominant
quality of Napoleons nature.-a nature that was
intellectual, heartess. ruthless. dangerous and
coarse, every fibre of il glowing with fiery life and
the whole odious fabric of ii dominated BY an In
veterate purpose OF despotic sway The play ex-
hibits the Emperor domestic tyrant, an i'm
perial vulgarian. and jealous husband,-the cII-
of its action being his discovery that prt-
vate relationship is merely friendly and quite
innocent. which he had supposed to be ANA
tory and guilty. Henry Irvng's impairment
Of the sense OF cruel implacabe, perilous
power, in this character Of Napoleon, is so cogent
and ample that even while he is absent from the
scene he appears TO pervade and control IL: and
nothing could clearly indicate the predoml-
nance of commanding intellect the tremendous
sincerity of feeling. the individual superiority and
the thorough art of this performance IL will not
be highly valued as those embodiments are
which range in the realm of weird imagination
(emsodiments such Macbeth. Matthias. Louis
MephistopheIes, Werner and vanderdeekenJ. but
II will be admired a great historic portrait
drawn and colored with superb vigor. and finished
as TO every detail. with consummate skill Herein
the studies OF the actor have supplied much more
than was ever contemplated by the author.-for
throughout this drama the stress is laid. not upon
Napoleon, but upon Sans Gene: yet. if il was
night OF triumph for Ellen Terry, with all the ai-
vantases OF beauty and OF humor. IL night
OF equal II not greater triumph for Henry Irving
AS in all the productions made under this great
actors direction. in this there many
feicities OF scenery. dress and business the
specification Of which would MI a volume Mr.
Barnes made Lefebvre gallant and distinguished
and again deeply pleased his audience by the ex-
cellence OF his most expressive and tuneful and
always sympathetic speaking The performance Of
Fouche by Laurence Irving evinced that actors
growth in repose and in the effective use OF In
cipient humor There many calls for Miss
Terry and Henry Irving The version Of Sans
Gene used by these actors was made by Mr. J.
and Emile NIoreau. Wv.