New-York tribune., 1901-06-04
LONDON NOTES.
MRS cAMPBELL AS AN EMOTIONAL
ACrRESS-MR. FORBES ROBERT
son AS A RECREANT MONK
CONVENT GARDEN
London. Nav %.

There has been furry of gayety on the eva
ot the Nhitsuntide holiday, with military
pageant on the Horse Guards parade the -.oer-
tion Of Sir Alfred Miner at MARLBOROUGH House
new singers at Covent Garden two frasb r,oy,s
at the theatres and a series of narties ond
dances in the West End. All these events have
mentioned in cable letters but some of them
seem 10 require more detailed comment than 7
nave peeh aple to make in nightly dispatches
The first nights at the Comedy and ROYALTY
theatres were each interesting from the apnear-
ance Of Mr. Forbes Robertson and Mrs Patrick
Campbell in strong parts of great dramatic in
tensity. These artists have individualties of
their own, and when they have parts which are
suited To them they capable of doing really
great work When they We're acting together
they were seldom seen to the best advantage
for one was forced to make a sacrifice to the
other by attempting uncongenial impersona-
tion- If Mr.. Forbes Robertson had the voice
and stagecraft for Romeo Hamlet and Mac
beth. Mrs. Campbell not equipped by
stage training or temperament for Shakespearian
work When she found n play with a part
which interested her deeply. there
responding work for him. Now that they are
acting apart each reverts to characters with
which there is individual sympathy. The plays
may Toe open to criticism as artificial and the
auical, and may lack the elements of popular
success; but there is opportunity for seeing
two favorite artists at their best.
Mrs. Campbell at the Royalty Theatre has
taken up the Spanish play. Mariana by Jose
Echegarsy, which enacted few years ago
the Court Theatre with Miss Elizabeth Robins
the heroine. 1t is problem play with
tragic denouement essentially consistent with
the morbid question of heredity raised by the
author. The Scriptural idea is that children
suffer for the sins of their parents, and that is
also undertone Of Greek tragedy. This is
6ed hz he nj light as IN
sonaI responsibility cf the children for the evil
conduct Of their parents and the assumption is
neither Hebraic Greek. Mariana is a rich
Spanish woman. whose life is clouGed by resent
full memories Of a heartless father and "a weak
and sinful mother. The father had sought to
place her in bondage a wicked husband. and
the mother had been betrayed abandoned and
bounded to death by seducer. Mariana's heart
is hardened and embittered by these memories,
and when her hand is sought by a young and
ardent lover and by middle aged soldier she
takes vengeance upon mankind by flirting ca
priciousy with each in turn. When she has
played off against the other to her hearts
content she falls in love with the younger suitor
only to learn by accident that he is the son of
her mothers seducer. Recolng from him in
horror she marries the middle aged soldier
a strong man who will restrain her from follow
ing the impulses OF her heart. On the wedding
night she is cold to her husband and entreats
him to kill her if she shall ever excite his sus-
picions Hardly has he left the room before the
youthful lover comes in by the window and pro-
poses fight by moonlight. Yielding at first to
his entreaties. she recalls her mothers fate and
cries aloud for her husband. declaring that she
is untrue to him. The husband shoots her and
retires with his rival behind the scenes where
two shots heard as the curtain falls.
II is play with false problem and a morbid
faint, and, despite certain degree of cleverness
In construction it is artificial and dismal until
the intense eliminating scene with the tragic
catastrophe. 1t is a Spanish drama. with artis-
tic modern gowns and bright drawing room and
country house boudoir scenes in Madrid and La
(5ran1a; but there are Spaniards on the stage
Neither Miss Winifred Fraser nor Miss Beryl
Faber who have subordinate parts, is Spanish
In movement manner or face; and Mr.. Tithe-
radge's suppressed style and measured under
tones in love making are not characteristic of
the sunny land while Mr.. Saintsbury as the
soldier. Mr.. Berte Thomas Marianas guar
dian, Mr.. George Arliss as an enthusiastic
archseologist, and Mr.. Gerald du Maurier as
drawing room gallant colorless characters
Snanish only in name AS for Mrs Campbell
she is not Spanish, but simply herself, playing
as she likes restless in movement. unconVen-
tional in method. defying many OF the traditions
of the stage vet succeeding in investing an al
most impossible part with fascination charm
and reality. What was In the playwright
mind when he fashioned the anomalous charac-
fer of Mariana It would not be easy to discover;
hut the personality OF Mrs. Campbell as 1t is
thrown over the footlights is clear definite and
convincing / have never known her to be more
Interesting than in this morbid drama, with its
Impossible problem; nor have ever seen her
rlav with finer variety and more subtle power
Her musical voice was less measured in cadence
and movement than It usually is; she made the
changeful impulsive woman, with her alterna-
tions of heartless coquetry, resentful fury. ar
dent passion and tragic emotion, intensely real
and contrived to command sympathy for her;
and she imparted life and potency to a drama
which Was essentially theatrical and unreal
Mrs CamnbeI is neither Bernhardt nor Duse;
but che Is capable of electrifyng an audience in
. strong emotional part when she plays in her
own way.
Mr. Forbes Robertson is also seen at MS best
in Mr. Louis n. Parker's earliest translation Of
NJ Louis Tiercelin's drama. Ihe SACRAMENT oi
Indas. at the Comedy Theatre 1t was orig
inaiy presented two years ago as siHsie act
niece with a powerfuI situation at the fall of
the curtain II has been expanaeo INTO uhIee
oc+s With various incidents set forth in detail
which were previously summed up prlehy III
narrative Some critics naturally say that the
drama has been padded and filled out so as 10
provide entertainment for an evening" ana tiat
the gist remains precisely as ii was IN the hfai
act which was formerly the only one AS tue
drama is a realistic study of life In Brittany
bundred wears ago. and is fresh and true IN It's
local coIoring I would say that it has oeen I'M
proved by expansion and that the thiro ac'