Evening star., 1902-03-25
ADJUSTMENTS.

now welcomes a number Of American lyric
attractions each season and recognizes
them as fully equal to the native product,
the tide has not turned so far as the legfti-
mate drama is concerned. The United
States continues to expect certain liter
ary finish In plays and a security OF poise
in the performances which come from Lon
don, which our own eager and bustling
temperament does not, as rule, produce.
This season England sends Mrs Campbell
for the consideration and. as a foregone
conclusion, the applause Of American au-
diences Mrs. Campbell is famous both
personally and professionally. Talent she
possesses undeniably. In addition to this
she has behind her for her American tour
management that is keenly alert to the
value of advertising and she assemblies at
her performances the people who are curl
ously attracted by the glamour of noto-
riety, as well as those who admire art for
arts sake.
Mrs. Campbells plays are those which
represent safe middle ground between the
popular and the classic drama. They as
sumo to discuss things seriously, and de-
pend for interest chiefly on a portrayal of
the regrets which attach to a violation of
the social conventions.
'Magda,' the play with which she last
night opened a weeks engagement has
become favorite vehicle for the emotional
actress. 1t covers a wide range Of express
sion; the frivolous imperiousness of the
petted operate star; the scorn of the
woman who has had her ideals of love and
devotion shattered by a cad; the remorse
OF daughter who finds herself the de-
strOyer of her fathers happiness. The
somber quality of the drama is uniform
and tense. Tie little ray of comedy in the
second act only serves to intensity its
gloom 1t is a play in which one character
stands out almost supreme in the interest
of the audience
AS "Magda' Mrs. Campbell made a very
able impression. Her art is intellec-
tual rather than emotional. She calls for
admiration rather than sympathy and af-
fection. Her "Magda'' is minute study
of the probabilities under certain condi-
tionS. There is no doubt that a woman
situated as was the heroine of this play
would be logically expected to depOrt her.
self as did Mrs. Campbell last night, as to
pose. gesture, intonation and expression
OF face. Her performance Is a continual
challenge to the analyst. She weaveS no
hypnotic spells which move the auditor to
follow her unreasoningly into every illusion
she chooses to suggest Although richly
gOwned, she makes especial effort to
enhance her personal charms She deliv-
ers her speeches with wel-placed emphasis
and where force is demanded she betrayS
no deficiency.
Step by step she portrays the life of a
woman whose heart is wrung; and when the
picture is complete she has no fear that
the public Will not admire, for she has
studied her subject and reproduced it with
the fidelity of conscience and the determi-
nation of mind which make failure impos-
sible.
1t is not a tempestuous Interpretation of
Magda. There is not an unguarded mo-
ment in Mrs. Campbels performance. Yet
1t is a most plausible presentation of a
very complex study in human emotion.
The play does not invite any displays of
especial brilliancy in the supporting COM
pany. Herbert Waring acquits himself
with credit In the exacting but ungrateful
role of Won Keller. Tonight THE Second
q will no nj
NEW NATIONAL THEATER-In the
prolific lexicon of playwrighting there is
to Clyde Fitch no such word as fear. He
is boldness itself. In the past he has
delved into the human events Of life and
given to the stage the interrupted we'd
ding, the christening scene during which
the drink-crased father denies his child.
and the somber immediate aftermath Of
funeral. Now, in The Girl and the Judge
he has bTavely set in life a Slight girl
whose father and mother are drunkard
and kleptomaniac, respectively. Braver
still. and throwing into his work that at
mosphere of stage realism which has at
tained to such heights in modern plays.
Mr.. Fitch reaches his climax in the Sleep
less bed chamber of mother and daughter
at midnight. The girl lies tossing and
moaning on her couch. The mother cam
not sleep because Of having but a few
hours since yielded to the temptation which
is wrecking her life. The daughter sus-
poets her mother and sees in the mania an
end to all her happy day dreams of the af-
ternoon when she had promised to become
the wife Of the young probate judge. She
cannot now bring scandal into his life. for
the mother has broken her promise to
form The situation becomes unbearabe to
the girl, who fears she may have wronged
her mother by the suspicious. She arises
and lights the gas. And there, in the dim
glow, the strongest scene of the play is
acted. The mother denies time after time
she has stolen the pin which belonged to
the mother of her daughters tiance The
girl is still forced to suspect but finally
she throws aside her fears and tells her
mother of her happiness in the new-found
love and the proposal Of marriage. There
is a vigorous ring at the door bell, and an
other, and another. Then mans voice is
heard. The mother, terror stricken i'm
agines the police have come, and confesses
1t is here that Annie Russell. as the daugh-
ter, fills out serious situation as she has
seldom, If ever, done before. Playwright
Fitch ends the tensity abruptly. The mid
night visitor is messenger with a cheer
ing telegram. There is also thrown in a
characteristic remark from a very comical
iandiady. OF course, the play ends well,
with mother and father united and begin
ming new life, and with the daughter In
her fiances arms. The play is down as
comedy, but is one of the most serious
Fitch has ever written or Miss Russell has
ever played
1t is delight as always, to sit through
an Annie Russell performance. She pos
sesses the element of personal magnetism
and Is always attractiVely simple anu earn
est in her work. She has created her own
field and occupies it exclusively. Then too,
ii is always such a pleasure to witness and
be a party to the ovation always rendered
that gentlewoman of the stage, Mrs Gill
bert. Last night she was applauded full
two minutes upon her first appearance and
throughout the play there were outbursts
which evidenced the love the theatergoers
have for this very lOvable little lady Both
MSS Russell and Mrs. Gilbert have char
acteristic parts, and, consequently, do ex-
cellent work Mrs. Gilbert, especially, as
the judges mother has been treated to a
clever character The many little scenes
and by-plays between her and her son,
played by Orrin Johnson in capable fashion.
are very pretty to and hear. There are
but a few characters in the play. Mr..
Fitch has made up In his study of each
however, for lack of number, and conse-
quently there is not one but Is faithfully
drawn. The work of Mrs. Mckee Rankin
as the landlady, whose claim of having seen
better days is characterized by a fellow
player as a birds eye view." is thorough
ly clever
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE
The Bellows stock company again dem
onstrated its versatility last night at the
Lafayette Square Opera House in a pres
entation of William II. Lestocks rollickjne
comedy, Jane" A farce comedy Of the