The sun., 1902-11-21
The STAGE HERE And ABROAD.
REAL STORM AND THE SHAN ONE
IN "MARY or MAGDALA."
whose Translation I'm the New Play:
-Pstriotism and Old Memories Kin.
died by "The Crisis"-Grace kimball
TO lie a star-Phil adelphian for Spong.


There were several moments Of tense
anxiety during the fifth act Of MARY Of
Magdala last Wednesday night at the Man
haitian Theatre. The stage was pitch black
in the intervals when il was not illuminated
with ghastly. jagged lightning. Tyrone
Power as Judas could be seen cropping his
way about intoning in solemn and frenzed
accents his rage and despair. Other voices
were also heard. voices that urged and
threatened. But as they blended well with
the shrieking and din of the tempest the
audience accepted them as a part Of the
mise en- scene. They were not. The trouble
began with The music. Conductor Puerner,
confused momentariy by conflicting signals
In the wings. started and stopped his band
several times.
Alas. poor Wagner, Mr.. Power chung
TO his lines, though his palses were alarm
ingiy significant. The thunder vacllated
And doubtless a certain commandment
was fractured by the stage manager more
than once.
Without a fatal hitch in the progress Of
:he play the last act ended in triumph.
Certainly no stage storm has been seen in
New York like this one. II was too real TO
be pleasant at times. Many women in the
front rows shielded ther ewes from she
t'll' ta.siit VI lll' iIllIll' DIiSl NdlSIdl
i. Wilder. who is certainly not a Roman
Catholic, was so oppressed and impressed
by the gloom and fury that he was seen
70 bless himself pIously during a vivid flash.
Inc MID inoonlight-the stage directions
in the play say moonlight-was particu-
larly refreshing TO the eve after all the
racket and hare-up.
Yes, it cannot be denied that Mrs Fiske
was a bit nervous in the beginning. 1t
kA., 81 1,n. 81. q.
In a drama it is always trying to sit still
and watch anything. This Mrs Fiske had TO
do when that Egyptian dance was going
on with grand opera, where ears and eyes
are so crammed that waits may stretch
10 perlous lengths. the case is different
II is therefore, hardly to be wondered that
TINS actress, experienced as she Is, was
restless. And what a irving ordeal must
such vast production have been
An individual hit that was not noticed
because of the press of first night was the
small part Of " ram, taken by Ida Hamilton
She looked more Oriental than any one
except Judas.
There were guesses hazarded as to the
identity OF the translator The names Of
Edith Wharton. Alice Kauser. Charles
Henry Meltzer and others We're mentioned
Perhaps Mr. Melt ger knows who il is as well
secret we'll
Mr.. and Mrs. Fritz Williams CKatharine
Florence) were attentive spectators OF
the Heyse drama. So were any number of
prominent Hebrews. who took the deepest
interest in this stirring page of their nations
history. Naturally. there will be some
sectarian dissatisfaction. but it can't pre-
vail greatly. Mary of Magdala" is a
play that will make it's appeal to members
of all religions.
Poor Salm MORSE" exclaimed one
veteran in the lobby Of the Manhattan.
Here Ia his dream realized and nobody's
corns Of piety trod upon. A passion play
without the actual passon-yet with it
ever present Ii is not so many years
ago that silly hullabalOo was raised about
uauptinann's beautiful and touching Han
nelo" at the Fifth Avenue Theatre. Mr
Meltzer translated it and the author had to
submit to all sorts of annoyances before
the piece was given. And all because
Charles j. Richman's Stranger suggested
the figure OF Christ, The world of religious
prejudice is certainly moving,
The SUNS dramatic reporter is in receipt
Of many anonymous letters some Of which
are entertaining because of their arrant
ignorance and asininity. That we are to
be held responsible for typographical
bunders is to he expected. for the passionate
and punctlious press agents, especially
Of the breed literary, are only too glad TO
register the seeming errors Of the critical
tribe. IL was ever thus, thus will it ever
be. Mr.. Meltz"r made comical suggestion
the other night about our reference TO the
Sistine Chapel choir which Mr.. Caine al
lndes TO in the first act Of The Eternal
City
"As the action is placed in the future
by the playwright" said Mr.. Meltzer, -of
course the voices would be bass ones, the
male soprdni being by that time as extinct
as the dodo bird" Clever!
You have no idea of the patriotic enthusi-
asm that kindles during a performance of
-The Crisis at Wallack's. At the Weclnes-
day matinee whenever Lincoln's name
was mentioned the actors voices we're
drowned by cheers. Once jefferson Davis's
name was spoken and woman. far too
young TO have lived during the war. cried:
"Hurrah" II vas a feeble piping. but
a sincere one The audience appreciated
i ,sr and gave whsr the lady round Of applause
by the Southern girls. there was az
much enthusiasm "a one could have en-
countered below Mason and Dixons line
forty odd years ago. And that old square
piano.what vision Of ante-bellum days
it evoked.
A lady. who Informed the unfort unate
hearers in her vicinity at the Empire the
other night that she was from Philadelphia,
also insisted upon pronouncing Lady Dun
cans name az Sponge" II really got
upon your nerves, for Miss Iilda was look
ing particularly handsome and anything
but sponRe-y.
Mr.. A. NJ. Palmer is reported in better
health. and will, so It is said, re Join the
Mansfield company this week
Whether or no the story Of Richards
latest outburst be true there il no denying
the fact that Mr. Mansicld's is a striking
career. Even the clocks 60 slow In his
presence.
Grace Kimball expects TO star next
spring.
Several well-known English actors have
lately rushed into "reminiscences. .An
Actors Life" by James X. Anderson. a
veteran tragedian, and Random Remi-
niscences." by Mr.. Brookfeld, are both
readable books. The latter wrote a fetch
ing little play. The Burglar and the judge"
which brought him one unsolicited and
professional" compliment
Il gave couple Of dress-crcle seats"
he related with gisto, "to an old friend OF
,,,iy, n nrpfaeaippal THAI xrh, Jo.,.~l -