The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-25

lated from Inc original Dy LOUIS ~.
Parker.
leopold schwartze. C 5. Titherad5e
Masda. .....................Mr Mrs. Patrick Campbell
Marie. .---.....Lucle miner
Augusta. Mrs.. Theodore Wright
Franzissa won WendloWssi Florence Montgomery
Lieut.. Max Won Wendlowsi- 80. Charles Z. Bryant
HeiltctdlnSk -.-.........--..---D aincl Mccarthy
DR. Keller. Herbert Warning
Frau Won Kchs. .-.................A delne Bourne
Frau Won Ellrich. Miss Wentworth
FRAU Schu'nann -.--.-----...-.- Miss AFTER!
1heresai Lillian lsle
The management of the American tour
of Mrs. Patrick Campbell asserts that the
reason for the selection of "Magda' for
the first performance OF the local en-
gagement of the imported and widely ad-
vertised actress is the fact that it is her
favorite character.
Perhaps.
And at the same time the audience at
she Columbia Theatre last night made up
its mind that Mrs. Campbell is surely not
at her best in this play of Sudermann's-
this story of the return of famous prima
donna to her home village-a dull Ger
man town-for a brief professional en-
gagement, and the subsequent meeting
with her father, a martinez, and her sis
ter, a sweet, wishy- washy young girl,
who always respects the paternal wishes;
the pastor, the former lover of the now
famous singer and the government coun-
sci, who deceived this celebrated woman
when she was in Berlin alone, unprotect-
ed, innocent-before she had learned the
ways OF the world and had brought the
world to her very feet
CT ta
sale theatregoing public of England until
she flashed across the dramatic horizon
of the town in 1.-The Second Mrs. Tanque-
ray Perhaps, also, she will tonight con-
vince Washingtonians that her best work
is done in the Pinero play, even if it be
not her favorite role.
There is no denying the fact that Mrs
Campbell triurnphed in sort of manner
last night in "Magda," but her success
was not of the proportions anticipated by
almost everyone in the audience. Through
out her performance she appeared insin-
cere; she rarely struck a true note of
either sentiment or passion. and even in
the moments when almost any actress of
half the fame and distinction of this En-
glishwoman might have achieved a great
success and called for the most sincere
enthusiasm, Mrs Campbell's "Magda" was
etAaIr-- almost colnrless. without the gen
uine spark of fire that was so necessary,
and the applause. while generous, was
lacking almost as much in genuineness
and volume as the portrayal itself.
Opportunities for Good Acting.
sudermann has given plenty of oppor-
tunites for effective acting in his play
Even MagGa's show of affection for her
little sister Marie consisted principally
of little peck at her cheek-and this
after an absence of twelve years from the
parental roof. There is but little show
of warmth or feeling for the paralytic
pater. either. Doubtless, Mrs. Campbell
argues that a father who would drive his
daughter from home by his fanaticism for
the supreme parental authority deserved
but precious little affection, and she takes
good care that but little is melted out to
him.
The best scenes participated in by this /,
strangely gifted English woman are with |
Won Keller-the enc in which she threat
ems his life il he dares to claim a portion |
of her nameless Child, and later en-, when |
he suggests the abandonment of the child !
after their marriage. Here the actress |
really rises to heights that thrill, and |
she resorts to no theatric tricks to ac- |
complish the result. There is a notice.
able lack of gesticulation, the utterances |
are firm and secure, and there is not the ,
faintest suggestion of the rant that has /
been called into requisition by some OF /
the women of the stage who have essayed /
the role. But these outbursts of indigDa-
tion of passion, OF supreme contempt for |
the father OF her child, seem to be but MT
ful fIC 10. hot mic md 81
lowed by periods of the most ordinary
histrionism.
Then, too. in the scene with her father,
in which the old soldier, drawing his mag
nidcently gowned daughter to him, says:
81 implore you to let me be happy in my
dying hours. Tell me that you have re-
lnained pure in body and soul and then
20 with my blessing on your way" Mrs.
Campbell was superbly defiant as she an
swered, Il have remained true to myself,
dear father"
How? In good or ilI?'' he asks.
In what, for me, was good" she re-
plies with more pronounced ring of
defiance than even before.
Good in Chief Climax.
In those scenes in which no show of
paternal or sisterly Affection are re-
Quired. Mrs. Campbell is undeniably seen
ut much advantage; her artificiality, her
chiliiness her soullessness, and her heart
]essness assist her rather than weaken
the interEs citation. In the great climax
of the play-the scene between Magda and
her father. where the old soldier has
locked the daughter in the room with him,
determined that she shall marry Won
Keller and clear the family name-Mrs
Campbell is peculiarly strong. 1t is a
note Of semi-confession. as well as de-
faDcc. that she hits when she queries:
Are you sure you ought TO force me to
marry this man-that he was the only one
in my lfe?" II is delivered with q
strangely insinuating tone. is this ques-
ton that brings on the awful tragedy of
the drama. and in this climax the chief
player displays an II tensity that has not
manifested itself even once during the
preceding two and a half hours of the
performance. For the one brief moment
She thrills her audience awakens a pity
for herself. and stirs the emctions-and
then the curtain falls, and everybody
wishes they had been treated to this same
sort OF acting earlier in the evening.
Lacking in Comedy.
"Msgda" is not the sort of a play that
The audience that was at the Columbia
would have declared itself In favor of. had
II been granted the privilege OF deciding