The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-23

generation. To repent Is TO deny life, he
would have affirmed. Certainly there is
something CT the sublime in the unregen-
crate pride OF Millions lost angel. The
female penitent suggests ever the plastic
pose so dear to the artificer OF the footlights.
1t is hard to believe in its ultimate sincerties.
To the theatregoer the repenting sinner is
a favorite device. She becomes for the
weeping women in the orchestra a symbol,
a sort Of spiritual scapegoat for their own
peccadillos. And refreshed in spirit, their
meek little sins scabbardcd over Sunday,
they pour out into the streets, into chosen
retreats where with the aid Of tea they
discuss their dearest foe and botanic on
the grave Of her shattered reputation.
Verify. the Md0ddlen hath her uses! When
quite reformed this sinner-saint can be
offensive, for her attitude is that Of one
who goes about carrying upon her pug
nacious. shoulder the chip Of chastity.
As to the much discussed assumption OF
Mrs. Fiske, we may only say that this YER
satile, vibratie woman always selects parts
for which she seems TO possess no tenn
peramental or physical aptitudes Then to
demonstrate the victory of art over mind
and matter she proceeds to play whatever
she has set out TO do. We all exclaimed.
raising aloft incredulous hands, when Tess
was announced. Yet Mrs. Fiske gave us
Tess. not Hurdy's Tess, but her own
stubborn reading. For that matter the
play was not Hardy's. either. The spark
ling creature We called Minnie Maddern-
shades Of -Foyg's Ferry!--dd not reveal
potentialities for Ibsen: yet her Nora was
a more memorable achievement than her
l'pru,,l, tho liat Of ,,la Oh.
has appeared in since the frisky days
of Gallo farce-comedy-you will find Mrs.
Fiske trying ever for the big note. the note
not naturally in her compass, but somehow
or other sounding It before she relinquishes
a role.
her Mary is salient rather than seductive
She is often disenc hanting. In her eyes
are the shadows Of regret. Judas disap-
pointed her, Fidrius disguised her; the
time was ripe for her soul to seek the higher
life. 1t came in the g,ise OF a goldman
Eigar Saltus. with psychologist audacity
and profound insight, depicts Mary as
loving the Messiah. II IL q lofty love,
vet the love of a woman who worshipped
while she adored, For this Judas betrays
hi NJ ister. and IL is this motive that makes
the Satus novel strong, and II IL It's alb
sence that weakens the c-eiibility OF the
Heyse drama
But that way lies blasphemy; and BIAS
phemy--aleged or real--does not rhyme
with box office. Mrs Fiske's manager
was wise in keeping to blasted political
hopes and ideals as the springboard for
the revenge Of judas.
There is no doubt that the occasional
inelasticity and lack Of rhythm in Mrs.
Fishes impersonation the first night will be
corrected. She burrows her way into
a character until by superior mimicry it
becomes flesh Of her flesh. We all re-
member how tall she seemed toward the
end of the Tess season. She will end in
illuding US with Mdrp who, il not a volupt-
uous courtesan-which Is not the idea Of
Heyse-will he a woman whose face is an
incarnate desire. The playing Of the role
in the modern key is not an objectionable
offence. II is to be commended, not con-
demned. Perfelvii elocution is deadly.
even in play full of spou,ing. purple
lines. Mrs. Fiske knew this, knew that
the danger line was near and avoided il
She is best al the close Of the fourth and
fifth acts, though the meditation Of charac.
DElOIt NIt MIST ACT VIoete.
Mr. Tyrone Power deserves a volume Of
praise, though churchmen may look askance
at his sympathetic investiture Of the be-
trayers character. His is a task easier to
overcome than Mrs. Fiske's. He Is dynamic;
she is all suppression, renunciation. Mr.
Woodruff has been lauded. and rightfuly.
No need now 10 dwell upon the splendors
of the mise scene; upon the really artistic
lighting, of the naturalism OF the stage
mobs: upon the general brilliancy Of cos.
| tunes and music This last is feature
| The Parsifal" music fits we'll into the scheme
! Of things And it is curious to note that
Wagner is the latter-day progenitor of this
| combination of scenic effects. music that
| follows the curves of speech and action
Of themes that are half myth, half real
Armand Sylvestre. Eugene Morand and
Gabriel Pierne attempted such a synthesis
of lights odors, verse. music, pictures and
tragic motives in "Izeyl."
Robert Louis Stevenson in the seldom.
read seldom quoted essay on the Technical
elements Of STYLE calls Macaulay IAN in,
comparable dauber." His reasons for thi,
severe aspersion upon the drum and-trim
pet manner of Macaulay's prose need not de
tain US now. II is the phrase that will stitch
until the historians New Zealander mourn
fully contempates London's vanished
glories And it is also phrase that risel
to ones lips after witnessing with wear,
eyes. after hearing with stunned ears, The
kind Of melodrama that masquerades a,
tragedy, the cheap heroics Of sin that stall
about in the guise Of virtue. Charles Lamt
spoke Of books that are not books, and 81
are there plays that are not plays. bu
medleys Of other mems ideas. securing
from the pot dramatic. withal genuin,
potboilers. Need we name them. executed
as they are, by Incompatible daubersl
James IIackett is not a particular ri,
magnetic actor, nor plastic one, but h,
can play a part that suits his unyiedins
spine and carved profile to perfection
Stephen Brice is that part. He Is GU
priggish friend in Winston (hurchili
wooden novel, The Crisis possibly called
so because no human red blood circulate'
in the book. which is a species Of fctiol
tuned in the key Of history. It's dra ma
tizaton. while il leaves the chief CURRENT
of the novel, is really an improvement
II is at Wallack's and is enjoying pubi
approval 1t should 1t is full Of politica
| r,ipk nj Ia IL