The Minneapolis journal., 1903-11-05
AT THE THEATERs
Riiou-Euaenie Blair in "Masda."

Biiou-Euaenie Blair in "Magda."
Eugenie Blair appeared at the Bijou
yesterday afternoon, acting the name part
in Herman Sudermann's tragedy OF Mag
da,' role which has tried the aplnty
of some of the most capable actresses OF
the day and in which number Of them, |
including the divine Sarah failed Ia
The play has had checkered
career upon the American stage OF nine
years, and was first made known to Min
neapolis theatergoers in 1898, when Nance
O'Neill introduced it at the Metropolitan.
Its morals are not for the nursery, but
it is powerful drama, powerfully written.
and it's leading character of Magda is
dra wn with a brutal frankness which COM
pelS attention.
Magda's story is developed from the
tragedy of the commonplace. An impe-
rious, strong -willed girl, with many un-
lovely traits, she escapes parental author
ity thru the simple expedient Of running
away from home, and the play opens with
her return as a famous singer, to a
family whose horizon is circumscribed by
the limits of the little village in which
it lives. So completely estranged has she
become that she seems to belong to a
different race, almost to different world.
Why she comes back, despite considerable
tedious dialogue. is not adequately eX-
planned, but with her return the drama
tist takes the cover off his little box Of
tricks and invites the audience to step
up and see the wheels go round.
Upon her departure from the parental
roof Magda had met. loved and been, de-
serted by the father of her illegitimate
child. She returns to find him an honored
visitor at her fathers house They meet.
but without the usual recriminations. 4
gave myself to you because.1 loved YOU,
she says. 81 might have loved any one
who came in, my way The speech is
tyr,i ioa1 of hn n toq a ri
father compels her to tell him Of her past,
| ands tho a paralytic, sets out to avenge
her thru a duel with her betrayer. The
man, however, Councillor Won Keller. pro-
poses marriage, and Magda. thru the So
licitation Of Pastor Heffterdingk, assents,
| tho she frankly tells her belated SuitOr
that she despises him-not for what he
| has done, but for what he is. However,
| he refuses to recognize their child and
4 she drives him from her, only to encoun-
/ ter again the inf1exible will Of her father,
commanding her to the marriage. The
supreme clash of their wills is the final
scene of the play, the curtain falling upon
the old man dead in his chair and witt!
| the problem as far from a solution as
| ever
There are passages in this drama and
| even occasional scenes which Miss Blair
| handles with truly remarkable display
! Of power. There are other scenes which
are spoiled by false note. There is
i such an instance in the last scene, which
/ is finely played up to the point where
Magda insinuates that the councillor was
not her only lover This speech she de
1 livers in manner closely approaching
levity, despite the fact that she has just
worked herself up to pitch of anger
bordering closely upon frenzy.
The father, played by Harry G. Browne
is by all odds the best characterization
i outside Of the stars. The Franziska 0!
4 Katherine De Barry is very. near the Other
4 end Of the list.
4 ..Magda" will be repeated tonight ant
tomorrow night. Altogether it is wei
worth seeing. j. S. Lawrence
4 Foyer Chat.
'The Eternal City, is crowding tht
Metropolitan this week at every per
4 forrnance, and the sale Indicates con
Fl tinuance of this phenomenal business.
4 Lew Dockstader and his famous min
II strel organization will be the attraction
at the Metropolitan the first part of mex
week, beginning Sunday evening.
The various groups in '"The Prince o
Pilsen,' the offering of the metropolitan
the latter portion Of next week, won thu
most emphatic commendation in Chicago
New York and Boston. The principa
| groups dI0 Inc NdSodT SlFlS. InSa sea Snel
girls, the bathing girls, the golf girls ans
. ,,the "cities girls.
: In many ways James A. Herne's "Shor
!, ), Acres which opens at the Bijou mex
Sunday for a week. the actor dramatis
!, aimed to present real men and women
The story makes a strong appeal to hu
n1anity, and holds the attention from. be
ginning to end.
:. !
,, One of the pronounced successes in tn
musical line this season is The Beaalt
: Doctor" which comes to the Bijou in tn
near future. s.s
The Ferris conapany's excellent produe
tions Of Colleen Bawn' was witnessed b
:. a large and appreciative audience at th
+ Lyceum last evening. The play is one tha
n appeals to all lovers of the drama. J
7 matinee viii be given Saturday Afternoon
+ s'Brown's in Town. Mark E. Swan
: roaring farce. will be presented at the sLy
ceum next week.
The Cow Boy and the Lady olyd