The Washington times., 1903-05-12
The Resurrection.
ToIstoy's Novel Presented at the
Lafayette.

Lafayette.
An audience which comfortably filled
the Lafayette Opera House last evening
had the opportunity of seeing a drama
tization of Tolstoi's powerful novel,
THE Resurrection" by Theodore Burt
Sayre Concerning this dramatization.
it may be said that It shares the fate
Of nearly all other like efforts. While
It presents to the spectator a fair out
line OF what the distinguished author
seeks to convey in his work. it falls
short in the powerful Characterization
and intense presentation of events
which constitute the especial charm, if
that may be used. of Tolstoi's works.
It must be remembered Tolstoi is not
only the profound student of human ma
ture and OF the peculiar conditions which
surround him in his country. but he de-
picts in Enthusiastically strong colors the
characters and scenes which he desires
to present to his readers. With him
there is none Of that delicate insinua-
ton or suggestion which leaves much
to the Imagination of the reader, or. as
in the case of this particular play, OF
the spectator He calls spade a spade
he sets before the mental vision OF his
readers figures so life-like. and scenes
and actions so plain. that not Ihe least
doubt can be entertained US TO his III
tent!oas.
The Resurrection" has in its ele-
ments nothing OF religious character
It deals with no scriptural subject. nor
anything approXimating it, What Toll
stoi shows is the resurrection of a SOU
from the very depths of degradation tc
the sublimest heights Of purity and
honor.
Making full allowance for the short
| comings of the decentralization of this
story. it will be readily understood that
for the adequate presentation Of such q
| plot are required histrIonIc powers of nc
mean order. If in some respects the
capabilities of the Berger stock com
! pany fall short of perfection it is no re-
Election upon the general standard Of
their work Indeed, it may be said, con
sidering all things. that a fair repre-
! sentation was given OF what the distin-
! guished author of the book has sought
10 convey While as a whole the com
pany may be said 10 have been over
weighted with the task thrown upon 1t:
hands. there were some notable excep-
lions to the general rule of mediocrity
which marked the performance.
| The most notable of these was Selent
| Johnson, whose imDersonation of Katu
sha was In many respects extremely
powerful. more especially in her inter
view in the prison with the prince ant
/ in her final interview with him.
! A particularly strong piece of actins
was also done by Gertrude Berkeley fl
the character of Maria, a degraded o:t
bag who in the prison suffers an attaci
of delirium tremens and passes through
| all the phases of the murder of MAJ
who has betrayed her AS Prince Dimitr
John T. Sullivan shows once more the
Limitation of his capacities. The NOR.
one sees of this actor. the more it is
evident that his best chances are in ths
department OF villainy. In such charac-
tiers as Prince Dimitri he is utterly I'M
satisfying. Eugene Ormonds as Simonsor
was inclined to be STACEY in the first act
but redeemed himself in the last. Jane
Rivers as Katrina had but little to *