The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-20
At St. Paul Theatcrs

: : z
Moths" a dramatization OF Ouida's
story, which has fascinated many a
lover of romance, was presented at the
Grand last night. The performance by
the George FaWcett company, with
Miss Percy HasweH in the role of Vera,
the suffering heroine was meritorious.
The play Is but a mere excerpt from
the novel, but the dramatist has wisely
preserved many OF the pungent and
pithy epigrams of the celebrated novel
ist. Her sardonic cynicism and world
wise reflections, tersely expressed as
they are through the medium of nearly
all the characters, appeal to the mind
even IL the sentiment does not attain
lofty heights.
Miss Haswell assumed the role of the
innocent girl Vera, who. is by base
deception forced to marry the human
brute, Prince Zouroff. She portrayed
the character with a clear and COM
plete perception of its limitations. In
the first act Vera is a mere schoolgirl
still absorbed In the engrossing study
of comic sections. In the last scene
Of all she is a wife, outrageously
wronged. The transition is rather
hasty in this play, not SO gradually and
beautifully and naturally delineated
as II was by Shakespeare with his Ju-
liet but, nevertheless, it makes demands
upon the hiStrionic powers of the act
reSS. She must imperSonate an unSO-
phiSticated girl and suffering woman.
An unlocked for incident occurred
In the first act; which demonstrated
the possession of Miss HasWell-
perhaps IN an actress it might be
termed tact. In the sentimental coll
loquy between Vera and Gorreze, a de-
mure looking cat walked gently from
the first entrance into full view Of the
audience. Miss HaSWel rose from the
nd a RAFI qaa
Of Missing scat or stamping her foot
to frighten pussy off the stage, and so
provoke a general laugh, she stopped
and conquered by picking up kitty and
fondling her, while Correze continued
his pretty speech. 1t was SO neatly
and spontaneously done that doubtless
many thought the cat belonged to the
play.
Mr. Fawcett invested the character
of Prince Zouroff with the brutality and
malignity required to contrast it with
that of the princes child-Mlfe. Faw-
cett's knowledge of the value of repose
and the ability to stimulate it, give his
inpersonation individuality and power.
A satisfying portrayal of Lord Jura,
the unseIflsh Engiishman who gives his
life to save that of the man whom Vera
loves. was contributed by, De, Witt @.
Jennings, whose performance was in
telligent, sincere and convincing.
Regan Hughston was ardent and
manly in the role of Raphael de Correze,
the singer, who might easily he made
to appear an effeminate tenor, in which
case we would have no sympathy for
poor Vera.
Miss Evelyn Vaughan prayed the
really dominating character of the
story, Lady Dolly, the unconscionable
schen1ing mother, who always walks
away when people begin to tell her the
truth. Miss Vaughan inlparts- person
ality to the role and delivers the lines
appreeiatiyely, but she would afford
greater conviction of her. maternal rela-
ton to Vera If she would try to look a
little nearer thirty-eight or forty years
of age-just a faint line from nostrils
to mouth, just a touch under the eyes,
just little something to place her in
the matron class, gay and frivolous
though Lady Dolly be.
Miss Agnes Everett contributed a
breezy impeTsonation of Fuschia Leach,
the American gfrl-Ghieag agoesque rath-
er than Bostonese. F, G. H.