The San Francisco call., 1904-04-05
MINNIE. MADDERN FISKE
SCORES HIT IN COMEDY
'DVorcons" and "A Bit of Cd Chelsea Delight Anew
Admirers of the Great Actress-Anna Held's Produc-
ton, MAN selle N-poleon Peases Large Audience

Like Auburn's simple folk, one is con-
strained afresh 10 wonder that one
small head could carry all he Cshe)
knew'-of Mrs. Fiske. obviously, for is
she not here?
Last night the actress gave US two
new glimpses Of her protean art in
'Divorcons" and "A Bit OF Old Chel-
sea"Athe very thistledown of comedy
and fantasy at its prettiest. One could
hardly get further from the ''Hedda
Gabler'' of last week. unless it were TO
the Mary of Magdala' of the week
before; nor could Mrs. Fiske get fur
ther. Nay. but this woman is a Won
derful thing,
\. To be the Hedda saturate of poisoned
brilliancy; the estate regenerate, Mary;
the feather-headed Cyprienne; the
sweet hearted child of the slums. Alex
andria Victoria Belchamber-all with
equal conviction, is a task to which
the DIR. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde" study
in split personalities is merest b c.
And Mrs Fiske fully fulfills it. Versa
tility is a childish term for the variety
Of her genius. 1t is with her a COM
plete transformation for the time being
into the character of the moment, each
note of it struck sharply true and vi
tally differentiated from its neighbor
key.
AS surprising in this fashion, as it
was wholly delightful. is Mrs. Fiskes
flower girl in "A Bit of Old Chelsea"
In new Arabian Nights fashion the
girl faints outside of an artists studio
and is brought in to share his lodging
for the night. Nothing could be more
charming than the ingenious yet ex-
perienced, courteous yet unconvention-
al. brave. clean hearted, self-respectlng
lassie that Mrs. Fiske pictures So
easily the character might be sloppily
sentimental, so breezily wholesome is
it, with the freshness of a daisy. the
salt charm of a sea breeze. Her exit,
where with the gift of her freshest
flower to the sleeping artist she leaves
her host of the night. is of the things
that stick in the throat. Frank Gil
more. who wore the toga in Mary Of
Magdala" so effectively, helps out well
as the artist and the others fill in to
every advantage.
"Divorcons" is remarka bic after the
second incarnation OF Mrs. FlSke as
Cyprienne for the discovery of the
raison d'etre of Hobart Bosworth. who
has failed severely so far in the Fiske
engagement. AS Des Prunelles Bosworth
vindicates his right to act. He carries
off the character of the undeceivel
husband with convincing lightness and
good humor. The whole thing floats
in fact. It is as French as Sardou him
self The company throughout catches
the humor on I.
Mrs. Fiske is gayety. inconsequence,
charm itself as the foolish wife. won
back to her husband by his device of
pretending to agree TO a divorce Bos-
worths husband is only too handsome
for his description of a person with
"worn-out stomach and heart" Max
Figman is slightly too rapid of speech
as the lover Gratignan, but a delightful
fo2, and the others all conspire to the
success of the piece.
Laughter reigned throughout the per-
formance, and the gratified house will
probably tell its neighbor that Mrs
Fiske is at her best in comedy. She is,
this week.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.