Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-22
|AnusenentS

Salt Lake took another plunge into
modern dramatic art last night, and
again she emerged from the baptism
holding her nose. We have been led up
TO "Gloconda" by easy stages, through
lbsen and Suderman. and "Magda, -
"Hedda Gabler" and Ghosts" are sup
posed to have accllmated us, as It were,
put us into proper frame Of mind for
the horrors OF "Gioconds." Nor Is the
end at hand yet, Those who left the
theater last night with all their sensi-
bilitles wrenched 10 the bursting point.
should learn that the limit In Italian
art IL yet TO come; Madame Duse gave
us "Gi0conda" first. and she has other
things In her repertoire which In good
time Will doubtless find their way into
Engllsh--one especial gem which the
Italian art world goes mad over, but
which the British censor has never yet
permitted to be born In London Doubt
less free America will show she Is more
Independent, and La Morte Civile" re-
mains a thing--to be Stunned as long
as possible-let us hope-but stil TO be
counted among the eventualties
One can not help feeling dis
heartened to know that actresses like
Nance O'Neil, Mrs. Fiske and Miss
Roberts are among the foremost discl-
pies OF the new cult, and the average
auditor lnwardly catechlses himself to
learn II possible. why he should be out
OF harmony with people who should be
so much better able to Judge OF what Is
real art and what Ii not. But the aver
age auditor gives It up In despair, and
perhaps woefully confesses that he must
belong In the ranks Of the back num-
bcrs-consollng himself however, with
the thought that he can still cling to his
old ideals OF uplifting themes, OF good
ness IN man and woman, OF virtue re.
warded, OF vice Vanquished- dreams
perhaps. but the sort of dreams that II
II always we'll TO indulge In, pictures
that can never be too often held up be-
fore the vision OF the young.
one eropes into these cesspools OF
human experience, seeking In vain fol
q reason why they should be made thu
themes for stage narration, art, art, Is
the response that meets him, and in.
variably he returns with a wry face
with the thought that there Is doubt.
less art IN the dlssectlng room and OF
the NlYlsection table as we'll but thai
the stage Is not the proper place tC
have such art ideals exploited.
I'm "GOconda" there Is no upllftInl
purpose, no aim whatever, apparently
except TO arouse horror, to rend hearts
to send people home with Il sort OF
moral nausea, Imagine a play open.
Ing with an attempted suicide beInl
nursed back TO life by loving wife
| the wOuld-be suicide sculptor who cal
not choose between that wife and 1
| model who exercises a witch like innu
ence over him. imagine him, after tn,
wife has brought him back TO life, re
| turning again 10 his model; the wifi,
| ana the model meet and indulge In
| pitched battle over the man, the virag,
OF the studio, who impudently asserts {
first mortgage on the sculptor, whel
lied to by the wife and told her love
wants no more of her I'm rag
rushes on the scene TO destroy hal
finished statue. the the sculptors mas
terplece The wife rushes after her
we hear a struggle, a duh fall. scream
follow, we know that something terrIbl
has taken place, the yIrago rushes OF
the wife stnggers on to be caught Il
the arms Of her bewildered husband
the wife gasps, Your statue Is saved
curtain. In the next act comes IN
accumulation The wife walks on IN
gown whose peculiar make around IN
arms tells us there is something name
less concealed from our gaze When
girl offers her some flowers. she canno
accept them, and then with a shoe
comes the discovery that she has los
her hands, that In saving the statue
she gave herself. Her reward Is tina
her INSTRUMENTATION fortunately We Sc
no more-ls back at work, thin an
haggard, with the model by his side
The remainder OF the play Is devoted L
series OF heart rendlng scene