Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-29
MUSIC

There was an atmosphere of gloom in
theatricals this week with Blanche Walsh
| in the morose picture Of human affairs pre-
scented by the Resurrection" and Miss Viola
Allen in the role of the lachrymose heroine
of the winters Tale" Miss Walsh claims
for the Resurrection that 1t is a sermon.
1t is a remarkable fact that this claim is
always presented for the plays which elicit
serious expression of disapprobation from
those who assumed guardianship of the NOR
ais Of society. Managers of "Sappho" and
"Zaza" insist that these plays were impress
sve warnings to shun evil If the play can
by the responsiveness of the picture it draws
awaken dread of the consequences of
wrongdoing. Resurrection must assuredly
be given credit for exercising a powerful
reformatory influence. But the statistics
at the box Office prove that people do not
go to the theater to be morally or intelec-
tually educated. They go to be amused. and
when picture of vice and degradation Is
presented the only appeal it exercises is
that of morbid curiosity. This curiosity
once satisfied, the mission of the perform
ance is ended. 1t Is an experience more or
less successful in so far as it satisfies the
craving for a novel sensation. 1t is shock
to the sensibilities and the appetite which
by any wholesome suggestions.
1t Is a question whether Resurrection can
rightly be considered anything more than
an appalling picture of degradation. even
by those who are willing to look for a high
er Interpretation. In this work Tolstoi
places too great burden of responsibility
on environment. just as Ibsen lays too great
stress on heredity in Ghosts" Before
full sympathy can be extended to Katusha
1t must be demonstrated (and this would
be difficult proposition) that her natural
instincts were not such to lead her in
evitably into the perilS if not the penalties
which she encountered AS a production
Resurrection" is one of the most complete
and artistic stage creations of recent times
Had it been seen here before it's fame be-
came so familiar that interest in it as a
novelty died away, there would probably
have been an even greater manifestation of
public curiosity concerning 1t.
X
Miss Aliens production of the Winters
Tale" was an agreeable but scarcely a great
enterprise. The play itself makes such an
-extravagant demand on the credulity of
the author that it is scarcely possible to
sympathize with the characters in taking
its various situations so seriously Miss
Allen is a lady of very human attributes
Her voice is low. sweet and well modulated
and her smile expansive and winsome but
both voice and smile are so modern and
feminine that they do not assim;late with
classical seventies. Mr.. Hall Game when
he created Glory Quale in the christian"
drew a character that was well adapted for
Miss Allen, but Mr.. Game although said
to look like Shakespeare does not write
like him. A company entirely competent
ito produce the works of the one might find
the other task beyond its powers The
" Winters Tale" depends very much on the
comedy of subordinate characters and this
comedy was not as happily interpreted as
thorough production of the piece would
demand. Yet the play and the personnel
of the company minor considerations
when so popular an actress as Miss Allen
dominates the scene. And it is because she
is Hall Cafnely human and not Shakes
peareanly statuesque that she holds SO po-
tent a fascination for multitude of admir-
ers. If Miss Allen should insist in playing
nothing but Shakespeare she is SO thorough
ly esteemed that a large proportion of the
play-going public will follow her through
the scansions of early English dialogue and
probably be the better off for doing so.