New-York tribune., 1904-10-18
TIE DRAMA.
wR sOTEERN AND MISS MARLOwE.
Romeo and Juliet.

-.-fFeE
-ensng TO broaden the spectators mental horizon.
= arouse and stimulate his sympathetic feelings
- recrisy his views q the general life. and TO help
st-n in the conduct OF his own. The representation
:, Romeo and Juliet now visible the Knick-
-,o,ke- Theatre. where Mr.. E H Sothern ss
roroeo and Miss Julia Marlowe as Juliet ap-
-.-ss last night. while not extraordinary in any
-.,eulsr IS IN some essential respects. emphati-
nv good and therefore il ought TO be welcomed
- doubtless viii be, a gain the community
= lass rhau q credit the stage.
Tbe decisive Interest OF the production is found
q, ne acting OF Miss Marlowe,-for the rhetorical
ro-,eo always secondary TO the resolute execu-
,s exped.cious and yet romantic Juliet is this
instance. completely ecliPsed- Miss Marlowes as
,,r7uor OF juliet seemed indeed. TO reveal a pur-
- on the part Of the actress 20 curb her spirit:
:, modify her strength; 10 restrain her impetuos-
81. 70 sub6ue herself into harmony with some
--bsr langud artistic method. The stimulation OF
v5-Ibooa tor example. was studied and elaborate
s,s 90 was the employment OF the natural man
-s- over the earlier scenes. accor6inely. a faint
air OF solcitu6e diffused Itself. combined with a
sliqht aspect OF self-conscious mechanism. Mod
ssrior Of tone. since il is conIriburive to SYM
merry of IDEAL Is OF course. cOmulendable; but
EXCESS OF reserve may sometimes result in weak
ness Even self-represson. however. could not
sBrs Mss MarloWe's Juliet TO the level OF Mr
sothern's dapper ana laborious Romeo. A strong
azure on - aroused. soon breaks the fasy letters
- Rrtidce. sud whatever may be her limitations
an actress there can be no doubt tEa- Miss Marlowe
Ia a woman OF commanding personality emotional
ssrvor and intellectual force To such a woman.
II is probable the Eirl-lfa OF juliet (Pariss proer
NJ marriage. the mothers counsel the Nurses
coarse practe. the ballroom incidents; the encoun-
.e- with Ro-eo. TIE uaoorli, garden: the reverie
N the -icouy; the surprise: the interchange OF
vows the rash and sud- II betrothall no longer
makes The s--CDg appeal that II must have made
On her frst prcfessiOls- acquaintance with II. At
Al events Ms MaTlowe's impersonation OF juliet
beautiful at points and especially affecting IN the
tender gravity q the marriage scene,-doos not
ErriEe FIRE I'll moment OF the agOnized parting
with Romeo. II that piteous exigency Il displayed
The womal's heart Cnc The poets purpose; and
sro-n that point Il tntermittent:T grew II volume
Il feeling and freedom o. action. attaining 20 a
climax OF freuzied terror. in the Potion scene. and
suding with pathetic stimulation Of the ecstAcy
NJ despair in the scene OF the Suicide. II is. how
=ver uneven as q fabric Of art an6 therefore. IN
The review of Il memory inclines 70 hnge- upon
specfc features of its structure and not upon the
rounded aae completed whole.
The bev1ldernent and happy CONSERVATION of the
arst meeting wiki Romeo. and then the vague pre-
sentiment Of Impending evil presenriment which
,zr;ey Csrkens the thoughts OF both these lovers)
we're n particular. indicated with consuTnrlate
felicity. The transition from piteous weakness TO
desperate resolve. when juliet IS confronted with
fre alternative of exposure and abandonment or a
criminal and hateful marriage. wss deftly and
souchiagly accomplished. The gradual conprehe1-
sion OF the Friars proposed Erratagem and plan OF
rescue che face showing the action q the mind.
was intensely dramatic. A. excited imagination
made itself deeply and effectively felt in the
sol{oouv over the sleeping g-draught: and there
was psthos IN the awakening. and subsequent SUI
eide IN the tomb. But an inpersonatoa ef juliet
for o. any other character should be so moulded.
sustained. and expressed that Il VIII endure scru-
ttuy a E whole ard not n parts. s1c should oe
made 50 symmetrical and authoritative the parts
being harmoniousIy adjusted. and the whole tn
zpirstonally uumined.-that 81 VIII create an ab-
solute Illusion. captivate the heart, and subjugate
the mind. Mss MarlOwe's juliet combines physi-
cal beauty. tender sezsibility. ferTor. inagiaa-
tf0r deep feeling, the capacity OF passion and
some measure of ira gic force. The voice IS rich
sweet and sym2athetic though occasionally
pitched TOO low. The Iance.-somerimes de-
mure with coy confusion. sometimes sparkling with
pleasure sometimes ardent with emotion. and
sometimes wOfUl with grief-leads Itself readily 10
Tile expression CT varied feeling. and manifest
extremes o. happiness and misery. The person
Atty. the other hand, Is lnvolUnta-ily predoTni-
rsLt, unc0nsciOusly potential. and generally ma
rure: 60 that the actress sometimes IS merged n
the character. and sometimes tralscends It. The
Truth would seem 10 be that since juliet Is not
aHe o. tie great women OF Shakespeare since at
her highest she remains the emblem and apotheo-
u a1natory passion (Which is not the noblest OF
human propenslties). her character and experience.
although the is lovely ec6 the other Is excru-
claIing DO not always and entirely awaken the
Eoul engross the active sympathy, and stimulate
nature condition, and intellectual strain Miss
Marlowe. Juliet, exhibits adBirable acting. and
sne gives the best performance Of the part THAI has
aeen seen here since the days Of Mary Anderson;
aut she trsnscends this type OF womanhood: she is
more massive than the idesl that she strives 10
-ubody; and her method Of adapting herself 10
IA method o. reserve, restraint and couoqulal-
'sra,-thoagh skllful and sometimes effective. does
1ot create and sustain e complete and continuous
illusion As Juliet she IS than good. as Iulo-
gen SIZE might be great
sexual icolarry q one person for another
q the male for the female or the female for the
i1ale-serous enough. when II occurs fas certainly
= does sometimes occUrl IN actual life. Is exceed
;ngy apt 70 become ludicrous when r. IS simulated
or The stage. Count Bash. Claude Me!notte. and
Ary B-ss, sbstrsc-y considered. are capital parts.
occurring II clever because effective plays; but II
e only me exceptional actor VINO can impersonate
either of them without being absurd The repre-
sentative Of Romeo in order 70 convince and ooIn-
rate an audience must possess personal fascina-
don must be able 70 diffuse glamour Of en-
casntment' must clothe himself with the enticing
i-Vesuture q poetry. Conventional. routine act
ing.-of which all praetised players are readily
oapaole-nlay satisfy the business eXigency Of the
1olE; out II dlspenses no charm. aWallenE emo
r1o2. ezerts no influence. causes no plsasu-able
s-ecr, and Is of value The love-orr. dazed.
Infatuated. dellrious condition Of Romeo is q con-
aLon 50 fantastic 10 the eye 0f reason that the
imilst0r of Il make II authoritat lively impress
siVe. only by inherent unauliness and The charm
y personal cspIlvaLion He must IN sub
stance, be person q innate and win
nang importance. and, furthermore. under the
conditions imposed oy the tragedy ne must
possess reserves of tragic poEer. At first and
Nui.Ag more than rhirc OF the play Romeo is
slooaee ana spellbound- Al his swift slaughter of
-sNali he breaks the spell and from that point
'I-afa ali IS tuuaUltuous tragedy. Mr.. SOthern.
@S Horneo, shows earnest purpose professional
geileacs, refinement, and zeal; but the personality
.4TTr ant he