The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-31
Cbe Cbeatres
Miss Kennedy'a aMagda.' ?

here entirely unknoWni last year her Rosalind was a surprise; last night her 'Alagda" was a revelation. one could hardly imagine a wider diversity of art than these three char acters represent and yet Miss Kennedy was satisfying in each. It would seem that there Is no limit to her versatiI- ity.
 'If these more serious roles do not meet the expectations of nay audiences shall. next season, take up comedy"
 In these words the young woman after the play last night, expressed her own confidence in her versatility and she has proved so reliable in her other undertakings that this writer will expect a good production no matt ter what her name Is associated with next year.
 Miss Kennedy gave a vivid portrayal of Mazda, this fine creation of Suder- mann. and the drama was interpreted by a company of supporting players that has few equals. The play is a masterpiece and it requires finished. artistic treatment. No member of Mss Kennedyfs company failed to under stand the requirement. and not one of them faltered. It was presented In 3 most befitting manneE
 In Mazda" Sudermann reaches the nGIBHNS Ol LAS ttAS IL huS QSeu described as his best work In 1t he no doubt displays his greatest con structive genus and his noble lines thrill intellectual people when prop erly read as they were read by Miss Kennedy and her company.
 Perhaps no other dramatist since Shakespeare, unless it is Ibsen, makes greater demands on the skill of the player than Sudermann. His phrases are never meaningless and their prop CT emphasis must be made clear. Like all of the German dramas Mazda" is filled with much dialogue and long speeches. Its successful presentation depends upon the correct reading of these speeches.
 Mazda" is great story of the con- lict between virtue as represented by the simple German home life. in which Mazda was reared, and modern vice. pictured as typical of the gay life of an actress singer at Berlin into which | Mazda had thrown herself to escape the dictatorial attitude of her stern German father, a retired colonel of the | army.
 After drining of the gay life to itr very dregs Mazda returns to this pure home and here the action of the dra. ma takes place. Its dramatic inten. 0Aby ID nASNaAtt0 LAAOu6i ing the lengths of some of the speech
 es. This Is due of course, to the ar tistic merit, the completeness of tht players in executing the task. Medic ere actors give Isben and Sudermann { wide berth.
 It was to be expected that in th' lighter shades of the drama Miss Ken j nedy would ring out true because W, had seen her Madame Trentoni. WI felt sure she would be capable in thu sentimental passages because we haC enjoyed her Rosalind. But there wal a secret feeling that Miss Kennedl would be disappointing when tthe emo l tional periods were reached.
 In her presence VIC uncover. Sht climbed tho highest heights of thu emotional drama and did it with SC much ease that the audience felt al though it was Q simple thing to do | But this sort of thing is a hard day'i work and Miss Kennedy is due all th' more credit for not permitting he1 au dience to relaize thak she vas acting There is no use going iato wordy tan trums about the ari of Miss Kenne' dy. It is sufficnent to say that she was finished and artistic.
 Every member of the splendid com pany is due highest praise At late
 
 I of their work cannot be undertaken Simple justice demands, however, that 1t be said MT. King as the stern Ger man parent, Colonel Schwartze. gave a performance little short of marvellous | It was a character sketch seldom seen on any'stage. His every gesture, every word, every act, bespoke the true art ist and his audience gave him unstint- esd commendation. His grand clima1 at the close was a terribly realistic picture.
 Mir. Mawson was, of course, the fin- ished actor. He is that always. Miss Holland was demure and convincing as Marie. Miss Egremont's iraseible, her- vous old maid was the enlivening spirit of the drama and 1t was just on the level of art and no higher. When persons in last nights audi ence recall Miss Kennedy's Mazda, as they must, it was so real, so Iifelike. it will be to reflect over one of the truly artistic, beautiful productions of the season. They will recall. too. those earnest words of the stern but loving father, describing woman: "Just like the rose, they bud and bloom; then comes the night.
 | Dockstader's Minstrels come to the Theatre this afternoon and tonight. l sfrr.Aa. Epa,,,sa..ss at fIA nfsnn