Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-18
TRAGEDY GIVES
ACTRESS CHANCE
"GI0CONDA" PROVES TO BE
MOST FASCINATING
Miss Constance crawley Surpasses
Former Work by Excellent Por-
trayal at Literary Matinee.
Audience Delighted

If all the literary matinees are like
yesterdays production of Gabriel
d'Annunzio's "Gioconda" at the Belascc
theater. we may rejoice and be thank
full that the summer inertia is to be
relieved by something especially good
The performance yesterday was for
the most part an artistic success. The
terribly beautiful tragedy which the
French dramatist has created is filled
with poetic lines and intense situations.
It is throughout a series of dialogues
between characters drawn with the
hand of an artist
The men and women VINO interpreted
these characters and the audience were
in harmony with each other.
Miss Constance Crawley as Sylvia
gave a performance that surpassed
anything she has done in Los Angeles,
with the possible exception of her
Everyman. The part is one that gives
wonderful scope for acting, and Miss
Crawley exhibited an understanding
and sympathy Of the character.
Miss crawIey at Her Best
In the first act Sylvia rejoices over
the recovery of her husband Lucio,
who has attempted suicide by shoot
ing himself at the foot of the statue
which is his masterpiece. The model
Gioconda has come to represent art to
him. and because his will is weaker
than hers and she fascinates him, he
tries to kill himself to keep from hurt
ing the fine spirit Of his wife.
The struggle of Lucio against the
fascination of Gioconda and the strug-
gle of Gioconda and Sylvia for the love
of the sculptor form the play and lead
up to the tragic sacrifice of Sylvia in
the third act.
The last act was the triumph of the
piece Sylvia is manned and pitiful,
but even more beautiful than before.
Her long sleeves cover arms from
which the beautiful hands have been
amputated.
In her home by the sea she is visited
by La Sirenetta, the sea child. a crea-
ture of dreams, weird and romantic.
In the lines between La Sirenetta and
Sylvia. in which the sea child tells
some of her wonderful fancies. Miss
Crawley was at her best, but the sur
prise to all came with La Sirenetta.
Marian Pierce. a San Diego girl who
appeared for the first time in Los An
geles was La Sirenetta.
Stranger PIeases Audience
The little stranger caught up the
spirit of the part in a way that capti-
waited the audience. She allowed the
poetry of the lines to take possession of
her, and her natural charm of face.
combined with the fantastic costume,
further enhanced the picture.
The role of Lucio proved chance for
delicate psychological analysis, and
Harry Mestayers versatile talents were
put to good use.
Lillian Lamson, the Gioconda, failed
to grasp the various moods of thi!
strange woman, and Miss Lamsont
powerful voice, which has not beel
used much of late, was not under suf
ficient control. The contrast betweer
the quiet method of Miss era WHEY anC
Miss Lamson's method was too great
to show either in the best light.
Absence of Music RegrettabIe
Little Bebe Daniels, who is without
a doubt the most clever child actress
of her years in this part of the coun-
try, was beautiful and natural Beata
Hobart Bosworth formerly with Mrs
Fiske eSsayed the role of Cosmic
Dalbo. and Mr.. Bosworth is a man with
a quiet force of manner and voice well
suited to the part.
Fanchon Everhart and William
Yerance rounded out the cast. and bott
gave intelligent interpretations of theii
roles.
A regrettable feature was the alb
sence of music. This may he very wei
for one of Ibsen's plays, but one car
hardly see the reason for absence ot
music from D'Annunzio's work.