The Washington herald., 1906-11-13
Miss MarIovve and Mr.. sofhern Make
Imuression I'm "Jeannc pare

!
Julia Marlowe and Mr.. e. H. sothern
last night presented for the first time IN
Washington Mr.. Percy Mackaye's cpl
sodie drama, Jeanne dare" in five acts
and six. scenes.
The favorite players were received with
cordiality, it IS scarcely necessary to say.
and their rendering OF the ambitious ef-
for, Of Mr 0Iackaye was watched with
the keeuest ana klndHest interest, and
net with warm, II not the most enihusi-
astic. approval as evidenced by the ap-
plause and the frequent curtain calls.
The great burden Of the performance
necessarily falls on Mss Marlowe, and
she acquitted herself admirably. In the
part OF the Maid she has one that plainly
has aroused her keenest sympathies, and
Inspired her to higher effort than per-
haps she has before put forth.
II IS suited to her both physically and
temperamentally and at times la last
nights performance she infused her i'm
personation with the rarest fervor and
poetic charm. In the opening scenes Of
the first act, there was not the sustained
emotion ana exaitation that would easily
seem to have been justified by the super
natural visions by which the Maid was
beset, and which wrought so strongly on
her soul as 20 enable her TO press for
ward against apparently insurmountable
obstacles IN the marvellous career which
destiny had marked oIt for her But in
the second act Miss Marlowe rose to the
fun heights Of the supreme demands
made on her, aad thenceforward she
gave rendering Of the exquisite and
heroic role that was enthraling IN its
fervor, It's sweetness, and It's pathetic
longing for the accomplishment OF the
noble mission 20 which the angelic and
sanity voices had called the simple and
devoted Maid. The first scene OF the
fourth act, with D'AIencon and afterward
with Louis the page, were of the ten
derest and most touchingly poetic beauty,
and made a profound impression on the
audience The closing scene, as she Is
supposed 10 march out 10 her doom At
the stake, is also Of poignant interest, IN
which Miss Marlowe added new notes 10
her gamut Of emotional expression.
Mr.. Sothern Is subordinated b. the ex-
! igencies OF the story. but in the role OF
the patriotic and noble D'Alencon. touch
ed with the weaknesses Of ordinary hu-
manity. he gives fine exhibition Of his
/ conscientious, intelligent. and restrained
acting. Among the supporting company
/ Mr. Lewis, as the king; MIR. Tithersdge
( as Tremouille; Mr.. Dabney. rs Eendome,
and Miss Wilkinson, as Louis, acquitted
| themselves excellentiy The performance.
/ as q whole was worthy Of The theme
The play vas adequately staged. perhaps
| more satisfactorily 10 those who place ac-
/ ton above sumptuous scenery than if a
/ greater lavishness of scenic art had been
( displayed. Probably the apparitiOns would
! nave been more poetic ard effective II
means could have been found to produce
them solely by the use Of the light.
! II required an unusual degree Of cOUr-
age and self-confdence on the part OF Mr.
/ Percy Mackaye 10 undertake the task II
dealing dramatically with the sublime
story Of Jeanne dare. as il did on the
part Of Miss Marl0we and Mr. Sothern 70
/ attempt 20 enact the product Of Mr.
/ Mackaye's pen. There j. not in history a
I more fascinating and beWilde-ing episode
+ than that OF the simple. uneducated giri
/ from the bOrderiand OF Lorraine Called
I by the Lord and HIS angels TO deliver the
unhappy land OF France from its English
invaders, as she believed she had the
courage 10 face sneering soldiers and
cOurtiers and the inexpHcable something
/ 10 convince them Of her high mission. so
/ that she might be brought 10 the presence
/ Of the weak and daWdling King Charles
whom she also convinced and aroused
| IN reality. these were the most marvel
Gus things that fell 10 the lot Of Jeanne
3 10 do, for IL can be more readily under
stood now, these things accomplished. the
mysterious cOntagiO1 Of her inspiring pei
sonahty, her exaltation and belief in her
divine mission. should thereafte spread
through all classes in the sore-besat king
dom. PROSTATE at the feet Of the English
/ But her exploits in war are probably un-
paralleled in the history OF woman. and
VIII ever fascinate the imagination and
evoke the enthusiasm OF mankind while
her cruel death will never cease 10 draw
oui poignant sympathy for the beautiful
and heroic victim and execration on those
VINO were responsible for il.
To depict IN dramatic literature and tn
eEact a character OF such moving moral
Sublimity, such strange alOOfness from. or
dinary human nature and yet so human.
are tasks that have not been undertaken
frequently. They present difficulties that
nave deferred playwrights and PLAYER
from utilizing the story Of the Maid of
Orleans with freedom.
TO comprehend with cIearness the ap-
paTenty irTecOncilable qualities that min
gied in the character Of the Maid is
task First OF al, there was her un-
shakable belief in the command the Lori
ard the angels had laid on her 10 go
/ forth and lead the armies Of her country
against the English and TO crown King
Charles al Rheims. Here was a phase OF
hallucinatiOn, II not Of actual insanity.
But the effect Of this on her general
character and conduct was strangely re-
stricted
Through the halo Of her benign OBJ
session, her dilated eye saw, undisfOrtad.
the physical world about her. her spirit
looked out steadily and shreWdly. work
ing 10 practical ends with constancy and
virile energy. offering 10 psychology a
problem that is still studied with reverent
wonder The exaItation which submerged
her girlish horror Of battle and bloodshed.
which nerved her soul and her arm to
deeds of knightly prowess, left her simple
and unpretentious. tender and sympa-
thetic to the humblest about her. anxiously
careful Of her own virgin reputation and
careless Of personal reward or glory. In
the crisis Of desperate assaults and de-
fenses, not the most fanatic OF the soldiers
who followed were more recklessly daring
than she. Only long Imprisonment and
torture at last for space broke her
spirit and caused her to doubt and to ac-
cuse herself.
To bring within the compass OF an act
ing play even the most essential scenes
of Jeanne's active life required the clos
est condensation. and the most careful
regard for dramatic values. In these re-
spects there is a great deal 20 commend
highly in Mr.. Mackaye's WORK He has
caught with much skill the decisive points