The Washington times., 1906-02-27
BELASCO.
Bertha Kalich in Maeterlinck's "Monna
Wanna"

fauHd.
Mime. Bertha Kalich. the YiddIsh
actress, made her debut before the
Washington public last evening at the
Belasco Theater in Maurice Maeter-
Iinck's ''Monna Wanna"
The play, which is semi-classic. both
in treatment and in setting deals with
the sacrifice OF Giovanni in order to
save the city of Pisa. which is be
steged by the Florentine army under
the command of Prinzivalle. The con-
dition demanded by Prinzivalle for
~@ring Pisa with its thirty thousand
people is shat Giovanni, the wife Of
Guido Colonna. commander of the Pisan
garrison. shall come to his PrinZi-
vaIle's) tent at night clad only IN a
mantle. Disregarding the pleadings or
her husband. Giovanni goes, in order
that the populace may be saved from
needles butchery at the hands of the
barbarOus F1orentine mercenartes. When
she appears at the tent OF PrinziVahe
he is so deeply impressed with her
sacrifice and so moved by the love
which he has cherished for her since
the two were children in Venice that
he decides to spare her as well as the
city. Upon learning that PFinzivalle $
Florentine council because he has de
layed his attack upon the city. Clio
vanni induces him to flee with her to
Pisa. where she guarantees him a royal
reception because he has proven him
self chivalrie in his treatment Of her.
The two return to Pisa where Clio
vanni relates to her husband the ac-
count of Prinzivalle's forb1arance, only
To have the whole story scorned, not
only by her husband. but by the popu-
lace as we'll. In order TO protect FTinzi-
vale from the fury of the mob she is
forced TO retract her story, ard thereby
she gets possession of the key 10 his
cell. presumably that she may carry
out a cruel revenge upon the man VINO
has demanded such saCrlnCe OF her-
With a lady or tiger effect the
dramatist leaves the audience 10 con
clude the story as best suits individual
tastes.
The translator Of the play. John Sew
eranCe, has preserved the chas-1 QlC
tion for which Maeterlinck Is noted. aul
the great fault with the construction q
the drama, and IL is one which VIII pre-
vent the play from ever being p3rucu-
IarIy pOnuiar with the general PUBIC j
that ir abounds In long mOnOloEues ana
eXDository dialogues which delay the
action and tend 10 make the audience
imparient. Especially is this true IN ire
DELAYS so long the announcement OF
PrinzivalIes condition for saving the
city that the climax becomes an ant
climax. In the method OF handling the
theme one Is reminded OF the old Greek
tragedies. or perhaps OF the carry
French school of which RaciDe's "Phae-
dTa' was d product.
The play is we'll presented. Madame
faIi"h is a forceful actress. eYinclnE
great emotional power. she has not
attained the maturity OF her arr. now
ever. She gives unmistakable promise
Of being truly great artist In the near
future. when her talents will be TiDened
by a deeper insight into the minor de-
tails. Her heavier scenes even now
leave nothing 10 be desired. IT Is ~
the more delicate action Of the play
that true finesse Is somewhat lacking
She speaks with q slight accent. which
tends 10 make her voice harsh. but
when IL is remembered that this is her
first season in English drama, onr is
forced 10 marvel that this slight defect
is not more pronounced.
Madame kaIich has an excellent sup
p0rting company In Henry kOlkeT as
Guido. Frederick Perry as Marco Co
lonua. Henry b. Stanford as Prinzi-
vale. and Leonard Shepherd as Tri-
vulziO. Air Shepherd was particularly
effective. Neither his makeup nor his
Characterization left anything 10 be de-
sired
Among the socially prominent people
at the BelasCO last night were Com
mauder and Mrs. Hodges. who ente~-
tanned a box party; the Consul Genera
TO London and Mrs Wynne. the GOun-
selOT OF the German Embassy and
Baroness Won dem Busschc Hadden-
haUsen, the Financial Agent of the Rus
sian Embassy and Nine. Willenkin,
Miss Frances Fuller. daughter OF the
Chief Justice.