The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-25
Six Actresses Striving for Consider
aticn in New Plays
BY FRANKLIN FYLEs.

Variously interesting women of the
stage. Mercedes Leigh, Ala Nazimova.
Lena Ashwell, Margaret Anglin, Elean-
or Robson, Minnie Maddern Fiske.
Named mere in crescendO of estima-
ton. Each a striveF for new consider
alton in New York theatres. You have
never heard Of Mercedes Leigh? She
has had the temerity. or effrontery. to
present Oscar Wilde's "SaIome." May
be you are old enough to have seen
Wilde in his exhibitions of himself as
an apostle of aesthetic culture. He de-
lighted in the ridicule which his traves-
~ of art brought upon him. He at
titudinized in long hair, low collar, vel
vet blouse and silk knee breeches dur
ing lecture tour of this country. Soon
afterward he was satirized by Gilbert
in Patience Along with his care
fully prepared ecCentricities he evinced
a genius which with some people eX-
cused him. His plays were epigram-
matte and his poems imaginative. Then
came the exposure of his abnormality
in crime, and he was sent into prison.
10 come out dying wretch.
In the time of Wilde's exile in France
he wrote the drama of .'Salome'' i'm the
language of that country, and died with
out having translated it into English
At length it was utilized as a libretto
for an opera, and now Mercedes Leigh
IL
literal English version. 1t is foul
telling of the Biblical story of Salome's
dance before her stepfather. HerOdius,
for the head of John the Baptist. Wilde
makes her a degenerate girl, who i'm
plores the captive John to let her kiss
him, and whose passion turns hateful
when he repuses her. Wilde impious-
~ quoted the scriptural record of the
prophets heraldry of the coming of
Christ assOciating it with the fiction
OF SaiOme'S Overtures. But Miss Leigh
was not content with presenting that
amalgam of sacred writ and salacious
fancies. She gave as an introduction
to Wilde's work play by Edward Els
ner, THE Prophet" which showed John
in the wilderness, vOicing in Biblical
language the advent of Christ. and be-
ing arrested therefor That served to
make her exploit all the more appalling
TO Christian pietists
If Miss Leigh were any other one of
1he six actresses named in the first
~ paragraph much turbulence of objec-
alton would arise; for in that case Sa-
fome's wooing of John the Baptist
would be dramatically horrible: but she
is too weak in individuality and too in
efficient in art TO realize Wilde's dread
ful, heroine If Mrs. Fiske were TO mis-
use her abilities in "Salome," preach
ers would denounce her achievement
4 v.
instead of dying miserably. 1t is only
in her dance for Johns head that Miss
Leigh is al all efficient.
That head is of itself an awful thing.
/ remember that when Steele Mackaye
brought out an acting version of "A
Tale of Two Cities" the final sight was
an eNecutioner holding aloft the guillo-
tined head of the hero The waxen
counterfeit had cost Mackaye 5000, and
he was very proud of il; but IL so hor-
rified the first nights spectators that
he never showed it again. The CORY
head used by Miss Leigh may not have
been as expensive as Mackaye's but il
was far more repulsively exhibited. I
am not enough of an Psychologist to
pronounce upon the authenticity of the
young woman's Salome dance. She ap-
pears with her body wrapped round and
round with many lengths of gauze, and
uaroils them, one after another, in SEN
suous gyrations, until she finally nj
fouettes before Herodius naked from
breast TO thighs. Whether the nudity is
actual or simulated not even a field
glass at short range can determine.
And then, for a revolving climax en-
braces the severed head of John.
presses her lips to it, and cries exut-
antly; Il said l would kiss you on the
MOUTH
Ala NaZimOVa was the leading ac-
tress in a company Of Russian Jews
whom the car drove out of his coun-
try for presenting revolutionary plays.
They came hopefully to the land of free
politics last winter, but did not find it
land of free gold. They turned a hall
into makeshift theatre i'm the Jewish
quarter of New York, but couldn't
make a living in it. and money was
raised by subscription to send them
back across the Atlantic-au save Al
10
and so good an artist that Henry Mil
Ter. having exploited Margaret Anglin
aGVantageOusly, decided to take a
chance with her. He set her to study
ing and practicing English assiduousIy.
Not only were lessons given TO her in
the,meanings of our words. but she was
>s4za1f de to read books, magazines and
~ wspapers several hours each day
EaRud. with listener to correct her pro-
nusTcfatiOn. Now she is acting four aft
e~rooBs 2 week I'm "Hedda GabIer &"
Her accent is still faulty, but as likely
as not she will be a new Modjeska and
rival of Bertha Kalich. 1t isn't worth
while 20 write further about her now,
although there is disposition to laud
her.
Lena Ashwell and Margaret AnglIn
third and fourth in my list of achieving
actresses, have played comparatively in
Mrs. Dane DEFENSE, in which Lena
had been the original English heroine
and Margaret the American. The terms
of the match provided for two afternoon
performances, each woman appearing
in one as Mrs. Dane while the other
assumed the comedy character of Lady
Eastney. Primarily ii was a scheme to
advertise the actresses. who were full
filling .enga gements in 1.-The Shulamite'
and THE Great Divide;" but it proved
profitable in immediate cash. as a big
theatre was crowded at both matinees
Apart from the boom and the Doodle,
, the occasions were noteworthy for
showing how A role may be interpreted
III two different ways that are alike eff
fectuaL Mrs. Danes past is smutted
with vice. but she starts i'm anew under
an assumed name, and bewitches a fell
low younger and less sophisticated than
herself. In a famous scene of cross
questioning, the lovers guardian gets
, at Mrs. Danes secret and compels her
, 20 go away. Miss Ashwell, probably
obedient TO the author, Henry Arthur
he oh h.