New-York tribune., 1906-11-13

4osIc IANoA anu leVlsate the desd
Sleek porporate. or bloated Cardinal"
In strains like that melihuous and deeply satu-
rated with meaning. the poet Browning poured
forth astonishing thoughts on many subjects, and
some Of them were yesterday illuminated at the
Majestic Theatre by that admirable elocutionist.
MIS- LIE Moyne. who appeared there IN two of the
characters. Ottima and the Bishop. IN Brownings
"Pfppa Passes" The occasion interesting. As
a play "Pippa Passes is impossible but as a study
or an entertainment 1t possesses a certain value.
and this ELECTED. 1t IS not play, for the
reason that II contains little action. but Is
rather fabric of colloquy and commentary upon
action that has passed. The substance OF II Is
episode. suggestion, and symbol A story-or two
or three stories-coud be extracted from II: but
1t is the province OF drama to tell story.
and TO tell 1t in movement. This piece Is all still
life The language furthermore. Is not the Ian
Guage of drama because it is not simple, but Is
overlaid with ornament. with simle. with descrip-
ton-and often its verbiage Is tedious and OBJ
scure. If the piece really dramatic-if
1t really possessed movement and clear dramatic
meaning and value. 1t would long since have taken.
and would always have kept. its place on the stage
for Macready read II and liked it, That potency
1t does not possess. and upon the scene as yester
days presentment amply proved. 1t moves Ike
wounded snake. Much. however. was done for It.
and lovers of Brownng's poetry will enjoy It. Mrs.
lie Moyne. as a teacher and performer has more
knowledge than power TO convey T. She does not
impersonate; she exemplifes. Her performance fs
not so much an embodiment as It is a lecture. She
is elderly for the fascinator. Ottima. and she IS
little obviously feminine for the Bishop: but she
ceverIy suggests BOTH in the part of the Bish-
op she truly struck fire of the flint. The scenes
worth considering in the presentrnent were those
between Mrs lie Moyne and Mr.. William Beach. In
tho Shrub House and IN the Palace. Mr.. Beach ex-
pressed thoroughly we'll tbs struggle between pas
sion and conscience IN the one. and sinister deprav-
ity in the other. 1t is a luxury to listen 10 Mrs.
Ie Moynes fine articulation and to observe the per-
feet precision with which she conveys every shade
of meaning. Miss Talaferro played Pippa, the
little innocent girl who on New Years Day. passes
by places in which crime has occurred or Is oe-
curing and sings her reassuring song-that
Gods in His heaven; alls right with the world
The actress was not more inspid than the part
Compels her be. and she managed a delicate
situation so as to be not absolutely mawkish-
Pippa has TO get out OF bed and change from a
chemise to a pettieoat-and that is not pleasant
thing either TO do 10 and she has to go bare
footed These crank authors prescribe strange
things Dr. johnson noticed many years ago, that
a person who wishes attract attention can read
iIv do so by entering a drawing room without
shoes on There are In the works of Browning
many strokes Of this kind OF genius; and he is not
an author for the stage. Miss Taliaferro delivered
the hard teeth-oosenng with but slight per
ception of their sense, but there IS very httle
sense in them this did not much detract from their
effect The student episode, yesterday was I'M
noeasurably dreary. Mr. Henry Miller has mounted
and rehearsed the piece exceedingly well. The au-
dience was small and 1t was composed mostly OF
women W. W.