Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-09
THE PLAY IN NEW YORK.
BY CLAIMING POLLOCK.

please with men, demonstrated, In this
instance, by the ascendency of Lady
Cecily over every male creature in the
cast.
or Miss Terry's performance | have
already said all there is TO say. Ridge
Harding gives a vigorous, rugged I'M
personation of Brassbound, and James
Carew's Sir Howard is very good, in
deed George Elton makes Cockney
part stand out like u burning barn on
a dark night. i know that Mr.. Elton's
accent Is accurate, because most of 1t IL
so utterly unintelligible. The rest of
The supporting company does excellent
work, and the scenery is atmospheric
and handsome.
Julia Marlowe achieved a personal
success of large proportions last Tues
day, when she assumed the title role in
Percy Mackaye's poetic drama, Jeanne
DArc," the second offering of the Mar
lowe-Sothern season at the Lyric. Her
impersonation was inconceiYably simple
and tender, and the impression of rapt-
ness of faith, almost of mysticism, that
she conveyed across the footlights new
er got that far when the maid was rep
resented by Fanny Davenport, or even
Sarah Bernhardt. She was truly. as
somebody said on the following morn
ing, more than human. If less than
divine" the divinity absolutely lllu-
minating her face and making her look
remarkably like Bastien- La pages
painting In the Metropolitan museum.
Mr.. Mackaye's play probably appeals
strongly to persons who are not trou-
bled with sense OF humor. The in
splration of Jeanne. when treated seri-
ously, can but be temptation to the
risibes. The sudden interest OF the
Lord In the affairs OF Charles VII,
a IA "a a. In
Sanger's history of international In.
mortality, together with the eccentric
conduct OF st, Michael. who interposefs
TO prevent Jeanne's being kissed. bl .
was conspicuous by his absence when
she was burned. make n narrative that
rams TO carry conviction. II ever a
good drama Is written around this
heroine OF the French, il must treat
or hef honestly as peasant girl, whose
ignorance and superstition sponsored
lahaticism that made a martyr OF her
me author must surrender any idea OF
being Impressive through creating a
corps or angels 10 appear here there
ana everywhere. There were dozens of
angels last Tuesday at the Lyric Elec-
trlc Ights revealed them behind trees
and bushes and stained glass windows,
ana one OF them came down chimney.
atter the fashion Of santa Claus They
spoke with megaphonic voices In ac-
cents that smacked Enthusiastically of
hlghth avenue. No lack of reverence
intended. gentle reader; only the de-
vouonal In me doesn't respond to the
boboing up Of celestial beings from
furniture and shrubbery That only re-
minds me OF the Hanlons "superba.r
The verse OF Mr. Mhokaye's Jeanne"
does not equal that of Schlller's, and no
drama can be good drama that treats
or disconnected incidents IN a life
crowded with Incident. That IL the
reason why nobody has ever written an
Interesting play about Napoleon. Mr..
Maekhye shows Jeanne first under the
Ladies' Tree" at Doremy. where she
heard her "yoiees,T Then the story
moves to tho castle OF Charles. at Chi
non where Jeanne conYlnces the Dau-
phn OF the holiness of her mission.
Next the maid is seen outside the walls
OF Orleans, and AT Troyes. and In trl-
umph. az the coronation at Rheims. In
the last act she Is in prison, making
ready for her martyrdom, There are
flashes of genuine pathos IN the play.
but Il is not a work that liz likely TO
live outside OF the library.