The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-21

ly fashionable Nina in THE Comtesse
Coquette." The other two are Norwe-
gian types; this one is a modern Italian
belle; and the vocal contrasts, although
artistic enough to warrant much of the
enthusiasm over her, seem less amaz-
ing to me than her alterations in
aspects and mannerisms. Any way.
trust readably, about a strange if not
great actress.
So many years have passed since
Minnie Madden Fiske used ''Divor-
cons" that it comes out now like a
play new to most of those who see
Grace George IN the present reproduc-
ton Of it. Judic gave it here in
French a third of a century ago; so
did Rejane later; but the only actress
to do much with it in English hitherto
Is Mrs, Ffske. A competition between
her and Louis Mann gave zest to Mrs.
Fiske's first appearance as Cyprienne.
IL was at charity matinee, and only
the last act was given. The discon-
tented young wife has separated from
her first husband to join a lover who
promises to become her second as soon
as a divorce shall permit. But she is
a shifting, who wavers between the
two men, and instead of supping with
the new one to celebrate their betroth-
al she does it with the old one to eeIe-
brate their goodbye. She gets tipsv
with her haS-been spouse and makes
up with him, while the not-yet husband
IS turned away. a ridiculously ponpous
waiter is character in this act. Louis
Mann acted him on the charity occa-
Sion Then, as now, Mrs. Fiske and
Mann were of a dOminative disposition
Mann adapted his peculiar German
English to French English so
slowly, and made his points so very
elaborate, that he brought the move
ment of the play to a standstiIl. so that
Mrs. Fiske had to wait repeatedly for
him to get through. But [ remember
distinctly, because it was so funny.
that Mrs. Fiske also had some original
by-play, and that with it she tri-
umphed over Mann's hindrances. The
numOr Of the act lies in Cyprienne
drinking more champagne than she can
carry steadily. the inebriety leading her
into a maudl!n fOndness for her hus-
band, so that they renew their we'd
lock. Mrs Fiske's enhancement of the
Sardou fun was to behave as though
champagne was n new delight to her
she got grip on a bottle and never
for a moment let go throughout the
hurly-burly Of a police raid, but held
fast to it like a life buoy i'm a ship
wreck at sea and her life depended on
II. Subsequently Mrs Fiske used 'Di-
vorcOns" on tour, and she never loos-
ened her hold on that champagne bot
tie.
Just to make the point again that
America is more modest than Furope
at the theatre, permit me to tell that
CypTienne and her husband retire from
the supper room to another apartment
together, while the audience watches
the police precautions to keep them
apart. In Paris and Berlin perform
ances much is made of that new start
of a honeymoon; but American ac-
tresses have followed Mrs. Fiske's lead
and obscured that episode. Grace
George, I'm her revival of "DivOrcons,"
gets fuddled with the wine, to be sure
but it is the daintiest and politest of
iags, and although thoroughly soused
she is never unladylike. Where Rejane
in alcoholic warmth began to disrobe
Grace merely Ioosens her gown at the
neck. Where Rejane thrust a leg half
length from behind a screen, for her
lover to identify, Grace less logically
and more mOdestly puts forth a shOd
foot only. That betokens the spirit of
her PRESERVATION and indicates the rea-
son why, to the surprise of Broadway
a new use of old comedy is prosperous
Margaret Mayo In a free but not orig
NATIVE translation has changed the
Sardou material not impudently, but
prudently, leaving out words that ex-
pressed the lubTic nature of the wife's
Jag and putting in such as keep her
neat and clean in feeling and beha-
vior. IT is a glad fact that this degree
Of censorship, being deft and witty in
an American way, recommends "Di-
to even the knowingest of
New Workers.
\ * X
A triple-action drama is novelty in
The Bowery. 1 don't use the word
'Bowery" in it's map sense-for the
street bearing that name retains only
Dne stage for plays in English-but to
specify any part of Greater New York
where the populace supports a low
priced theatre. This triune play is
named Sweet Molly o." and for one of
It's three characteristics it is old-styie
Irish, with a saucy-tongued and MIN
ble-heeled colleen singing William ]
Scanlons ballad of "Plain Molly o.