The Washington herald., 1907-03-31

Ian population and received Win colo re-
serve, skepHeism, and even chilling oppo-
sition from majority Of the critics, the
Italian actor has gone the even tenor Of
his ways. showing himself in new char
aeter almost every night for two weeks,
/ and az last has aroused New York to a
hearty recognition OF his remarkable pow
/ iers. week has been added 10 his en-
lgagement al the Lyric, and he will be
seen practically in as many new charae-
| ters as there are days in which to present
them.
From Papa I4ebonnsrd and the Italian
rounder" in the moRoIogue, he has given
US Lear. Shylock. Othello. Louis XI, Cor
RADIO in Giacomettfs shuddering La
Morte Civilie" and Geronte in Goldoni's
sterling old comedy. II Burberro Bene-
/ fico." or The Good-natured Bear" We
/ are still to see him in Hamlet" Our
| Boys. a Night on c"The Rape Of the
! Sadness. "Kean." and other plays. de
has repeated only shylock ana La Morts
Civile." with Papa Lebonnard" sched-
uled for repetition next week.
In each of these roles he Is a distinct
/ personality. Nothing could be more dis
similar than his Geronte and CoTrado-
one the gTouchy. hot-tempered. but kind
hearted old GROWER who knocks his valet
down in a tempest OF fury and then
| thrusts his purse and pet cane upon him,
and almost kisses him IN his anxiety TO
make amends-and the other the sullen.
hunted convict Of la Morte Ciyile"
(''The Outlaw. who escapes from prison.
after years. with yearning love for his
wife and child only to die Of q broken
heart In the presence Of his daughter, who
/ is ignorant OF his identity.
! Ferdinand Bonn. the German actor. has
I this gift Of versatility, but hardly another
/ living actor besides. since Irving. We
/ had this wonderful combination of gifts
in +. l. Davenport who is ali but for
! gotten by this generation OF playgoers.
/ Yet it Is the greatest art Of all. IL stamps
/ NoveIn the Garriez Of our day
GoIdonTs. comedy is in the rococo style.
the period OF white wigs. patches. and
/ the grandiose IN manners. 1t opens with
a game Of chess and ends with the two
/ players resuming their interrupted play
after four minutes OF pantomime that
holds your interest as if it were the most
spirited scene Of cut and thrust.
The thing that one is most impressed
by in all this work is the resource of by
/ play and physiognomical expressiveness.
those nouances OF the actors art which
/ consist OF a look. a gesture. a shrug-a
suggestion merely. that has more signii-
canoe than words Much OF his play is
/ confined 20 one side Of the stage as
/ against the center A significant incl
/ dent is often developed up stage, half OBJ
/ scured by a piece OF furniture.
Novelns voice lacks the deep resonance
/ Of tragic defamation. It is a soft, low
Italian voice that suggests slight huski-
ness But he never deelaims. He charms
mora with his face than with his voice.
He msgnetizes by his personality and
manner
/ missed this vibrsnce in "Othelio.
Besides. he had a severe cold that night;
but In that role alone he disappointed me-
It had distinction and verve, but not the
note of profound gravity. The catastro-
phe was powerful, executed in the true
spirit of the superheated Imagination of
the Italian Temperance but Othello IS
conceived in the tTuest image of high
tragedy rather than character
istic-whereas Novelli piueks his choicest
laurels in the field of the bizarre. the phe-
nomenal and unusual.
His Louis XI has all the graphic vigor
I of IrVingsi but. whereas Irving depicted
Shylock in the grand style. Novelii gives
him the drollery of race. and with smaz-
ing fidelity. No other actor I ever saw
had the virtuosity of his art so well in
hand. but at the same time under such
complete control. as has this Italian.
over his boldest realism he knows how 10
draw the veil OF ideality. In his death
scenes alone he is apt TO cast the revela-
tion Of art aside for the exposure Of re-
morseless truth. But let the effect be
what it may. it counts.
He has a superb acting company. Clan
ini twho in private life is Signora No
vellD is a charming actress. She is &
large woman, but handsome Ferratf as
Iago disputed honors with him in
''Othello." Even the minor characters are
played in perfect accord with the spirit
Of the whole.
As productions. the plays have suffered
slightly from the prohibition placed upon
the paper scenery carried by Novelli.
which is said 10 be admirable. but under
the ban of city ordinances governing the
safety of theaters from fire. II is proba-
bic that the success with which the dis
tinguished actor has met here will lead
to his engagement for tour of the
United States next season.
For the coming week the repertoire viii
be ''Kean, Monday: MY Wife Is Not
Stylish. a comedy by Bernard. Tuesday:
Papa Lebonnard," Wednesday; "A Curl
Gus Accident" by Goldoni. Thursday: "A
Night on" Friday. and our Boys
and Louis XI,' Saturday.
III, ~
latter part of the week. owing 10 what is
said 10 be a severe cold contracted by
Henry Miller. Rumors were current that
there had been a breach in the hitherto
cordial relations between Mr.. Miller and
Miss Anglin. Reporters called on Mr.. Nil
Ter and tried to see Miss Anglin, but the
latter denied herself TO all callers. while
Mr.. Miller stoutIy denied that there was
anything of a dissgreeable nature be-
tween him and his star; that the closing
of the theater was due 10 his illness. and
that a few days rest had been imposed
by orders of the physicians. The run of
''The Great Divide" he said, would be
: resumed next week.
At the same time it is thought strange
that a successful run should be inter
rupted by the Illness Of one of the prin-
cipals when undeTstudies are usually
available
Blanche Stoddard. who appeared in the
Ooette Tyler Stock Company in Washing
ton last season. and this year has been
/ playing with Nazimova in The Dolls
House" and 'Hedda Gabler'' at the
Bijou. is to be the leading woman of the
stock company which William Morris has