Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-16
PRESENTS "L'AIGLON" IN
SUPERB FASHION
HER PERSONAL TRIUMPH is A
NOTABLE FEAT
Company, Chosen for "Peter Pan," Not
Suited for This, and Fails Pitlfully,
with Few Exceptions, but
She Redeems 1t

To any one familiar with Maude Adams
Interpretation of Lady Bobbie and Peter
Pan, 1t was certain that in the role of
Napoleon H. "the Eaglet," she would fall
not one whit below the very high mark
set in the other two characters. The
large audience which witnessed ''LAfg-
lon'' at the Mason last night was well
keyed up. in fact, for a dramatic tri-
umph And long ere the final curtain fell
1t was fully prepared to assert that 1t
was witnessing one.
One? Nay, rather two. For not only
was Maude Adams giving a superbly SYM
pathetic and artistic rendering of the diff
ficult part but she was dragging to un-
doubted success a performance so ham
pered by inadequate fellow players that
1t was little less than personal triumph
on her part over odds that would have
daunted one less gifted or able.
Miss Adams company was obviously
and necessarily-seected for "Peter Pan"
and for that play only. This required
peculiar personnel; quite apart from the
all around company, and decidedly re-
moved from the usual repertoire assem-
blv. Consequently, to cast these persons
especially chosen for a fairy comedy in
tragic melodrama was to expect misfits
of the most shocking sort. The expecta-
ton was in nearly every case fully justi-
fied-and then some Charity, and MEM
cries of the company's wondrously beau
tiful work in the Barrie fantasy, forbid
condemnation; the kindest thing to the
general run of Support" is to allow them
to fade into oblivion.
1t was against the background of gray
neutrality-and worse-that Miss Adams
Eaglet was thrown. 1t would be wrong
to saw that it shone all the brighter
therefor-else were frame useless about
fine picture. But it did accentuate her
art to find that in spite of the hampering
drawbacks she was able to win little less
than a tremendous triumph. She faced
her task with the courage of the Little
Corporal and she conquered In her way
as decisively as he did at Marengo.
Visually. Miss Adams personifies Napo-
Icons weakling son ideally. She has evil
IDENTIFY given the character close study
and she enhances it with fine shadings
clever touches of comedy, wide scope of
facial expression and evidences Of keen
est sympathy. In the scenes where the
Eaglet glorifies his illustrious father she
sweeps all before her. She had the clos
est grip on her audience in the poetic
climaxes, and at times, so superb was her
art that the spirit of Napoleon the Great
seemed very near to her. In fine, she is
thoroughly convincing; there is never
moment when, mentally and physically
she is not the Due de Reichstadt. Held
back as she is by others inadequacies
she yet never failed in sustaining Won
derful sense of reality, nor in clearly de-
fning the two lett motfs-renuncaition
and expiation-which controlled the life
of the unfortunate boy. At Maria Lou
ise's villa he is already the philosopher,
fully aware of the hypocrisy about him;
from that point we get into touch with
his real mind, and Miss Adams never
.-I.I danS CHI fc fI-Nyir mo-
to elucidate, through comedy and tragedy
alike.
Possibly some would prefer here an
analysis of this role and of the two in
terpretations given of it, by Miss Adams
and Sarah Bernhardt, respectively. To
the writer this seems supererogatory.
Sarah Bernhardt is an old woman, and
her Eaglet never was boy Possibly in
the stronger scenes his wings enabled him
to outsoar this fledgling; but certainly, in
looks, in vraisimilitude, in the lighter
touches and especially in lovable quail
ties Miss Adams eXcelled. 1t were idle
to go further in a joint comparison. 1t
is not often that so rare treat is vouch-
safed us, anyhow; why mar it with in
vidious comparisons?
In the support, one very bright spot ap-
pears-George Osborne as the old guards
man. He is never awry, and in all his
work he was quite en- rapport with the
star. His speech to Marmont and the
Eaglet, telling of Napoleons army's suf-
ferings, was splendid, and later, in the
scene of the field of Wagram, he rose to
superb heights and proved himself worthy
in every sense. He was a great help to
Miss Adams in getting the drama over
the footlights.
Ernest Lawford was utterly unfit as
Metternich he gave a good interpreta-
ton Of a Piccadilly Londoner dabbling in
court life. He is just as bad in this as
he was good in "Peter Pan" clever
bit is the Emperor of Gustave Won Seyf-
fertitz. The rest of the cast may well be
passed over in silence
The production is stupendous. and some
of the scenes are little short of wonder
full, notably the palace garden by night
and the field of Wagram This made the
play run close to midnight.