New-York tribune., 1907-10-16


mas undertaken to impersonate In his performance
OF Noysn he shows himself in a light. There
is' ihueed, a tone of superfciality about his de-
meanor during the earlier scenes, especially in
those passages that involve endearments and an
air OF kindly soothing tolerance; but in the scenes
that are fraught with almost tragic feeling. he
rises to an unexpected height of passionate SINGER
ity. Nothing could be better than his impetuous,
fiery outburst of jealousy. when. at last. the whole
truth Of the wife's folly well her crime
comes upon Voysin's mind; while his treat
ment OF the closing scene, in its simplicity
and tender pathos, is as nearly perfect any
tling can be- HIS demeanor, in the subjecuon OF
the Vile TO final test Of her integrity, the cold,
stern, still outward aspect while the tortured
heart and almost distracted mind within DIS
unctiy shown. and then the sweet. earnest, lovely
delivery of the explanation TO Voysn's old com
rade Raymonde-those achievements in the
art of acting that mark Mr.. Bellew artist
OF power. subtlety, skill, and eminent worth. He
has not before done anything indicative of such
maturity, such repose, such intellectual concentra-
uon' and such capabity of deep feeling COM
bined with the artistic expression of H. On some
occasions adverse opinion of Mr.. Bellows acting
has been expressed, in this place, with severity
though not with injustice. The opportunity to re-
cord and commemorate, with earnest and deep
satisfaction. mis- substantial and brilliant achieve
ment in the play of "The Thief is. therefore
doubly welcome; for il Is always more agreeable
10 praise than TO condemn.
Miss Margaret Illington's impersonation of Mrs
Voysin is notable for its sincerity, sympathy, and
force. The actress shows that she has formed
distinct ideal and she expresses that ideal in such
a way as 10 maintain an illusion The situations
IN which Mrs Noysn IS placed largely contribute
TO the creation of effect upon the feelings Of the
spectator. but the actress is TO be credited with
@ continuity OF performance that enforces the et-
feet. A slight impediment in her speech which
has yet to be overcome. censtTains her 10 an
obvious effort of articulation, and especially IN
the denotement of passionate anguish, it leads to
some contortion Of the face The passages IN
which the acting should be reinforced are those
in which the guilty woman, in the midnight
colloquy with her husband strives 10 maintain an
appearance OF ease and gayety, and later makes
her confession. II would seem 10 he essential that
the actress should ndicate.-not 20 her interlocu-
tor on the scene, but to her audience-that' oe-
meath her guise OF gayety, she Is suffering with
terrible apprehension and remorse; and. in the
making Of her confession ot theft which is bitterly
shameful. she ought to be glib. The confession
is torn from her heart, and it should struggle
through her utterance ElOqUence fuency OF speech
apparent sequence of thought. ingenuity or Tea-
soning-those are expedients TO be avoided. SIN
cere feeling, in situations of agony does not hnd
facile utterance There is an instructive stage
tradition, about Edmund Kean, that when he
spoke the curse Of Brutus upon TaTquin he seemed
10 rend it out Of his throat as well as out Oh us
| heart.
The mart Of Isabelle I,agaries wife of RaynOnde.
! is that of the polished gentle-woman OF polite So
ciety who hovers about the scene in order 70 I'M
part verismilitude TO the picture OF doIesuc ne
and actors usually dislike them. An obtruslVe or
! a careless performance Of Mrs. Lagardes would
seriously mar the effect Of the acting in every one
| Of the associate characters Good Judgment anu
correct taste are imperAvely essential to lis SUIT
! able presentment Miss Edith Osteres perform
! ance Of Il is easy natural symmetrical discreet
attentive to every detail, simple In style, unob-
trusive and yet possessed Of distinction ana SUI
fused with the winning gentleness or sincere lee'-
/ ing Much Of the interest of the opening act de-
3r77r,a ratf0 Df
tective N. Zambault part requiring repose IN
| teectual poise, native elegance and an especiaHy
| incisve and crisp execution. That part IS per-
! fectly played by Sidney Herbert whose ideal OF
! the character IS seen TO be definite and whose
authoritative precise and clearcut expression OF I
/ has the beauty OF a exquisite cameo MI HERBERT
well exemplifes the ''old schOol OF acting-in which
| men learned their art before attempting TO prac-
! tfse It. He knows what he intends 70 do; he
J knows how 10 do II: and he completely fuhls his
| design In the part Of Raymonde Lagardes MI
| Herbert Percy has TO present the noble elderly
father grave, a little austere, type Of probity.
| and especially Of paternal affection: his acting Is
correct and efficient helpful 20 his associates, II
! not deeply sympathetic. The part Of Fernando
the sentimental boy, infatuated with a married
! woman and ready to meet disgrace and ruin Tor
/ her sake, presents an exceptional opportunity Tor
! actfng-an opportunity TO which Mr.. Leonard Ice
is unequal, although his sincerity and his Jealous
endeavor obvious and highly commentators
The part requires. among other things romantic
ssoect facial expression a sympathetic voice. and
1 grace of manner. There is much merit in the
/ Interpretation OF this play that the presence or
/ any blemish however slight, seems peculiarly de-
plorable In the pivotal crisis that Immediately
precedes Mrs. Voysin's exit. to find Fernando, IN
Act First the woman's guilt and terror should
be made unrnistakably clear 10 the audience; YET
in that scene most Of the characters are so placed
as TO be concealed from part Of the audience,
while the speeches, necessarily quick. but mos'
essential to be heard, spoken as TO be al
most unintellgible
The plav requires the kind Of treatment
that would be given the most intricate sensitive
/ machinery. When all the parts are perfectly ad-
1 fusted the movement IS smooth and beauttu!
/ when anv part IS out Of place the whole fabric
! crates For The practical purposes OF the stage
this piece is almost ideal one-especiaiIy IN TINS
/ dav OF prodigious distances 1t contains Only
three sceneN all simple and easy to set II con
tafns only six characters and one super. II Is
| fine example of construction, for its action passes
/ within about twelve hours. The fortunes OF tfis
cor,,odv will be observed with peculiar interest
1 The pIay called THE Lion and the Mouse which
| was produced at the Lyceum had career o'
! about six hundred enights. II excellence OF play
| aud acting count for anything, IN proof OF SUI
| ,eriorItv "The Thief should run for six thousand
/ l. g a genuine play-not a sermon nor a treaIise
/ T-reasv souls quest of lessons may ieari
IRON, u that honesty is the best policy and 1Ke
wise that jealousy the most terrible Of the pas
1 eIons Meanwhile every lover of drama who re
| ,sfrs tn the theatre in order TO see a good play
we'll acted should 20 to tho LyceUm and see Nlf
| Daniel F-rohnan's production Of The Thief