Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-23
THE CAST

Rector Kroll .....,,.,,.....Fu Fuller Mellish
Ulric Brendcl. ......... Albert Drumming
Peter Mortensgard. William A. Norton
Madame Helseth ........... Mary Madden
ny srDLE LAWRENCE
+ BsEN's lurid tragedy OF "Rosmer-
sholm," the tragedy of woman
u who dared everything and man
who dared too little, was presented at
the Belasco last night by Mrs. Fiske
and the Manhattan company before an
audience so affected by the dramas
gloom that applause early become an
expression of habit rather than of APP
probation. The tragic note Is sounded
in this play before the rise Of the first
act curtain. 1t is maintained until the
end The theme is one of insanity,
passion, despair, suicide. The one fine
thing in the play. Rosmer's aspiration
to better the condition, physical and
moral, of the men and women about
him, comes to naught. The tale Is en-
veloped in unrelieved gloom. dismal,
threatening, portentous. 1t grips an
audience, there can be no doubt as to
that, and sends them out of the theater
thinking--if baffied.
This tragedy, written in 1885 and first
revealed in America four years ago in
New York city by the Century Players,
was added to Mrs. Fiske's repertoire In
December of 1907. In her company at
that time were Bruce McRae. who
comes here next month In The Thief"
George Arliss, Florence Montgomery
and Fuller Mellish and Bruning of the
present cast. Originally, however Mr..
Bruning played Mortensgard. whereas
now he is seen as Uric Brendel.
The Ibsen Explanation
Ibsen himself has said of this play:
The call to work is undoubtedly. distin-
guishable throughout "Rosmersholm" But
the play also deals with the struggle which
all serious minded human beings have TO
wage with themselves In order TO bring their
lives into harmony with their convictions.
For the different spiritual functions DO not
develop evenly and abreast of each other In
any one human being. The instinct Of ac-
QUESTION hurries on from gain to gain. The
moral consciousness--what we call con-
science---is, on the other hand. very conser-
vative. 1t has its deep roots IN traditions
and the past generally Hence the connict
Mrs Fiske's acting in the role OF
Rebecca West has been declared In the
east where she is better known than
she is here, to mark the summit of her
present achievement. The role and its
requirements are comparable to Moth
ing she has essayed previously, either
here or elsewhere.
Rebecca West is an exceptionally I'M
lovely character. even for Ibsen. A
designing woman, she conceives a ply
steal passion for a good man and de-
liberately drives his weak-minded wife
to suicide that she may attain her
ends. Then, with attainment at hand.
she turns aside from her purpose, re-
jects his offer of marriage and together
they kill themselves upon the Identical
spot and in the identical manner en-
ployed by the wife. This is the woman
whom Ibsen has made the central fig-
ure of his tragedy, the woman whom
Mrs. Fiske plays in a way to provoke
sympathy for the character. Whether
or not that is good art l leave for you
to decide.
Mrs. Flske's Acting
In the expression of quiet force, of
power resource, Mrs. Fiske Is without
a peer upon the American stage. Her
genius in suggestion Is indisputable.
Her meanings are never obscure and
she does little that is without It's mes
sage to her audience. In one thing
Mrs. Fiske has improved, and in
marked degree. When she was here
in 1.-THE New York idea" she dis
played an annoying habit of inco-
herence in long speeches. due to
rapidity of utterance, which ran her
words together without pause in die
ton. Last night I noticed no such
defect. She still shows tendency,
however. to pick up cues too quickly,
anticipating the end of a speech made
by another character in the play be-
fore it's arrival. INDUCED only occa-
sionally this might seem an effective
bit of realism, but it's habitual use
is annoying to the audience, as 1t must
be also to members OF her supporting
company.
The Knoll of Fuller. Mellish is an
admirable bit of portraiture, in which
A.. fr.xf Fr.1r
Here Is no caricature, but camera
counterfeit of the man himself
Arthur Forrest in the role OF John
Rosmer shows himself purposeful
actor of excellent method. Mr.. Bru-
ning's Uric Brendel Is given the the
atrical touch required by the role.
Doubtless you have seen such men In
real life and have set them down as
STACY" Mary Madden in the part
of the old housekeeper and William A.
Norton as Peter Mortensgard con-
tribute careful and effective interpre-
tations of their respective roles.
Mrs. Fiske will repeat "Rosmers-
holm" at the Belasco tonight, tomorrow
night and at matinee performance
tomorrow afternoon. -
Madame Mauricia Morichini, an Ital-
ian songstress who comes here from
New York city, where she was heard In
the Manhattan opera house. filled the
Orpheum auditorium yesterday after
noon with such melody as has seldom
been offered as part of vaudeville
program anywhere. Madame Morichini
has a ripping coloratura soprano voice
of delightful quality and ample volume.
She gave us yesterday afternoon four
numbers. three from Italian grand
operas, and Home, Sweet Home" sung
In English. Unlike most of the famous
singers of the day there is nothing of
the grande dame in Madame Morichini's!
department. She comes upon the stage
quietly and sings in simple unaffected
style with a voice that suggests the
melodious play of a musical fountain.
Will M. Cressy and Blanche DaynsI
present a new one-act play, The
wyoming Whoop. The ''Whoop" is al
newspaper, Sworn weakly circulation,
sixty-four copies" Cressy is it's editor.
Miss Dayne is transforming actress
who calls to insert an advertisement.
Naturally she doesn't like Wyoming
and she says so. The way she says I'll
gives the editor an idea, and he pro-
ceeds to hire her as his assistant. Be-
ing wyoming, of course there is a bad
man in the background who wants toI
shoot up the editor. Cressy orders tho
bad mans obituary put into print and
then goes out to make the story true.
He does It, too. There is plenty OF funI
in the sketch, some clever character de-
lineation and sufficient pathos to pleaseI
those who are gladdest when they weep.
H. - ls.A - 81