The Washington herald., 1908-02-23
MISS OLGA NETHERsoLE.
A weII-known Actress Has Remark
able Career.

Those of our local playgoers who read,
with but casual interest. Of the five plays
she Is 20 present at the New National
Theater next week, may be surprised TO
know of the career OF this most famous
/ OF al English-speaklng emotional
actresses.
Miss Nethersole is the daughter OF n
London lawyer Her mother was or
Spanish descent. Perhaps the Spanish
blood in her veins led her to favor the
strongly emotional roles with which hef
name as an actress has been identified.
At any rate. of this union. the future
actress was born IN Kensington, London.
in 1870 OF her early life little has been
published. Her parents were not wealthy.
but they gave her an excellent education.
She studied in Paris and speaks French
las fiuently as she does English. Italian
also she acquired. and Spanish from her
mother At the age OF seventeen she was
teaching as governess in one CT the up
per nliddle-class schools OF London. She
was especially engaged as teacher Of
French and of music. this latter accom-
plishment being one that has frequently
been utilized in her stage career. notably
I'm Carmen" Miss Nethersole remained
governess for nearly two years. She
was a little over eighteen when she made
her first professional appearance as an
actress
She was induced to adopt the stage as
a career after participating in several
amateur performances in London, where
she made an instant impression. Charles
Hawtrey say her at one OF the perform
ances and offered her an Engagement.
She joined his company I'm the first pro-
duction of a comedy-drama, Harvest"
produced at Brighton. England. In the
fall of 1859 A London critic who hap
pened 20 be travelling in the provinces
saw the performance OF Harvest" and
upon his return 10 London he wrote a
glowing tribute to the work OF the young
and unknown actress. predicting that
within six months she would be occupy
ing place as leading player in some
London theater. This led several Lon
don managers TO make trips into the
provinces TO see her. and she had three
offers in as many weeks. She finally ac-
cepted an offer 10 play with John Hare
at the Garrick Theater. London. and
there. the following year. she made her
London debut.
Miss Nethersole's triumph while lead
ing lady with Mr. Hare was most pro-
nounced She created the leading femi-
nine role in the first presentation OF A.
| ~. Pinero's first serious play. The
Prohlgate. in which she was afterward
seen in America. and also played the role
or Flora Tosca IN Sardous La Tosca,
for two weeks. during the indispOsition
OF Mrs. Bernard Beere, whose under
study she was II was at this time that
Pinero wrote The Second Mrs. Tanque-
ray" with Olga Nethcrsole in mind for
the role Of Paula
J. G. Williamson. a prominent Austria
Ian manager happened TO see Miss Meth
eTsole's work while she was with Mr.
Hare's company. and offered her star
ring engagement in Australia. Miss Meth
ersole went under Mr.. Williamson's man
agement 20 Australia where she was 10
appear for ten weeks engagement. but
Miss NethersOle remained ten months.
owing TO her enormous success. She re-
turned 20 England 70 appear in 1890 with
Mr.. Hares all-star company in "Dipio-
macy" In which she played the role OF
Countess Zicka- The present King OF
England. then Prince Of Wales. was in
the audience on that memorable first
night. and summoned Miss Nethersole TO
The royal box, where he highly compli-
mented her and asked II she had not
studied at the Conservatoire in Paris. as.
TO his mind. her methods were those OF
the French artjstes Miss Nethersole in
formed him that she had not, as she
was proud to say she was an English
woman. but that she felt his royal high
! ness had paid her great compliment.
! He replied that he meant II as such.
Miss Nethersole next appeared n sgd
neg Grundy's play. a Fools Paradise,
appearing with II. p. Irving. son Of the
late Sir Henry. who at that time made
hts first appearance on the London stage.
/ This play ran an entire season. after
which Miss Nethersole appeared with
Charles Wyndham in "The Silent Bat
tie" by Isaac Henderson. an American
author. the play enjoying great popular
success. In 1924 she boldly assumed the
reins of theatrical management by leasing
and managing the Royal Court Theater.
London. for an entire season Her first
production was a play by 4. W. Cattle.
entitled The Transgressor." which re-
suited in another sensational success for
the young actress. at that time just
twenty-foUr years OF age.
Miss Nethersole came TO America under
the management OF Augustin DAILY. and
made her first appearance in the fall OF
1894 at Wallacks Theater. New York. in
THE TrausgressOr She was most sue
cessful, and 20 further establish her YER
satility Mr. Daily had Miss Nethersole ap-
pear at once as Juliet Camille, and
Frou-Frou. Her first tour Of America
was a notably successful one.
The starring tours that followed. under
the management of Charles and Daniel
Frohman were further triumphs on her
/ second visit 10 America, Miss Nethersole
appeared in Carmen" a drama written
eXpreeSlv for her frou1 proSpe, Nferf-
mee's romance by Henry Hamilton 1t
was Miss NethersoIes original idea 10
turn this old romance into modern,
vivid acting play. Every one predicted
failure in resurrecting such an old story
but Miss Nethersole perceived the tre-
mendous emotional possibilities of the
role. Her Carmen" did create a sensa-
ton
The third visit of Miss Nethersole to
America was in 1899. when she produced
The Termagant" by Murray Carson
and Louis N Parker The play was a
great artistic success. She had long con-
ceived the idea OF playing "Sapho." in
a play made from Daudets novel. The
book had laid undisturbed in libraries and
book stores for years. 1t was admittedly
classic in literature. Yet when il was
announced that Miss Nethersole would
appear in "Sapho'' storm developed.
which eliminated when Miss Nethersole
finally produced Clyde Fitch's adapta-
tion. OF the resulting agitation II is not
necessary to speak in detail. except TO
emphasize the fact that Miss Nethersole
was triumphantly absolved from the
charge of producing an immoral play. and
''Sapho" was permitted 10 be presented
without interruption It has always
since remained one OF her most popular