Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-15
CLEMENT SCOTT ON
MRS. pat" CAMPBELL

TN Queens and Kings of the ORA
matte STAGE Clement Scott, best
- known of London dramatic critics,
has this to say of Mrs. Patrick Camp
bell, who will be at the Mason this
week with her company, including
Stella Patrick Campbell, the actress
young and talented daughter:
"While on the subject of the modern
realistic play of which Pinero is now
the strongest and cleverest advocate,
1t is impossible to avoid the mention of
Mrs. Patrick Campbell and her two
most alluring successes, The Second
Mrs. Tanqueray' 1S93) and The Noto-
rious Mrs. Ebbsmitha QS95). AS
work of art infinitely preferred the
latter, though the former was of course
the more popular. Mrs. Tanqueray
fitted Mrs. Campbell like a glove; it
scarcely became necessary to act, for
the temperament was there. But Mrs.
Ebbsmith was very nearly a work of
genius. I dare say others could play
Mrs. Tanqueray-in fact, they have,
notably Mrs. Kendall and Olga Neither
sole-but 1 can only conceive one Mrs.
Ebbsmith. She fascinated like SER
pent with lovely eyes.
"In proportion as I ever considered
Mrs. Ebbsmith' the best, most inter-
esting and most convincing of Mr.. Pi-
nero's realistic plays, so do l think
this infinitely the finest thing done by
Mrs. Patrick Campbell. 1t was a natu-
raj and convincing impersonation. We
talk of the nature of Eleanora Duse,
and rightly, but she is not always con-
vincing. From the first line to the
last of Mrs. Ebbsmith 1t was impossi-
BILE to distract attention froni Mrs.
Campbell. When she was most silent
we read her thoughts. She had the
,-k tn Iio 10 nf tn1y tt,er
Any little theatrical tricks of the COM
panions by her side seemed for the mo-
ment to irritate and jar on the nerves.
cart to Perfection"
"The acrtess took us to wonderland.
and she kept us there until she had
done with us. Her defiant attitude In
connection with her own bold but mis-
taken opinions, was no less superb
than her contemptuous and supercili-
Gus scorn of the duke, whom she
treats with outward courtesy, but with
yelled insolence. So many women do
that, and Mrs. Patrick Campbell has
studied the art to- perfection.
"But the performance was full of
beautiful, human and womanly touches
the defeat of agnosticism and ma
terialism and free love jargon at the
mere danger of her lovers departure;
the gradual rebirth of an almost buried
affection; the consummate victory of
nature over unfaithfulness; the scorn-
full rejection of the Bible, followed by
tn. reaction of penitence; the natural
scorn of Scorn: the equally natural love
of love, and in the end the very mar
tyrdom of ruined hopes and aspira-
ticns
"The face of Mrs. Campbell at the
conclusion of the play was piteously
beautiful; on it were registered the
defeat of self, the triumph of a dim
ana distant faith.
A Well Earned Triumph
'If ever acted again it is a perform
ancL and a play that everyone ought
to see who understands, or who has
studied, the art of the theater. For
hero we have before us what some of
us have so constantly advocated-a
play teeming with interest, perform
ance glowing with inspiration Here
all Mrs. Patrick Campbell's faults melt
ed before our eyes. She was distinct
she was audible. she did not slur her
words or indulge in monotonouS "sing-
song" she did not skimp her work
All through she showed a profoundly
interesting personality while in the
great scene of the play, the actress
exhibited genuine dramatic power and
passion. Author and actress shared
well earned triumph.
Mr.. Pinero'S success was propor-
tiorately greater because he had been
trUer to nature in his arguments and
conclusions. Mrs. Patrick CampbelPs
triumph was the more complete be-
cause she showed that she could get
inside a character and place 1t before
us with all it's whims and oddities and
ircongruities and infinite variety. This
particular performance reminded me
not so much of Eleanor Duse as of an
artist infinitely greater, with more ma
ture. more womanliness, more fltful in
change and chance; an artist who has
painted woman's capricious nature
better than any one of our time"
Dustin Farnum and Walter Hale