The Washington times., 1908-10-06
Portrayal of Ibsen Role a
Triumph for Noted
Actress.
Succeeds Where Others Fail
TO Make Character
Likeable.

! 1t seemed a pity 70 those who saw
Nine Nazimova IN The Dolls House
| last night at the BeIasco that others
who would see her later in the week
were going to have to see her in some
thing else. And it Is a pity. For not
only is Nora Helmer the best thing that
Nine. NazimOva does, but Il IS the thing
above all others that she does better
( than anyone else.
The day when a review Of The Dolls
House might have been interesting is
! long past The question with each pres
entation IS mereIy-how does f. compare
with other presentati0ns2 And. per
haps, How close is IL 20 what Jhsen
meantE And 10 Is only the first Of these
| than can be answered.
American theatergOers are tolerably
familiar with the whims Of Nora by
now None Of Tbsen's herOines has en-
gagged the attention Of so many wet
known actresses. and none has been put
through so wide a variety Of lnterpre-
tauOn. Nine EazimOva succeeds where
others have failed. in that she makes
| Nora both likable and understandable.
One watched in the something less
/ than three hOurs-thirty-six hours. stage
/ time-tEe development OF d human
SOUL its growth from an enhancing
childhood 20 an awakened. questioning
TJmdnhOOd- one saw merry. romplug
EOyden, needless. restless. Of almost
consuming vivacity, pass through
shadow and doubt 10 q thoroughly
awakened and thoroughly disguised
womanhO0d.
Not Ibsen's Nora.
Probably it is not Ibsen's Nora. The
coal black hair. the fiery black eyes.
the eNaEEerative temperament. are not
IN The least Scandluavian. But they
are most symparheticany human And
for the first time in the writer's ex-
perlaurc the audience was with Nora
from curtain 90 CurtaIn-with her IN
, sympathecfr intimacy IN that sorlid
little 'home" In Chrrstlanla, with the
k-d-iike irresponsible s-irI-wlfe who was
trying 10 work oU- her souls saliva
ton by weird Ibsen uChts-with the
eager little creature savoring all the
JOY 81 her husbands rise in Hfe with
The Iysterical frightened creature who
realized the terrible results " what
she had done. but was absolutely hon
/ est 10 her inability u see that 50 has
been wroug-luaIly with the tortured
woman who has waited ia vain for the
miracle, until overwhelmed az the real
/ .z2,.on that for eight years she has
I lived with q strange man and borne
him three Clildren-aye. with her right
up 20 tae final bang Of that front door
as she fares forth into the world TO
md hcrseIf-and beyond,
Nine. Nazimova IS the first More Who
has ever made that peculiarly lbs -niSh
finale seem not only right. but i- evil
able-the only one whom ones t=Srt
/ has followed out through hat Slam
ming door
Mr. Mitchell and Mr.. lyman Score.
Tor the resr-it is a good. capable.
intelligent company that supports the
wonderful little Russian lady. Dod son
MitcaelTs Helmer is no more IbSen's
than NaziUOva's N0ra-but Il is q
smooth, workmanlike performance. He
/ is quite sufficiently fnsuHerabe; he
/ is almost sufficiently fatuous in his
/ conventionaEty and eEotism. Certain
! Iy as a personifcation Of too. too solid
fact ne is an effective foil TO her fan,
I tasy.
Brandon lyman succeeded I'm ms king
/ Dr. Rank almost human. almost pos
sible. There were moments when he
/ frank; not Tynaa) ceased TO be artI-
ncial; and the brief scene Of his exit
/ was so good, was followed 50 breath
I lessly. thar one almost feared that the
/ audience would have the bad taz.e 10
/ interrupt, the action Of the play by the
/ necessity Of expressing its appreciation.
+ The remaining parts were played in
( diligently and with sympathy: and the
/ children. taken by Bessie Dale and Vic
I let-e Hill-partiCularIy the -atter-wers
| capital Indeed. the scene with the
/ children was one to warm the cookies
/ Of ones heart. II was all grace. all
Z abandon. all sweet lf-forrptfuInaSe
I The wonder Of IL IS OF course. that a
Russian should be able Il. play in Eng
I lish; that NazimOva should have or
come the stumbling block at which
/ Bernnardt. and Duse. and Rejane al
I baked And she has overcome il very
completely OF course. there is a lit
! tie accent, but hve minutes after her
arrival on the stage that Is forgotten
/ in all the quick shifting food OF Nora s
garrulity IL is never noticed. II is only
aIi5rward that one stops TO think about
[ i-. and TO realize what a powerful per
S1ua.ity the English-speakinC stage has
gained in this Ala NaZimOVa. derelicC
I Of a band OF eNiled Russian players.
II seemed q pity TO those who saw
I her last night that others must see
I her in some other role than Nora-av,
I IL did But those others viii doubtless
feel the same sympathy for last night s
audience that il felt in anticipation for
/ them NJ Med.