New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-18
THE DRAMA
MRS. FTSKE AS SALVATION MILL
uAHKETT THEATRE.

HAcKETT THEATRE.
The desire of Mrs Fiske has long been evident
TO exercise direct practical Humanitarian IA
fuence IN social affairs. Some time ago her eno1t
was directed toward compelling compassionate
treatment OF cattle when IN process OF transports
ton by railroad. Not long since she sent for'h
pamphlet on vivisection, denounctng II as ha
tonaI disgrace In several plays-"Lirtle lla1S'
Leah Kleschna." and Mary OF MascaiA aAAS
others.-she has evinced her active sympathy wiz
afflicted suffering. or repentant woman woman
enthraIled by cruel, fateful circumstance OF oo
graded by weakness and passion, or soieo oy sill
or in the seeming hopeless tanste or consequenSe0
torrnented by conscience and wildly wishfu for
atonement and peace The philanfhroplc ProPeh-
sitv of her mind and the natural drift OF her en-
deavor-a drifts toward the Improvement u
social .onditi0ns,-are especially nahlLesoeo -
her performance of Nell Sanders. IN lne plAy
called Salvation Nell by Nj So"Alu
Sheldon which she gave last night at the HaeAe.'
Theatre for the first time in New York, and Wlich
was received with much more interest anu
ton than 1t deserves by a numerous ana oIO-
monty good-natured audience. The play Ju0es
from It's ecstasy Of moral enthusiasm, seems y
have been inspired by the actress herself Ior =
moves in the line OF her habitual thought and Ies
ing on the subject OF social abuses our nov
that may be- Mrs. Fiske has animated Il VIZ -
passionate OF her glowing human spirll, an
It's even temporary acceptance is mainly a''.'o-
table not to its moral persuasion but 10 tne iot0e
Of the actresses personality. AS a drama 1t indicates
a long ancestry. inclusive of Oliver twist
Ticket-of-Leave Man Never Too Late 70 NEIL
Mary Warner and so forth.-not at al reselh-
bling them in fabrication texture, for those are
plays, and this piece is rubbish, but BENG com
pact Of ingredients Of coarse humanity ana 10"
life and feebly instinct with moral purpose me
drarnatist, following beaten track mas ue@'9N
q coarse subject IN exceedingly coarse tho'
oughly arnateurish manner, making sufneieh'lS
faithful copies OF actual scenes and suseeSl4As
charity as the highest OF all virtues and the mrs. %
all duties Justice to all is the cornerstone OF 'ns
social fabric, but there is no sin that cannot O7
forgiven and no sinner that cannot De reGeelI0O-
Not novel propositions though irreproacnaoie ana
not propositions OF intrinscaIy authoritative ora
matte value
The story of the play is trite; the language OF
II an attenuated tissue OF Stiffness. slang Vusar.S'
and profanity Nell Sanders and jim F4a'-7-'4'
one drudge, the other vagTant' eoth oeliiAeN
OF an East Side Stun in New Hork--are pas
The man bules the woman, and the woman, De-
cause she loves him, submits 10 MS oruIali1s-
There is a germ of goodness In eacn Oh 'ne4
+ Nell is insuted by rUffan, In bo"eiS
roor1 and aRht ens1les In which jim Pfatt Kills
/ his adversary. The crime Is numerous asSa--''
and Jim is sent TO prison Nell then 70 spirlluaHs
| awakened and she becomes a member OF tne
| Salvation ArTny,-zealous, industrious, ana eAei1
| piary She mother Eight years nav
! passed and the father OF her boy comes out y.
nr,sou and again seeks her society Experience u
| i,s. &, TAIL has made him a worse rufdan than
| ever He purposes 10 obtain money by steaIlns IL
and he asks Nell TO migrate with ninl-and ni7
| rlunder-into the West That she oecl4hss 20 90
and he is regulated and repealed; but after luen
! irrelevant twaddIe the regenerating influence OF
80 ,,btrb hss redeemed the woman eventually
| nrov.s potentisI for the redemption Of the man.
and Nell and jim are united in religious IaINn @0
domestic happiness Nelfs exhorlauon aoe 4
| pItshes this result. and everybody sl1ss
with Me- -
| mas GAINED in dsn1ure, mischievouz, sparkling
characters the piQuant denizens OF Fa'lilIs I-s--
comedy. has moved through Vide rAnsS u P@ -
and in particular evinced copious resources oi
emotional energy. The part Of Nell SANDERS
sua5 salvation Nell after she Joined the army
Of Blood and Fire.-obviously makes no demand on
the Imagination IN substance II 10 orA"lns VI :
| Cherry street Nancy, out Of OLIVER ISlsl' anu
Mrs Fiske's performance OF 1t Is a photograph
| studv Nell Sanders Is carried through series u
situations such as are incident 70 vSaFty OF con
dillon and occupation and TO an environment U
dirt blackguardisul, vice and crime FToFlsiON =
made (aui il perfectly easy, n the cohcoclon U
these s!ur dramas. TO make that proViSiOiD loI a
few moments of tunnuItuous feeling. whether OF
animal rage or religious frenzy. and IN al those
| moments Mrs. Fiske is finely inpasslonea anu
effective her method, now as ever coIaFnlngilhs
| irrpetuous yoiubiHty with intensity Oh
| emotion
The company associated with Mrs. Ffske, in Sal
ratfon Nell" Is more notable for earnesrness OF
endeayor than for bFilliancy Of achievement Inc
rArforroance has certain degree CT unity, and II
| 5zpotes provision and careful. conscientious re-
| Observation-Disclosures 70 the good judgment anu
skin az the actress. Both the play and the per
| fcrrnauce however fall far, very far, below the
| standard established by Mrs. Fiske In recent
| years One conspicuous weakness OF the cast -
| nrcAn+fble in the acting Of Mr.. HOlb-ook Bhnn, d
/ os-e- NJ considerable experience but limited
/ abu,+v Mr. Blinn possesses that familiarity with
| The stage which makes public appearance a prop
ar+1 az easiness" but his proceedings are bhshteo
with srt!dciaI!ty The voice is thin the oFilleaIo
| a@actad and the embodiment monotoncus ana
,abo-toua-as of an actor who Insists on standing
| haIoya the character and concealins It. In order
| = sI,ovr himself In fact. MI Binn does al that
n. ,an do within the first Ave minutes. and al
+ba rest "a rendition. The attempt Of that actor
and also of Mrs. F1sae.-to denote parental Ieelns
v9s melancholy in its fDsinceriy
| r7or,netition is not intended with the youthiu I'll
! n, sLAIdon In minute and particular knoTleoge
| - +t customs Of vile drinking dens, and the IAN
,,,asa and manners OF prostitutes Beng, IS Il
| e understood q recent graduate OF q great lA-7I
ton NJ learning his knowledge Is douDuesS' a-4P
| and accurate; and the realism may pc 10ceP'
81 its face value. Those persons VINO WISH 70 nave
+hair minds dragged through the gutter ana
5a,cbad with the slime Of the brothel can sr2uIy
+ho+ desire By attending the Hackett Iheeue anu
.ot5ar+sI1v can observe q brilliant actress max
! - 5anlorable misuse Of her great faculties and
ing q uet ". W.
opportunity
CAST OF SALVATION NELL"
] .FIOIbroOk Bltnn