Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-17
(Copyright BY J. b. Bowls<)

| Advanced the Cause OF Women.
Copyright BY }. b. Bowis<>
Julia Mariowe. though regarded Is an
American actress. was born in the LAKE
country of England. She WAS but child
Of four years when her family removed
to q farm in Kansas. At IL years or age
she Joined q juvenile "Pinafore' company
and soon attracted attention by her c!rrc@
acting and her rich. clear voice. oth"r
engagements followed: then she retired
from the stage and studied dramatic art
for three years. ReappoarinG as Par
thenia in "Ingomar' at the Bitou theares
in New York. she won instant recognition
40 a splendid actress. Still. she struggled
for several years longer with disappoiht-
mAnts OF various kinds before she was
accorded the high place on the stage
which her merit gave to her In sucn
roles as Juliet Viola. Rosalnd. Barbara
E'ric:chic. Colinette and Mary Tudor she.
has won the warnest admiration OF the
publC.l
think few people can realize how
fierce has been the strife In regard TO
women on the stage and how dimcult
it has been for them to convince the
world at large of the importance OF
their hard-won position and their
baneficent influence upon dramatic art.
l am speaking now Of the past. Hap
PLY at the present stage OF dramatic
development woman's standard Is as
high and her position as assured as
mans.
1t was not always 50. Looking back
to the age Of oppression and intoler-
lance when in 1860 woman first APP
4 REPRESENTATIONS
we find her entrance marked an era
in dramatic advancement. The first
record of woman's appearance upon
the stage is December g.. 1860. The
play was Shakespeare's "Othello," and
the Eesdemona was played by wom-
an. There has been considerable doubt
as to whom this honor belongs. Some
have given It to Anne Marshall. The
more general superstition is that Mar
garet Hughes deserves this right to
Immortality. We have Pepys' author
ity for IL that women appeared in Kill
lisrew's company in London on Janu-
ary :, 1861. in Beaumont and Fetch
er's "Besgar's Bush
Their early appearances were re-
ceived with great disfavor. DR.. D0ran
tells us that the writers Of the time
denounced the first actresses as I'm
womanish and graceiess"-not meaning
that they were ungainly and unfemi-
nine. but that play-acting tn itself
was below their dignity. Glad l am
TO say" remarked Thomas Brand,
speaking Of these actresses. that they
were Kissed, hooted and pippin-pelted
from the stage, so that I do not think
they will soon be ready to try the same
again. He adds that well-disposed
people were righteously indignant AZ
these women, whom Pyrnne, rigor-
GUS puritan of the time, called mon
stersr'' =.
Notwithstanding the marked dis
favor with which they were first re-
ceived, reasonable and serious-mindsd
persons could not fail to see the pro-
priety of Juliet and Desdemona being
acted by girls rather than boys 1t
would. appear that Immediately 'upon
this important progressive step the
artistic need for woman's Appearance
must have been generally felt
We read that soon 'afterward &C
tresses we're in great demand. 1t was
found that they not only increased the
popularity Of the theaters in which
they performed. but that their COOP
erafion was indispensable to the prop
er presen.-,.on Of any play. They
made possible fuliness and . beauty
of Interpretation which had not been
dreamed OF before
Take for a single example the wom-
en- Of Shakespeare. They stand rs
vivid types Of truth and beauty. They
are 80 alive with the warmth Of fem
ininity that their expression BY other
than women Is In :tseIf monssrous
sacrilese. A play performed by men
can hardly be imagined to-day and
the wonder 10 that such An absurdity
ever existed.
The realization Of the necessity Of
voman's cooperation With man in dra-
maiic achievement grew rapidly. for
mems minds we're at this time too high
" susceptible to advancement to se-
main IN ignorance Of this need. So
q was not long before actresses were
recognized and highly respected This
was 50 true In the case Of Mrs. Better.
Ton that when In 1874 'Calista was
verSormed at court the actress was
chosen n instrncsrssa 10 the priacssses
Mary and Anne, and mach OF the sub
segment graceful e1ocuiicn and dig
nifty OF bearing Of these ladies was sr-
credited to MIS-. Betterton. Perhaps
no frer compliment was ever paid