The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-16

York, in the height of the prosperity
OF that playhouse, with a cast which
included Stuart Robson, Ida Vernon.
Laura Don, and Maud Harrison. was
most severely criticized by the press
and condemned by the public. Charles
Frohman. twenty years later, produced
Sue" with Annie Russell il the title
role, but this proved by no means a
pronounced success, though it was not
scored as mercilessly as was the other
piece.
\ Yiddish Company.
The Lipzin Yiddish Company direct
from New York. Will appear at the
Academy "Wednesday evening in play
entitled 1.-THE Orphan" the drama be-
ing a picture of life among the Jews.
Madame Kenny Lipzin. the wellknown
Yiddish actress, heads the company,
and is supported by what is said to
be a splendid cast. The production will
be made under the direction of Mr..
Edwin a. Relkin, a Yiddsh manager of
some note.
The Yddish theatre ,has unique
place in New York, for it stands for Il
most forceful form of dramatic art,
and some of the leading stars have
witnessed its performances with a
view to learning lesson in that school
of realism. The actor who speaks in
this strange tongue brings to cis WORK
the art OF pantomime in a greater de-
gree than do the players of this coun-
try. In Europe more stress is laid upon
this adjunct of the actors art than in
America. An actor of the European
school studies as much the effect of his
pantomimic work as he does that of
the infection of his voice. This would
seem to be characteristic of the peo-
Pile of the European countries, however.
for they are more demonstratiVe in
their speech. and enforce the meaning
Of their words with every power OF
facial expression and every gesture
which they can command An Ameri-
can could get along pretty glibly if
he We're paralyzed in every limb rs
long as he was free from lock jaw,
but a Frenchman or a Russian, with
his hands tied behind him, would al
most be deprived of the power OF
speech.
These Yiddish players do not be-
lieve in the half tones, or at least they
do not employ them. Their touch is
always vigorous stroke of the brush,
With not so much shading. The re-
suit is that their work is vivid in color
and is more striking and pronounced
than that of the actor who seeks to
draw finer line.
The point that impresses the specta-
tor, when witnessing these Yiddish
players, is that they are sometimes
terribly real. Passion and lust, when
portrayed by them, often becomes al
most too real in its intensity. They
lack repression, which in acting is
as difficult as the otner extreme, If not
more so. They need to study little
in the Broadway theatres, in order to
tone more than they do, while the
finished actor of that school, who has
sacrificed vrility for the sake of
too delicately shaded picture, goes to
the Yiddish performances, as some of
them have done, to get back little
of the realism which they have lost
by entertaining in their own school of
methods.
The performance at the Academy
Wednesday night should prove inter-
esting, if only foi me purposes OF
comparison. The fact that these Yid-
dish players are SO realistic in their
methods makes it comparatively easy
for the play to be inteligently follow
cd by those who do not understand the
tongue in which the lines are spoken.
elena Rivers, at niiou.
Miss Beulah Poyntcr will appear at
the Bijou tins week in Lena Rivers"
the dramatiaation o, Mary j. Holmes's
novel of the same title. The play y
presented at the Bijou last season, and
made most favorable Impression. In
fact the piece did a record business
at that house durtng its weeks en-
gagemcnt.
| The FIRST act setting shows a view
of the little Massachusetts village,
"Slocumville' The pretty cottage home
| of old Granny Nicnols, with its Vine
covered veranda, ana its yard, BIOS
soming with geraniums, phloX, sweet
Williams and bachelor buttons, is seen
on one side, and in the background is
the old parn and morse trough, The
last three acts are pictures of the
South. TWO interior views and one
exterior view OF the old Livingston
mansion are shown.
| Very few liberties have been taken
| in making the decentralization, and the
/ principal characters OF the book APP
pear on the stage.
Burt and NicOlai are the producer.
Ipl the piece, and they have gwen the
production handsome mounting, and
! pfnFided capable company to sup
I port Miss poyntcr. The production wiz
| no doupt repeat its big record OF last
( season 1T can hardly so very much
| above IT, as 1t was a case OF capacity
4 business at nearly every performance
1 during ! Us engagement last season, and
me demand Tor seats was SO great that
Ia special Friday matinee was given.
Madame Calye Coming.
Madame calye the famous singer,
/ wlil appear at the Academy next We'd
| hesday week giving one concert thpt
/ evening. The second net from Bizets
tafhem with scenery and costumes,
mas q place on every program rem
\ uered by Madame calye this season
# curing her tour. This ~ because She
" CONCEDED TO be tiio greatest Twins
i'nts,tF Of lhe central figure OF tbs
\ opera,