Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-20
BY sIDLE LAWRENCE

Mrs. Elvsted ........ Miss Margaret Watson
Miss Julia Tesman. Miss Doris Digoy
Bertha .4uiss ohAOe Oes@NASA
BY sIDLE LAWRENCE
I'M HERE have been many explana-
tions of "Hedda Gabler''; many
Il interpretations of the character.
Miss Jeanette L. Glider has declared
her to be an "overwoman who acquired
without assistance the idea which used
to be drilled into monarchs that she
had the right of way in life; one of
those realists who think they perceive
/ everything because they see the eXter-
! nals'' Other critics, other creeds.
Mrs. Patrick Campbelrs Hedd& is a
woman of whimsical moods, perVerse,
| essentially selfish, neurotic, In sense
she tears from the role its banning
| quality and makes it, in large measure
at least, UNDERSTANDINGS. All OF Wnlch
| must be accounted an achievement.
| Her Hedda is not calculated to provoke
| discussion. but to still it. 1t is not
even a cousin german to the Hedda OF
Mrs. Fiske In fact, any thought OF
comparing the two must nave Deen as
pelled last night by even the most cur
sorry consideration of the English art
lists playing.
Her Talent for Being Bored
Mrs. CampbelPn Hedda Gabler in the
first act is woman whose nerves nave
been completely unstrung py ner own
| sense of boredom The little fussiness
of her husband, his petty concerns, his
| habits of economy in trivial matters,
| such as the thrifty saving of paper ana
string which had been used to wrap MS
slippers-these things have worn away
Hedda's powers of resistance. She is
an eGotist to this extent that sne pe-
| L hanRR6
about. whereas Hedda in reality is even
unable to appreciate bigness in another.
What we believe, however, that we are;
and the premise is necessary Tor
proper understanding of Mrs, Camp
bells conception.
To Judge Brack she says: i some
times think there is only one thing IN
the world 1 have any turn for.
"And what is that?" he queries.
Boring myself to DEATH" is her
reply
This is prophetic. in the Ibsen
| fashion. and Mrs. Campbell does not
fail to illumine the idea in her read
ing of the lines.
Admits Her Cowardice
Hedda proclaims herself a coward.
Mrs. Campbell does not emphasize the
| actual admission, but she reiterates
| the accusation indirectly many times.
| There Is cowardice as well as selfish
I ness in her cry: II can't look upon
sickness. / loathe it,; and again IN
her manner of refusing to accompany
her husband to the house where MS
| aunt lies dead.
Later in the play the jealous mood
predominates. This, in fact, is made
] the mainslring of Hedda's actions from
the time Eilert Lovberg first appears
i upon the stage until the end, for He'd
da remains jealous even after the
death of the man who has excited that
sentiment. There is, however, no
sameness in the expression of her feel
ings.
Last night Mrs. Campbell showed us
the feline jealousy which vents itself
in physical demonstration against its
/ object, but that was only one, and
! the least fine, of many phases. She
| sneered at Mrs. Elvsted before she
clawed her hair. She writhed at ev-
cry mention of the other woman's
name by the man whom that woman
had saved from himself; and in final
frenzy, the more deadly as it was the
more contained, she deliberately incit-
ed the man to kill himself beautifully,
beautifully" when she found herself
unable to efface the impression Mrs.
| Elvsted had made upon his life.
There was little of sanity in this
scene. The woman had become
demon. But even so she took precau-
tions to guard herself against ugliness.
If the thing must be done, 'twere we'll
it were done decently.
The Art of Listening
Instances of Mrs. CampbelTs art in
this role might be multiplied almost
Indefinitely She showed us last night
the art of listening as well as the art
| Il to, nfia Cl,a a1d dnt,a
entirely in repose. Her arms, her feet,
her entire body moved nervously, con-
stantly. increasingly, but always grace
fully. There We're no sudden starts,
nothing to mar the symmetry of mo-
ton. Her perhaps rest
lessness is the better word-was that
of the cat animal ENGAGED.
The supporting company appeared to
much better advantage last night than
at any time since the present engage
ment opened. Ben Webster played
Lovberg with a poetic quality and an
appreciation of the physical aspects
of the character that made the role
stand out in clear relief. Miss Mar
1, garet Watson was properly subdued as
Mrs. Elvsted and Edgar Kent gave US
another fine Interpretation in the role
of Tesman. Charles Garry, too, read
the part of DIR. Brack with good ef-
feet, though he made no attempt to
depict the roue the doctor is ordinarily
|, Interpreted to be.
Tonight and at the matinee tomorrow
Mrs. Campbell will be seen in an adap-
tation of Sophocles' tragedy Of "Elec-
tra," which will be preceded by THE
Flower of Yamato." Tomorrow night
Sundermanns "Magda" will be the bill.
=
"The Filibusters," book by James p
Wilson and Mark e. Swan, music by
. William Lorraine will be the opera
offered by the Temple opera company
at the Auditorium for it's opening bill
t April 6. This announcement was made
? definitely yesterday afternoon by Edgar
Temple. The opera never has been
| heard in the west, but was faYorably
5 received upon it's presentation in New
York, Boston and other eastern cities.
: The composer, William Lorraine, also
1 composed the music Of Peggy from
Paris" and is the author of the pop
= ular "Salome" overture.
The company, organized in the east,
and which will begin rehearsals today,
includes Eleanor Kent, prima donna
soprano; Laura Wallace, soubrette;
Edna Mason, contralto; Grace Marvin,
characters Alfred MacGahen, tenor;
n A