New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-27
THE DRAMA
THE sICILIAN PLAYERS.
BROADWAY THEATRE.

surprise anv thouEhtfuI observer Of the trend OF
theatrical affairs. Carnality Is part OF the human
machine, and II every ingredient in the compost
ton Of humanity every physical process and every
part of the conduct human beings Is 70 be repre-
sented the stage-if there Is TO be selection.
no restraint Of taste. nothing but unlimited
license.-that also within the scope OF the
actors province, and IL must be expected to appear
! For several seasons now the assertion has been.
practically. made that the mission Of the theatre
{ is 10 hold the mirror up Nature and that Nature
! is a cesspool. The SiciIian actors appearing in
Malta oply so a little further than OF
their predecessors gone in the exploitation e
nauseous things II would be easy to name per-
formers. OF more talent and distinction, who have
made liberal presentment OF subjects that ought
never be touched in works az dramatic art The
Tbsen movement fgon its beginning has been
morbid movement toward theatrical dissection Of
disease The transit is easy from sickness tangled
with heredty and pessirnism to sickness Of the
bodily organs and display Of pathological synnp-
toms and conditions The chief difference between
certain emotional these Sicilian play
is that the prstence OF mental moral purpose
is. by the latter. ignored: that decency is dsre-
garded- and that the seamy side OF human con-
duct and experience is shown with scarcely any
reserve. In other words the Sicihan company,
! in this particular play, has offered photo
graph not only OF certain Sicilian manners and
customs in low life, but of associated physical in
decencies. II is not difficult thing to do, and
those foreigners have done it we'll Their play
exhibits a bad case Of well known disease. The
principal person in il is italian peasant girl,
who. while betrothed TO youth whom she does
not love and does not wish to marry, becomes
! infatuated with another youth. who marrtes her
sister. Her condition is painful and deplors-
BILE The conflict between natural modesty
and desire results in sort Of epiieptic ma
MIA; and her agonies expressed in sobs, CUR
citations. facial contortions distension OF the
eyebaIIs. insane giaRces, stimulation OF the dry
/ mouth and the parched lips, choking utterance'
difficult sterterous breathing. nasal obstruction,
paroxysms, oscuIatons. writings Of the body, and
other literal denotements OF delirum. The ex-
posture Of that condition the stage is not merely
indicate it is obviously indecent and further
more it is brutal. At the end Of her ordeal.-an
ordeal protracted by the usual expedients OF jao5er
and cuckoo-cIock entrance and exit,-the peasant
girl personated by Nine Aguglia falls in an cpl
leptic fit. while simultaneously, in the course OF
a furious fight. (which many peasants, OF ooth
sexes strive to prevent, her outraged
lover cuts his rivals throat with razor No ar
gument. presumably. need be sdduced 70 show that
such revealments worse than offensive; they
are in fact. inhuman. The stage has, surely. come
to a melancholy pass. when it undertakes to ex-
pound pathology and pathognOmy.
The contention commonly made. either TO extern
nate Justify theatrical presentation Of impure
and Injurious themes. that such things do
occur" That doubtess.~is true, but that deplo-a-
bic fact provides sufficient reason for showing
filth or horror on the stage. Organic disease or
functional disturbance can cause human being 20
behave n terrible way or in A disgusting way
as a maniac as something worse tnan = least
the other hand, there is, in human nature, the
possibility of sublime virtue. great herosm celes-
tial seIf-sacrifce exquisite beauty OF life Stories
have been deutschland they be devised again,
which while walking hand in hand with daily ak
perience free from the faint Of disease and the
ugly smear Of and crime stories that are rich
humor. patlos the exhilaratIng glitter OF COM
edy. the ennoblng power of tragedy. the monition
Of virture and sweetness, the impulse OF charity
go tar
God. 1t would not he smiss for This community, If
nc stage which now engeosses so much OF its at
tention-moTe. perhaps han ever before, in the
history of nstions-were more often devoted TO the
exhibition Of beauty. and not at all TO that Of
deformty. II is as easy be literal" and ''nat1-
/ rLI.'-if that be your OoJect.-in the display OF
health. as in the photography OF sickness; 20 en-
noble ycur listeners mind, instead OF dediing it; 10
disseminate belief in goodness and not disgust and
contempt for that humanity OF which every man
and is part
Nine. Aguglia who impersouates the afflicted
heroine Of Malta is. apparently. an experienced
actress, Of an ordinary type. in way transcend
ent Of the average ability Of such performers
Bertha KaIich. Olga Nethersole, Mary Shaw and
Blanche Walsh The stage has long been populous
with players Of her and their. order. She has.
seenlingly- the advantage OF much and varied pro-
fessionaI experience She is Of medium height has
a sullen countenance. regular features. moderately
large and fairly expressive eyes and solid vital
body. whereof the carriage is devoid Of grace Her
voice is thin, harsh and unsymps thetic she fire.
queutly uses tones that are too low for large
theatre. She knows her business thoroughly we'll
The tntimation, in a published interview given
by the actress that she learns the lines and then
trusts TO impulse for her acting proves to be
absurdty,-probably Of the usual ebullitions Of
hstroric conceit The performance OF Jena that
is given by Nine. AguEla Is that. unmts-
takabIy. has been carefully considered and
hearsed, and it is orderly as clockwork.-though
not nearly as interesting The actress should. how
ever he credited with intelligent employment OF
her professional talents and resources. in the
representation Of her IDEAL The notion actbrs
from Continental Europe from inspiration
unknown to the benighted players Of other lands
has long been favorite with enthusiasts OF for
eier acting: it would be comic, if It we're not
silly
The Sfcilian company Is a capable one in tech
meal skill. The extreme volublity and the excess
sive gesticulation usual the Italian stage-at-
tributes characteristic of Italians in life
except when they much excited and al
ways then-sufuse and disfgure he entire repre-
sentation considered even with exclusive refer
ence TO the technical fabric and detail. That
defect its origin in the strain upon seIf-con-
troll It : invariable accompa niment Of the
best Latin acting: Of the finest attributes of
that wonderful actor Tomasso Salvin was his
massive marble repose. The best actor in the
SiciIfan company better actor than Mime. Agug-
liza for the that his insight into character.
a. displayed in his performance Of MIMI and also
mis- use of professional method its expression Is
truer deeper and more eTective--is Signor Toto
Ma iorana- He shows mind: he has reposs. ne
Stimulates absolute sincerity; he Is an admirable
listener: he seems TO hear and 10 speak for the
first time: he is definite in action; and he shows
the progressive cumulative effect IF occurrences
and varying emotions upon the revelation OF char
acter
The proclamation of Nine. Aguglia as the most
famous tragedierne of the world is both impudent
and foolish That actress does not IN artistic
-f,F-l.