The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-09
ADJUSTMENTS
Nazimoya, in "Heoda GabieF' ny
Hedrik Ibsen, at the SAT- Lake
Theatre.

one portrays a subject Of beauty HO
bility or optimism. ...-.,. int,
The other shows a knife cutting in1u
q fostering sore in a living huhiau' u
picting hopeless disease, hloeouSii0
and putrid filth. -. nor
The first is only fairly well dOile' - I
hans The second is accurate ana WIN /
Which - worthy of attention. Which |
is real art? Should normal PEI ~ /
lingerinElv offend his nostrils Win the
stencil of rocking rottcnness merely DC
cause the odOr is unquestonaoiy rear
istic?
These questions and others are sug-
gested by the appearance at TINS pa
ticular time Of Nazimoya, the RUSSIAN
actress. one of the greatest, If not tne
greatest. artist on the stage TO-DAY III
.'Hedda Gabler" Eastertide IS AT manu-
commemorative of the worlds greatest
drama-a drama breathing spirit on
optimism. of JOY. of hope for recovery
from tbe greatest of misfortunes, Of life
and ecstasy even after the great sol
row of death. And in startling contrast
is seen this Ibsen drama. granting llo'
the slightest virtue to any human De
ing. where no prospect pleases' auu CIV
eTvbody is vile. and where the absolute
inflnity Of viciousness is individuallzed
in a woman.
Regardless Of religion. let us give
praise on Sunday for the narrative Oh
/ Christ as contrast to this yileness.
The story Of "Hedda Gabler as stu
dents Of IbSen know. deals with a &c
generate woman, thoroughly selfish, ut
1 terly bored with life, hating her hus-
band and the world. who destroys the
manuscript of a masterpiece out OF
/ jealousy Of another woman. VINO per
| suades a man TO suicide because of this
same jealousy and on account OF Il de-
| sire to test her power over MIN, ana
who finally ends her own life. A nota-
BILE feature is one somewhat peculiar TO
Ibsen-that he can fill up play Win
nastiness without dwelling principally
on the relation of the sexez. IN fact.
a little normal passion Of this sort
would be real relief, and would upltt
the general tone of the drama.
Perhaps this is paying too much at
tention to the play. which is nothing
new. and not enough to Mime. Nazimc-
Va, who is now playing in the west for
the first time. and whose coming marks
Ian epoch in local theatrical history But
the stencil of the play clings TO the
clothing and ofrends the nostriis to such
an extent that it is strongly suggested
to the mind.
As for Nine. Nazimoya. her perform
ance was an intellectual treat, and
strengthens her position as one Of the
foremost histriOnic geniuses of the
world.
Her appearance and methods arc
/ radically different from those in "A
Dolls House" The angular gesture.
and walk are gone She moves with
| great elaboration and with grace. In
stead of a little, CHEEKY slip of a girl
she is a tall-appearing. sOmbTe, bored
blase woman. apparently without any
emotion except disgust. jealousy aut
unsatisfied ambition for power she de
b. sires to use solely TO torture ana crush
] There is little action in the drama
e Tt is merely q character study with
S couple of suicides. The interest would
! drag greatly in the first two acts Wer,
{ / it not for the marvellous acting. carrie,
to infinite detail by the star.
II The first real climax is where sh
/ hands over q pistol 10 d genius and ;
. former comrade. and bids him 10 EN-
his life. but not I'm an ugly manner
d She does this largely TO keep anOthe
Fl I woman from possessing nina woma
+ who has been his assistant in the writ
ing of a great book. In this scene sh
Z s deliberate until the suspense be
comes almost eXss lfrating. Their
! I after he has gone. she gives one of tn
= greatest portrayals Of jealous rag
b. ever seen on the stage as she Niclousi
e tears into bits the precious mauuscriI
g and throws il piece by piece far int
b the fire amid imprecationS on I'll
30 woman who helped the genius an
y whom she hates with the bitterness
n jealous insanity.
o Her performance goes on With delit
d Grafton until the end. In the last ac
Nazimova appears in a clOse-fttiu'
c trailing black gown. As she move
l. about in ALMOST silent siuuOUsae@s- Sd
= ! reminds one Of some black. ugly, DO
Z sonous serpent or some alternate
IS monster more hideous. Throughout.
1T is a wonderful exhibition Of art show
ing intellect careful study and the J
le describable quality Of genius
Il Heaven be praised. There viii be
= change from Ibsen this evening. az
!, / the public will have a chance 90 81
Is this remarkable woman in anOth
vein. she will appear in Comics
Coquette," new comedy this eveniI
and tomorrow matinee and evening.
y The entire support last evening v'
IN excellent. but no matter now pOwerf
: the others. Nazimova vas always Oh
49, to dominate the scene
~ A wonderful woman. she.