New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-17
THE DRAMA
Nine. SImone's First Appearance
in America.

The celebrity Of Mime. Simone crossed the
Atlantic some years ago. The actress her
self crossed a month ago, and last night at
Laly's Theatre she made her first public
appearance I'm these United States. speak
ing here. as she had in London. not I'm her
native French, but in the English language.
The play of the occasion was, naturally
enough. The Thief" Naturally enough
because Henri Bernstein. It's author, was
her discoverer. At any rate, so the legend
runs. And in the character OF Marie Louise
Noysin she made in Paris one Of her most
distinguished successes. II not her principal
success. Simone made Bernstein. and Bern
stein Simone they say. or II Is said for
them. And in Paris Mime. Smone has
played the leading parts in all the Bern
stein dramas
She comes to New York proclaimed as "a
great actress" as the logical successor 10
Sarah Bernhardt." as IAN artist who has
never played a minor role Whether or
not the first claim stands on the solid
earth more than the performance Of one
role. however difficult that role may be,
viii disclose. The prophecy NAV be left
sdlfiA TOT ilIllt To lFdl WILL Anu d ApA
minor" roles. we'll they might have con-
tributed much TO the artists skill ana
powers.
New York knows THE Thief and so
this powerful play needs no description at
this time. But New York does not know
Nine. Simonc and when IL does know her
a shade OF disappointment may lower upon
its house of expectation. New York has
seen "The Thief" played better than 1t
was last night in all it's parts save one. the
part which sydney Herbert now plays
again.
Nine. Simone is a clever woman, but her
gift for conveying across the footLights any
great depth or powerful surging Of emo
tons seemed in last nights performance
20 be more limited than a sympathetic
audience had been led 10 suppose. Making
every allowance for the difficulties Of act
ing in a foreign language and that Ian
suage the exceedingly difficult one which
is spoken, with differences. in these lati-
tudes and longitudes. it must still he said
that Mime. Simonc left her audience some
what cold She seemed always 10 be act
irS rather than living Marie Louise Noy-
sin And there were but few moments in
which sho appeared unconscious Of the
veU-disposed public in the front of the
house. She watched the spectators almost
2 much as thev watched her. IN the con-
fassion scene after she rises from her first
collapse. she gave her confession 20 the
audience and not to her husband. She
scarcely noticed him then. but stood fac
INK the house, rectinS her griefs to
the multitude there That is practice not
so uncommon on the French stage a. our
native throngs fondy suppose. But It is
not q pleasing practice. and even among
the tolerant audiences Of America IL has
few defenders.
Nine Smone's voice ia thin. her face less
expressive less mobile, than is the case
with most actresses Of emotional parts,
and in scenes Of. alurement and strong
feeling she does not deeply impress-at
least, last night she did not impress as
deeply as she must have wished. She has
all the arts OF the theatrical calling, with
out supreme art; she has all the mechan-
ism Of stage playing without, so far as
last night gave proof, a constantly ex-
pressive gift Of spontanety. But she has
one power rare indeed among emotional"
actresses, French, English or American
tho power of repression. She is not noisy.
she does not rave, she does not tear
the air. There We're, however. two or
three instants OF abandonment. when she
seemed 10 be more the defeated vixen than
the penitent and appalled, lady. But on
the whole her faculty for selection and re-
preston WAS We'll exercised. Without
doubt. she would have gained much had
she PLAYED in French. She would have been
understood quite AS Well Although New
York has now the opportunity to see the
actress who created the principal part
n The Thief" Il will not find that any
new light is thrown upon tho character.
and it. may not find its feelings touched
more tremulously or with subtler art than
other actresses Of home growth and train
ing, and perhaps Of less rcno~n. have
touched and stirred them. \, W.
CAST OF THE THIEF"
Richard Voysin f........-.... ...-. Edwin Arden