Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-12-19
MISS BROWNELL
REACHES ACME IN
ROLE OF CAMILLE
Leading Lady at the Orpheum
Surpasses Herself in Du-
mass Pathetic Play.
PROGRAM Is
PYRAMIDAL PERFECTION
at Other The-
aires Receive Cordial Acclaim
of Appreciative Audiences.

In producing Camille" this week
the Corse Payton Stock Company at
the Orpheum Is reviving a play which
is always anticipated by the theatre
going public, partly because such
names as Bernhardt, Nethersole and
Duse are associated with the title role,
and partly because of the interest that
centres around the life of the unhappy
Lady of the Camelias."
When the younger Dumas wrote the
play he was confronted by the prob
lem of combining in a woman whose
mode of life had ostracized her from
the so-called respectable society those
charms { personality an , intellect that
would attract man and at the same
time gain the affection of her
companions. To portray her MS able
to win and retain the love of the
higher type of man, strong enough to
make q supreme sacrifice for his sake
and yet weak enough to purchase the
Injuries of life al the highest cost,
requires consummate skill. This the
author does and adds a delicate touch
that relieves the play of any sugges-
ton of sordidness.
Candles life as one of the gay set
of Paris, her meeting with Armand
Duval, her sacrifice of a life of ease
for his love and her final remuneration
Of this love at the cost of her happi-
ness and life form the theme Of a five
act drama whose interest is sustained
from the rise to the fall of the curtain.
Miss Mabel Brownell, as Camille,
gives a Characterization that is fault
less in every detail. To the interpreta-
ton Of the unhappy girl h brings an
intelligent understanding, combined
with a sympathy that make her por-
trayal all hat can be desired. Not by
the slightest shading does she deviate
from the sincerity that maker the
character live. For the time being she
is Camille bearing a punishment that
is almost beyond her strength. Her
emotion is real, not forced. and It is
this that makes her work so COM
mendable. In the death scene, when
the boundary between the natural and
the artificial is so easy to overstep, she
is III = mile; the sincerity of her
portrayal is still uppermost. 1t is the
best role for the display of Miss
Brownelps talent that she has yet as
sayed.
Although the other roles of the play
are minor ones by contrast with that
of the central figures they are per
formed In a manner hat gives "A fin
ished air to the production. Clifford
| Stork in the role of Armand Duval is
an earnest lover, and Walter Wilson
as Count de Narville portrays this
difficult role In a way hat shows he
is a valuable acquisition to the Payton
forces.
Special mention should be made of
the work of Miss Sadie Radcliffe as the
ever-hungry, ever-sleepy Madame
Prudence. The other principal parts
are taken by Lee Sterrett, as the faith
err Of Armand Duval. Harry Roche as
CASTOR Rieux, Edward Sloan as Gus
tave, Miss Mable Estell as Ninchette
and Miss Lillian Stuart as Nanine.
Miss Brownell has an opportunity of
displaying beautiful gowns, and the
production is we'll staged.
FIFTY Miles from Boston" will be
next weeks Offering.