New-York tribune., 1912-02-14
MATINEE FRANCHISE
PiIar-Morin, Beverly Sltgreaves
and lose Ruben at the
Hudson Theatre.

New York cannot fairly be accused OF
having no audience for those dramatic per-
formances which attempt something better
artistically speaking than the usual run Oh
plays which are frankly prepared to meet
the taste of the rank and file. There Is
an audience anxious to develop the suotler'
finer more imaginative programme-ih
other words, the programme which is Gre
ative enough in itself to excite further
creation in the imaginations OF those who
look on.
That such an audience exists in this city,
and exists in goodly numbers, was evident
at the matinee given under the manage
ment OF Beverly Sitgreaves yesterday at
the Hudson Theatre. The first and, In tact'
the chief feature of the programme Oh
French dramatic works was a revival by
Nine. Piar-Morin and her American COM
pany of scenes from "LEnfant Prologue
a silent drama by Michel Carre. Pillar
NORM has offered this pantomime to New
York before, once in September, 1910, and
also fifteen years before that time. There
is as she said herself In response to deter
mined applause at the end, increasing ap-
probation in America for this fine, clean
cut art of pantomime, in which Nine.
Pilar-Morin, as Pierrot, jr., in Il Enfant
Prologue" has particular charm. The
scene wherein Pierrot converses with fly
which is pleading with him for its life. was
as whimsical as though the player had
fn he
Eugene Bernstein played the accompanying
descriptive music OF Andre Wormser with
great skill.
Francois Coppee's romantic Florentine
drama. lie Passant," was given by MISS
Beverly Stgreaves and NJ. Jose Ruben
Neither OF the two actors realized the
poetry and the romance Of the piece, nor
did the provlder OF the scenery seem TO
have understood that the play was sup
nosed 70 be Renaissance Florentine. The
villa Of Sylvia, the courtesan, which was
described in the play as ''out In the hills
near Florence" might have been built for
"The Heart of Maryland" so little did It
resemble a Florentine villa of any date
while the backdrop used looked quite IKE
a representation of the Magasins du
Louvre in Paris, surrounded by trees and
modern electric lights. Moreover, the cos
tunes of the two players were at glaring
odds with each other in their colors. These
facts were as disappointing as the acting
which resolved itself into little more than
recitation. Miss Sitgreaves seemed wholly
unaware of the character she was supposed
IN portray and suggested a talkative, ner-
vous and quite commonplace French woman
unburdening her mind of series of domes-
tic troubles, rather than a languorous
Young Italian beauty who had, for the first
time in her wonderful life of love, really
fallen I'm love and wss trying to struggle
against the power II was gaining over her.
Miss sitgreaves pressed into service long
white scarf, which she wore over her head
and shoulders, and tried to make IL do all
the acting. In its limp. inanimate way 1t
refused and so passion died In Its folds.
Nine. Pilar-Morin's recitation. "The Ac-
tress." by Lawrence Sterner, was splendid
b,t Of varied Characterization and won for
this sincere and clever artist another round
Of we'll earned applause
" Paul Dufaut and Miss Marie GUIDE
sang French songs. NJ Ruben recited
..F,nrage" and Miss Sitgreaves gave impress
s,ons OF Sarah Bernhard and Eleanora
Duse. These impressions, although done
more skilfuly than the acting Of Sylvia in
"Ie PEASANT" nevertheless failed TO re-
convey any very definite impression Of the
two great Continental actresses.
Resides the patrons and patronesses OF
,ho,e eryair among whom were Mrs. j. Pier
mont Morgan, Miss Anne Morgan. Mrs.
William osgood Field, Miss Elizabeth Mar
hurry. Mrs. Ben All Haggin, Princess Amelie
rrorhetzkoy, Mrs. Benjamin Guinness.
Nine Lillian Nordica, Mrs. e. II. Gary
and Mrs. Payne Whitney, number OF
nrom,nent ~ players. some Of whom are now
r. New York in the various theatres. were
nresent Among these were Lewis Waller.
Ferdinand Gottschalk Ben Greet, Edith
Wvnne Matthison and Frau Marie Won
Riilow and Susanne Herzog. OF the Sunni