New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-12
bella DONNA -"
Nazimova an Oriental Mrs.
ChepStoW in HiChens's. Story.
HAS DECORATIVE INTEREST
Isaacson Well Done by Charles
Bryant-Atmosphere of Book
Preserved in Play.

been the cause Of so much comment in
this adopted land Of hers. In fact,
Robert Hichenss Egyptian story, with it's
unbelievable Mrs. Chepstow, gives Nazim-
ova a much better chance than usual to
indulge in the passionate exoticism that
comes very easily 10 her.
In no way, OF course, did the Russian
actress convey the idea of an English
woman. She speaks always with less ac-
cent, but even If she spoke with none her
tone Of voice could never be Anglo-SaXon.
Not that there are any regrets on that
score. Neither her appearance nor her
manner made any apparent effort to be
English. AS for the tall. blonde, angular
beauty of the London drawing room, such
as Mrs Chepstow is described, she was
discarded altogether and played in an
Oriental key by this clever woman. who
knows quite we'll what she can do and
what she cannot.
The play has a dull excitement suitable
10 a poison theme. The character OF Mrs
Marchmont is dragged in at the begin
ming TO gossip with DIR. Isaacson about
Mrs. Chepstow and her designs upon Nigel
Armine. AS soon as the atmosphere Is
sufficiently charged, the door opens and
Mrs. Chepstow stands in its frame. The
poison note is struck like a boom on
musical bass drum. Pale, red Tipped
with eyes yelled behind a mystery or
world WEAKNESS, she comes in with UNI
certain step.
She has come to consult the doctor
about her health. Is she i'll? No, she is
unhappy. Surely unhappiness is a phys!-
cal complaint for which one can take
medicine. why does the doctor talk to
her Of soul and OF maladies Of the mind
that 10 doctor can cure? Who believes in
the soul in these days? Dear knows, that
idea is out OF date. Dr. Meyer Isaacson,
a widely successful Jewish doctor, re-
vcals himself to be n serious friend or
Nigel Armine, with whom gossip is be
ginning to link Mrs. ClIepstow's name
Isaacson takes IT upon himself to try to
dlssuade Mrs. Chepstow from going 70
Egypt. as she plans. Armine Is gong
there TO carry on his work Of retaining
Egypt from the desert
Then Nigel comes in and betrays be-
fore the doctor his infatuation for the
notorious woman whose name has been
banded about i'm London these many
years. Before the act is over he enthu-
slastically hings aside Isaacson's warn
iugs and announces his coming marriage
to Mrs. Chepstow and their departure the
next day together for Egypt
The three acts that follow are LAID
along the banks OF the Nile. Mrs Chep-
stow. now Mrs. Armlne, has evidently
responded charmingly to some new IN
fuence IN her life As represented by
Nine. Nazlmova she seems about twenty
years younger. She is dressed-but that
is the wrong word. Nazimova never
dresses" She decorates herself. She
designs an individual, and then merges
herself into the design. This time she
has designed an Egyptian hierogIyph'
humanlzed it and portrayed 1t. Her hair
Is squared off around the neck, angled
over her ears and bound around the FORE
head with a band of rubles. Her body Is
sheathed I'm a dull cloth OF gold stuff that
IL shot with a curious design In green
One shoulder IS left partly bare.
In this sinuous costume she receives her
rgyptian lover For she has lost no time
i'm coillng herself about Barondi, the
Egyptian merchant prince with him she
plots the trip UP the Nile in the dahaoee-
yah I,oulia, and the slow poison of her
husband.
The scenes foIlowing-those laid aboard
the L,oulia and outside the villa An
droud-are both full OF the Hichens love
NJ Southern poetry and romance. The
voices Of the Egyptian boatmen singing
their everlasting song to Allah, the iumi-
nous hue Nile and the plumed palm trees
in the background figure in both scenes
and carry that atmosphere that Is sup
nosed 10 drive the one who goes there
N do all sorts Of rash and romantic
things.
The poison plot fails, as 1t does in the
hook, Or. Isaacson. seeming danger to
his friend. comes from London 10 his res
cue lust in time, pulls him away from
the deadly diet Of lead poison that has
boon doled out with daily patience by Ills
attentive wife, and finally reveals to the
doting husband certain truths about his
strange wife.
The scene III Which, AlAt WIZ e'Ni'''NS 49,
guilt laughs her defiance and turns to
her Rarondl, whom she has summoned
only TO be repulsed by him and turned
adrift TO fight the world again, forms the
last one in the play. The woman goes
out. gold shod, clad in cold, with scarf
Of black and gold about her shoulders
and band with a plume in 1t about her
hair.
why speak of Nazimova's acting?
Every one knows 1t. II has not changed.
She is herself always now. When she
frat came here she was different in each
Of her parts. But since then she has
played her personality only. Who can
blame her? She is quite unique, and she
feeIs that she holds her audiences here
with that personality, shrouded as it Is
with romance. She pervades the play
with excitement. Beyond that she is or
decorative interest only, but of such
piouant decorative interest that she
more than satisfies with that alone.
Charles Bryant formed Nazimova's only
adeouate support. AS Doctor Isaacson he
played with serious directness and author
ity. He. however, failed to suggest the
Jew as much as Nazimova failed to sug-
gest the Anglo-Saxon
The dramatization made by James Ber-
nard Pagan was as well done as can be
hoped for in the turning Of an unsatisfac-
tory book into an adequate play
CAST OF BELLA DONNA"
mr. Mover Isaacson. .........u.. Charles Bryant
1,ba Hon Nigel Arnine ....... Frank Gilmore
Hiabrnnud Baroudl. ........... Robert Whitworth
'i -, -......... -. Edward Fielding