The San Francisco call., 1913-09-03
|ANGLIN |, !: IS TRAGEDY 7! Y ;. QUEE:N|
|Greek Theater Will Echo Great Voice|
Star Of "Antigons : L
Offer Role Of Avenging
Electra
BY WALTER ANTHONY

If the epic poem is the final test OF
letters. the symphony In music and
tragic portrayals in acting. ..,,fn
the choice among the really great
actresses OF America must surely fall
on beautiful Margaret Anglin, whose
most effective mode of expression is
in the roles OF the Lady Macbeths and
the Antigones OF the drama. She can
play comedy, as witness her "Green
Stockings" but 1t Is not in the lighter
forms of playing that her fame will
rest with the greatest security.
To those who saw her on the last
June night OF 1910. as the martyr in
Sophocles' .'Antigone," and heard her
marvellous voice echoing the music of
the poem sonorously from the great
stage of the Greek theater in the
Berkeley hills. she Will he recalled.
as long as memory recalls anything,
as the greatest American tragedienne
Of her day, and her impersonation as
the triumph of her triumph. And so
she and her Antigone will remain. un-
less her Electra, which she will dis
close next Saturday night, challenges
the former memory
Assuming, what would be impossi-
BILE to any other. that she will equal
the power and grandeur of her for
mer superb performance. then those
who missed the first should not per-
NIT themselves to miss the second,
for 1t will be an epochal experience
not likely to be repeated In the years
Of the longest life.
Rehearsals are of daily occurrence
on the great stage OF the Greek the
-ater, and indications are that every
material element will conduce to raise
the performance OF Electra" to the
pitch of solemnity and grandeur
which exalted "Antigone.'
Miss Anglin has devoted six months
Of arduous and studious work to the
perfection of her impersonation OF the
daughter of slain Agamemnon.
The version of Electra" to be used
next Saturday night will be that of
Edward Hayes Plumptre, whose trans
lations have been generally conceded
to be the best.
A musical score has been specially
composed for the production in the
Greek theater by William Furst, who
has come from New York to prepare
and rehearse the score. Fifty instru-
mentalists selected from San Fran
cisco musicians will interpret the
music under Furst's direction. An or
chestration that should yield some
thing OF an unusual effect has been
designed In the selection of the play
ers. There will be but few violins
employed. but a preponderance OF
"woodwind" and brass. 1t is hoped by
the composer. will yield an effect
which, though it may not be Greek In
70 NAV cily he ina p-3nRd
Miss Anglin has arranged for the
most effective lighting and scenic
equipment. which will enhance the
grandeur OF the theater to which she
brings her matured and superb art.
Trees and festoons will be seen as
background for the Homeric costumes
of the principals and the chorus. That
the costumery will be accurate is
guaranteed in the circumstance that
they were designed by Livingstone
Platt, artist-archeologist.
The story of the play may not be as
familiar to us as 1t used to be. so the
following will help, perhaps, to re-
mind us of the wonders of Sophocles'
tragedy:
Electra, daughter of the betrayed
and slain King Agamemnon, is left a
victim to her mothers tyranny. She
lives In the hope that her brother will
return to revenge their father, who.
returning from Troy a victor. is killed
by the queen, Clytemnestra, and her
paramour, Aegisthus Orestes does re-
turn and slays his mother and Aegis-
thus.
The scene opens with the return Of
Orestes.
The following cast of characters
will present the somber and noble
play
Electra ........... Margaret Anglin
Attendant. foster father Of Orestes
Fuller Mellish
(restes Observation-Disclosures. Ian Maclaren
Pylades. friend Of orestes Eugene Shakespeare
Chrisothemis, sister to Electra Marjorie Card
Clytemnestra a.. Ruth Holt Boucicaut