The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-11-24

1t seems safe assertion that APP
pearance Of Mrs. Fiske in any city
Is regarded always as a real the
atrical event.
1t was President Nelson, of Smith
College who, last June when that
institution conferred upon Mrs.
Ffske the honorary degree of Master
of Art, proclaimed her as Americas
foremost actress"
Unusual interest would seem to at
tach to her present tour when she
is playing what she herself believes
TO be her most important undertake
ing before the footlights.
Mrs. Ffske holds one of the bright
chapters in the history of the Amer
lean stage. 1t is her own assertion
that the character Of Mrs. Alving in
Ibsen's drama Ghosts" which she
Is presenting this season, is the most
vital and pretentious of her whole
career. This is significant indeed
coming from this start Of many fine
achievements since her reputed first
stage appearance years ago at Little
L
the play Richard III"
Ghosts" is the fifth of Ibsen's
dramas in which Mrs. Fiske has APP
peared. The others were "A Dolls
House," "Hedda Gabler,' pillars Of
Society" and 'Rosmersholm." Many
are the other roles she has played
and her trfumphs are almost equal
ly numerous. In her record. how
ever. two single achievements are
Tess in Tess OF the d'Urbervilles,"
dramatization OF Lorr1mer Stod-
dard QS90, and Becky in Becky
Sharp" by Langdon Mitchell QS99).
1.-THE Early Days"
In her earlier days as the star,
Minnie Madden. she played in
"Fogg's Ferry" the leading roles on
THE Puritan Maid" The Storm
Child" 1.-THE Child Wife" 1.-The Pro-
fessional Beauty" Lady Jemima,"
and Mia in Queen of the Natchez."
Then came Caprice" I'm Spite Of
ALL" Sardou's Andrea" and "Feath-
erbrain."
She was married in 1890 to Har-
rison Grey Fiske and retired from
the stage, to return four years later.
A list of her performances as Mrs.
Fiske recalls some Of the finest work
the American stage has ever known
and for the most part this list of
discerning. ambitious, highminded
ard painstaking productions made by
the Fishes, constitutes a record that
has seldom been approached in this
country.
1t was in 1870 that Little Minnie
Madden" made her stage debut in
New York at the old Theatre Fran
Gals in "A Sheep in VOLTS Cloth
ing" with Carlot,a Leclercq. Her
talent as a child was too marked to
fail of recognition. During that
early period she played with many
notables of the stage. She sat on
Joseph Jefferson's knee as little
Meenie or the tiny Hendrick. She
basked in the radiance of Mary
Anderson, bravely faced the thunder
of John McCulloughs voice and
dropped off to sleep to the grooming
lullaby of J. X. Emmett.
List of Plays.
A partial list of Mrs. Fiske's por-
trayals may be of interest at the
time of her present visit here. 1t is
as follows:
Hester Crewe," by Harrison Grey
Fiske; 1.-The Queen Of Liars" Dicor-
cons" "Frou-frou" and THE White
Pink" all adapted by Mr.. Fiske; "A
Light From St. Agnes" and mot
Guilty" one-act plays written by
Mrs. Fiske herself; Dumas's La
Femme de Claude" Love Finds the
Way" Little Italy" "A Bit Of Old
Chelsea" "Magda," Miranda OF the
Balcony" THE Unwelcome Mrs.
Hatch" William Winters version of
MARY of Magdala, Lean Kelsch-