Life, 1888-02-09 · page 11 of 16
Life — February 9, 1888 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Content Analysis This Life magazine page (p. 81) contains theater criticism and light satirical humor pieces typical of the era. The main article praises actress **Madame Modjeska**, a celebrated Polish-American performer, for her repertory season featuring Shakespeare plays and *Camille*. The critic expresses relief that Modjeska's talent can elevate even the "depressing" melodrama *Camille*—repeatedly wishing the titular character would stay dead rather than be revived in inferior productions. The lower section contains brief satirical quips: one mocks **Joseph Chamberlain** (British statesman) for not waltzing, implying he's therefore unfit to settle fishery disputes; another jokes about a Argentine railroad with sleeping cars, claiming the idea originated in Philadelphia. The illustration depicts a domestic scene where young **Marjorie** shows her doll to **Mr. Goodform** while worrying her brother Bobby will replace her in his affections—gentle humor about childhood jealousy and social anxiety.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
* LIFE~ N\ME. MODJESKA is with us again, with a well chosen company of art- ists and an attractive selection of plays from her repertoire. ‘Ca- mille,” “ As You Like It,” “Dona Diana” and “ Cymbeline” were the attractions last week, which was a red-letter week in the annals of Shakespearean revival. It is not often that the theatre-going public are offered an opportunity of choos- ing between three of Shakespeare’s most charming efforts; and that Madame Modjeska and Mr. Daly have seen fit to produce “ Cymbe- line,” “As You Like It,” and “A HE WASN’T GOING FEAGHER. T five-thirty old Mrs, Meagher, Got into the M. E. Eagher, Eagher. One of Wall Street's éli Rose and gave her his site, Which she took with a grateful teagher-teagher. M.N., Jr. OSEPH CHAMBERLAIN cannot waltz, says an ex- change. That settles it. Joseph is not the man to settle the fishery dispute. “cc EID the Anser in the stars,” is a new ver- sion of the popular song as applied to the editor ot the Trzbune in his tall tower. STREET railroad in the Argentine Republic runs sleeping-cars over its route. The idea, it is believed, orig- - inated in Philadelphia. HE more heated the dis- cussion between friends the 81 Midsummer Night's Dream,” shows that the intelligence of the public is not underrated by them, at least. Modjeska's popularity is assuredly attested by her abil- ity to draw a house full of intellectual people in so un- pleasant and threadbare a drama as “Camille.” We are distinctly tired of this depressing exhibition of weak- kneed virtue and heart-rending suffering, and frequently indulge the hope, after seeing Camille die, that she will stay dead through all eternity. It is time Camdlle was buried, and yet the indescribable charm of the talented actress at the Fourteenth Street Theatre cannot but inspire the audience with sufficient sympathy for the unfortunate Camille to hope that this one, at least, will rise again from the dead and go into better business—such as may be found in “The Chouans” and in Rosalind’s top-boots. Marjorie: WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MY NEW DOLL, MR. GOODFORM ? Mr. G.: CERTAINLY, I WOULD, Marjorie (reflectively): YM AFRAID BOBBY WILL TAKE MY PLACE. SISTER, WILL. YOU COME cooler their subsequent relations. aNp KEEP THIS PLACE FOR ME WHILE I AM GONE. comicbooks.com