Life, 1889-01-31 · page 10 of 18
Life — January 31, 1889 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page contains two theatrical cartoons satirizing theatrical performances, labeled "PRESENCE OF MIND" and "MR. MACBETH'S WIFE." **Top cartoons**: Show domestic/romantic theater scenes with exaggerated reactions. The dialogue mocks melodramatic acting, with a male character passionately gesturing while a woman responds with comic dismissal ("chuckle-headed fool"). **Bottom section**: Reviews Mrs. Langtry's performance as Lady Macbeth. The text criticizes her previous reputation as a "sensationalist" while acknowledging her newfound "conscientiousness and willingness to work." The reviewer suggests she successfully portrays Lady Macbeth's "emphatically feminine" qualities, though she avoids traditional masculine theatrical conventions like deep voice and heavy makeup. The piece compares her interpretation favorably to other productions, noting she deserves recognition as a serious dramatic artist, not merely a celebrity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PRESENCE Wuira: OH, REGINALD! MY Love! MY— nald (passionate, but inexperienced): T-T00 LATE, EL- FAREWELL! WITH THIS BLOW I END MY EARTHLY WOES! (Stabs himself. Curtain. VIRA; Tremendous applause.) MR. MACBETH’S WIFE. /, M*®: LANGTRY is really be- coming an actress. Wj We have long regarded her as entirely a sensationalist and a money-seeker, and have there- fore scoffed at her, and reviled her, and lampooned her for de- basing dramatic art. Now that She shows the conscientiousness and the willingness to work which characterize the true artist, ht I) iil i Hi iH i OF MIND. Elvira (sotto voce): YOU CHUCKLE-HEADED FOOL! WHAT DO YOU WANTER DIE OUTSIDE THE CURTAIN FOR? her endeavors deserve and ought to receive recognition. It is too soon to affirm that Mrs. Langtry is a genius, or that she is to be mentioned in the same breath with the great women of the stage. Nevertheless, under Charles Reade’s definition of genius as the capacity for taking infinite pains, her latest production gives her a chance to be numbered among the immortal ones. That fine old bug-a-boo play, ‘‘ Macbeth,” is the channel of her endeavor, and to the portrayal of Lady Macbeth Mrs. Langtry certainly brings a considerable amount of intelli- gence and earnestness of purpose. There is in it much to commend and nothing that offends—which latter is in itself a very important attainment in these days of crude genius in great parts. Hers is emphatically a feminine Lady Macbeth, and the Amazonian qualities which draw from her husband the complimentary remark about her bearing only men children, have no part in her physical rendering of the character. She leaves entirely behind her the traditional deep voice and masculinity of make-up. The public will undoubtedly make a comparison between comicbooks.com