Life — April 14, 1904 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

could give the part a more charming demure- ness or a more womanly archness, The Con- stance Nevitle of Alys Rees was a delight of keen-cut delivery and an excellent example to some of our actresses who slur their lines. Mr, Field’s //ardeas//e was also a model per- formance, but the work of the rest of the cast did not rise above mediocrity. In this day of poverty in play Stoops to Conquer ” furnishes excelle terial for revival, “She F a manager, or an actor, or an actress, is at a loss for some- thing to catch the public, Ibsen immediately suggests himself as the easiest thing in the way of expense and effort. His plays seem to require little of scenery or costume, and as for the acting —why, it isn’t acting at all, All one has to dois to go onand speak —or alter to suit one’s own taste—the ver middle-class language of Scandinavian, That there could be such a thing as atmosphere about an Ibsen play entirely cludes the understanding of those who are readiest to grapple the problems Ibsen propounds. This is probably why * Rosmersholm suggested itself for presentation by the much- promising but ill-fated organization known as “The Century Players." To make this piece possible it must be invested with a more simple and ‘LIFE. romantic and tragic atmosphere than is sug- gested by a lot of catch-as-catch-can scenery thrown together and serving as a background for a variegated assortment of instalment- plan furniture. And the acors to speak Ibsen's lines should be chosen with some regard to the temperamental qualities of the characters rather than with a view to their requirements in the way of salary, ** Rosmers- holm’? is not at best composition, but as recently done at the Princess's Theatre it was calculated to inspire gloom of a very dark shade of black. It wasn't so much that the people who played it were bad actors, but they were, with one exception, not of the kind properly to in- terpret Ibsen, Ibsen's genius has burdens enough to bear of his own creation, He should not be blamed in addition for the incapacity of every manager and actor who presents and inter- prets him in any old way that occurs to them, Metcalfe, a mirth-inspiring Academy of Music. “David Harum.” Laughable dramatic version of the celebrated rural story. Betasco.— itty Bellairs,"" with Hen etta Crosman in title dle. Handsomely stag: love comedy. 367 “The Yankee Consul.” Funny and tuneful comic opera. jer in “The Dictator."* Musical Criterion, William Co! Daly's. comedy. Empire.—Augustus Thomas's" The Other Girl.” “The Prince of Pilsen.” Not noteworthy. Diverting comedy of up-to-date American life, Garden. The Sectet of P able comedy of Fi i American market, Garrick.—" Merely Mary and amusing little p Herald Squ lish musical comedy. Funny. Hudson.—" Ce Kate. english life, Well done. Knickerbocker. herd King.” Lyceum.—Ch y, well acted The Girl from Kay's.” Eng- comedy of t Lorimer in * The Shep- es Hawtrey in "Saucy Sally L yric.—Melodr c version of Frank Norris's “The Pit.” Priv Madison Square Garden.—The Bari Bailey Circus. The sublimation of t Majestic." The Wizatd of Oz." Last year's excellent extravaganza still further elaborated. Manhattan.—“ The V jan, sketches of ranch life in dramatic form. seeing. ¢ but rather intere: ircus id * Owen Wister’s Worth Princess's ¢ African Millionaire. Vaudeville-—George Bernard Shaw's satire on an, Well acted by Arnold Daly and a competent comp: Wallack's.—" The Couaty C can country politics made funny. Ameri- NS AN Cee 1, | 08 0 ow, ys | 9 CR Bip. ty AHO. 4 GannXearMonnidityrnye as tens td oy comicbooks.com