"FEDORA."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 273, 11 August 1908, Page 8

"FEDORA."

THE MEYNELL-GUNN COMPANY,

In the continuity of plays that are presented at tho local playhouse with almost cinematographic rapidity it is rarely tho fortune of theatre-goers to witness tho works of those playwrights whoso genius has placed them far above the pot-boiling melodrama. So it was with no ordinary pleasure that a large audience witnessed a revival last evening at the Opera House of Sardous doep-'toned drama, "Fedora," which has not been produced in New Zealand since Miss Nance O'Neil appeared' as tho Slavonic Princess nearly eigiit years ago. bardou is probably , the most versatile as ho is, the most prolific writer for the stago now living. The majority of colonial play-goers know him only as the writer of sombre tragedies, such as "Fedora," "La Tosca," "Theodora," "Cleopatra," sombre-hued, vig-orously-conceived plays that fascinate by thoir strength of narrative and perfection of construction, that enablo him to plumb; tho depths of human misery without diverging from the possible or tho sensational. Yet Saxdou was the librettist of "The Little Michus," onoiof; dantiest ootaicsoporas of tho decade (which came out of Paris under tho titloof' "te MerveilMses"),,' and. from his pen dripped the fine humour of tho Napoleonic comedy Madame " Sans Gene." But it is for his serious work that he will bo best remembered, and byuoiie more than "Fedora." Flo does not seek'to stagger with fino phrases, nor charm with pretty speeches, nor .scintillate with smart epigram — his language is quite beside the question, though terse and always to' the point. Ho relies on power of vital narrative and his wonderful knowledge of stagecraft to achieve his. ends, and that ho has been successful all the world knows. '

Tho presentation of "Fedora" last evening was a' highly crcditablo one. ' Again Miss Madge M'lntosli, as the Priucess Fedora, rose to dramatic heights that commend her .as a remarkably able and sincere actress. Given such rare talent as she possesses, the rest is purely a matter of personality and footliglit magnetism, and on such grounds comparisons with her predecessors in the role would be odious, though not necessarily to its latest exponent. She realised the Slav woman seeking revenge for her assassinated Vladimir to'the full, dallied with her lovervictim, Loris Ipanoff, with( a subtle naturalness that held the audience firmly, and was quite convincing in those ; hysterically intense scenes where she extracts tho confession from Loris that he killed Vladimir; where Loris explains ,that his reason was Vladimir's perfidy in deceiving his (Loris's) wife whilst engagcd_ to Fedora, and finally in tho nervewracking scene where the results of her blind folly light on the head of a transformed Loris at tho moment of their extremcst happiness, and she ends it all in a cup of poison. Miss M'lntosh's impersonation of Fedora takes rank with her Camille, and both will live in the theatrical memory. Mr. Harcourt Beatty,.'as Loris Ipanoff, was earnest and clear-cut, but there is more than .a suspicion of staginess in his methods that all his obvious sincerity of endeavour cannot obscure, and the histrionic power necessary-to tho moro intense scenes was not altogether realised. Mr. Gaston Mervale as the Comte do Sirioux was perfectly suited, and his work toned up the performance to no inconsiderable degree. Other parts adequately played were Desire (Mr. M'Keown), Boleslas Yalinslti (Mr. Colin Compbell), Gretch (Mr. T. Cannam), and the Countess Olga (Miss Gunn). "Fedora" will be' played again to-night, and to-morrow the season will conclude with a new (costume play by Mr. K. Ferris entitled "A Beggar on Horseback."

. Our happiness is at the mercy of other people—people we live with and work with, and people who tlirusS themselves upon us. And the one thing that wo learn of human joy is that others can take it from us.— Bishop of Kensington, in "Weekly Dispatch." Think of the charming blend of tho distinction of an Englishwoman with the grace and energy of a Frenchwoman. It would make life a paradise. Let us open a new and spiritual Franco-British Exhibition.—"Tatler." Tho most successful Government is that which does the best administrative work and does not waste too much of its timo upon that over-legislation which is one of tho worst vices of modern politics.-*-' 1 Guardian." Tho number of Jewish pensioners under Mr. Asquitb's scheme would not be' very large. Tho natural ability of the Jew to riso in the social scale, and his determined ambition, I would always tend to keep him above the tenshilling limit.—"Jewish Chronicle." Whero is now the political Daniel who on a dozen platforms at the genera] election spoke of tho unification of the British South African States as the one clear object for which he was resolved to do or die?—" Capo Times," Capetown. Tho meeting of a Canadian and an Englishman is the coming together of cousins once removed—across the Atlantic. The} are relations; not near enough to be naturally sympathetic, but near enough to be severely critical of 0110 another.—"Canada." What- shonld have been done was to increase rather '.than decrease the Regulai Army, while cautious efforts to develop Territorial artillery were beinsj made. "As it is, a war, which may come at any moment, will find us unprepared.—"Broad Arrow." Tho most prominent feature of tho history of the North-West Frontier is its sameness. The dates change, and the actors, there are a few minor changes in details of scenory, but tho plot, the sequence of events, tho. central machinery of tho drama remain the same.— ."Englishman," Calcutta,