The Stage.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 February 1901, Page 404

The Stage.

HE visit of Miss Nance O'Neil and Mr. McKee Rankin to New Zealand must naturally be a source of pleasure to playgoers, for the young American tragedienne has in a few

short years reached a high place in the estimation of American and Australian critics, while Mr. McKee

Rankin's undoubted talent and long ex-

perience have helped to found a reputation known wher-

ever the English language is spoken. Miss O'Neil made her first appearance on the stage in 1894, so in only six years has she risen from the ranks. The

noted Ameri-

can critic, "Allan Dale," penned these words after

seeing the young actress for the first

time in December, 1896 : — " The most interesting point about a not uninteresting performance at the Murray Hill Theatre was the

appearance of an absolutely unknown actress who by sheer innate dramatic value dominated a large audience, and stamped herself indelibly in many memories. Nance O'Neil is the lady's name, of which I had never even heard until I went to see McKee Rankin in ' True to Life.' You are all destined to hear of Miss O'Neil in the future* however, unless I am greatly mistaken, or unless the

young actress misdirects her career. Nance O'Neil is one of those rare young women whose flagrantly feminine personality has the power of swaying men and women without recourse to petty stage tricks. You will be told that Miss O'Neil is still untutored. I say let her thank her lucky stars that she is so, and let her remain so. To be tutored means to be mistress of all the hideous-

ly stupid'business ' that is rapidly opening up the stage to ridicule. Nobody would call Miss O'Neil untutored if she mopped

tears from her forehead, ran her fingers through her hair to express emotion* gurgled throatly every time she felt tearful, and walked up and down like a tigress. Prom such an education let her hold herself aloof, and, in the meantime before she is tempted, go and see her in her adoi'ably untutored condition. Who knows if you may get the chance six months from now ?"'

Miss O'Neil was born in San Francisco, California, not very many years ago, and when it is considered that only six years have elapsed since her debut, her advance must be considered rather wonderful. Her repertoire for the Australasian tour comprised the following plays :— " Magda," " Oamille," " La Tosca," " Eedora," " Elizabeth, Queen of England," "The Jewess," " Hedda Gabbler," " Peg Woffington," " The School for Scandal," " Ingomar," " Oliver Twist," " The Scarlet Letter," " Guy Mannering," and "Macbeth." We have seen her in Auckland in many of these plays, and there, as well as in Melbourne and Sydney, the clever young actress has been the recipient of unstinted praise. Of her performance in

thejtitle role of Hermann Sudermann's " Madga " one critic has written : — "It would be hardly correct to credit Sudermann in this work with having constructed a problem play. He is occupied, not so much in setting a problem, as in stating facts with pitiless sternness. The unappeasable conflict between Magda and her father is an awful fact ; the author is not committed to unreserved approval of the standpoint of either. Only, if the disdainful individualism of the one comes into contact with the rigid deeprooted conventionalism of the other, pitiable consequences must ensue. ' Wind-beaten, but ascending.' It is part of Magda's arrogant assumption that she has ascended, to a liberty — a moral lawlessness, in fact — infinitely superior to the code which fettered her in the stifling atmosphere of home. To achieve anything great one must sin (such is her cynic creed), and she has both been sinned against bitterly, and has sinned herself. ' [ might have risen, too,' says the young parson, sadly, 'if joy had entered into my life.' ' And one thing more, my friend — sin,' ejaculates Magda, bitingly. 'To become greater than our sins is worth all the purity you preach." There is outlined the perilous pinnacle on which the woman thinks she has sure foothold. Driven twelve years ago from the paternal roof by the martinet severity of old Colonel Schwartze, she has taken her life between her two hands to do with it what she will. Why should she blush ? She has ached and hungered. By the strength of her own will she has conquered want and misery, carved out a career, and now stands the recipient of homage and adulation as the most famous operatic singer in Europe. With that strange blaze upon her, she recrosses the thi'eshold of the humdrum German home, where the atmosphere breathed is ' tobacco, lavender, and cough-mixture.' She comes intending but to see, to patronise affectionately, and to disappear again. The old

soldier, stricken almost to death by her desertion, will receive his daughter with tremulous joy, but he must know something more of the splendid vision — something Magda will not tell. Has she remained pure in mind and body ? ' I have remained true to myself,' and the clamant force with which Miss O'Neil speaks the line is at once an admission and a resolute self-vindication." Of her Camille another writer has penned this : —

"The Camille of the early part of the drama — the gay, frivolous butterfly, whose better nature has never been sounded, and who appears to be a soulless slave of

pleasure, deadened to all sense of ennobling love or tender affection — was represented by Miss O'Neil with exquisite art. In the midst of her folly, Camille cannot understand the genuine unselfish devotion of Armaud Duval, who is not one of the fashionable roue's usually in her train. The pure, honourable love, proffered with such extraordinary sincerity, surprises and bewilders her, for she has never known, in the course of her wild

career, what true affection was. Then she falls under the spell of the novel emotion, and absorbs herself in it with an ecstacy and intensity characteristic

of a passionate nature. She is ready to give up her whole life at the dictates of love. In these scenes Miss O'Neil elaborated with fine power of contrast the gradual birth of a new experience to thu plaything of fashion, ami she awakened the deepest sympathy in depicting the whole-hearted gniti-

tude of the favourite of the foyer iv the calm, peaceful country life in which she finds so much charm. It is in the third act, where common sense— in the person of Monsieur Duval, senior — interrupts the course of true love, that the representative of Camille is culled upon to show her finest mettle ; and we have probably never seen the grief of the woman so pitiably accentuated as it is by Miss O'Neil. Armaud is her whole life; to take him from her is to crush out every hope. But she cannot resist the appeal of IJnval pero to spare his son a mesalliance- that will bring disgrace upon an honourable family. The very love

she bears Armand impels her to sacrifice herself to save his career, and, terrible as is the anguish of the separation, she does her duty with a noble fortitude. This scene of overwhelming despair might, by the slightest slip, have fallen from pathos to bathos, for the extremity of grief is apt to become wild hysterics. But Miss O'Neil preserved a high tone, and when the curtain fell upon her pathetic renunciation, the applause was not subdued until she had answered several recalls. In the ballroom scene, and again in Canaille's sad death, the actress played •with remarkable feeling."

Miss O'Neil's Fedora, her Floria Tosca, her Lady Teazle, her Peg Woffington, were alj admired greatly during her Auckland season, and there is little doubt that the same sincere appreciation will follow her through the colony.

Not much opportunity was given to Auckland of seeing Mr. McKee Rankin, whose single appearance was as Colonel Schwartze in " Magda." But in that part his art was true. Many people hoped to

see him play Sir Peter Teazle, but that pleasure was denied. As Magda's loving, stern, and narrow-minded father Mr. McKee Rankin made a great impression, and his performance will never be forgotten.

Miss Fitzinaurice Grill, Mrs. Henry Bracey and Miss Ricca Allen, whose portraits appear in this number, gave Miss O'Neil valuable assistance in the various plays produced in Auckland.

Mr. Thomas Kingston as the Pastor in "Madga," Essex in "Elizabeth," Scarpia in "La Tosca," Armaud in " Canaille," aud Sir Charles Pomander in " Peg Woffiugton," created a most favourable impression. We liked him best in his tempestuous mood. In the throne room scene in " Queen Elizabeth," and in the ball room scene in " Canaille " he showed fine histrionic power.

More than the usual interest will be felt

by New Zealanders in Mr. Henry Plinuuor's career, for he hails from Wellington. His best characters, so far as wo have .seen him, wore Counsellor Von Keller in "Mngda," and Assessor Brack in " Hedda Gablor." In both parts Mr. Plimmor showed that ho*has considerable ability, and he would certainly seem to have a bright future beforojhim.

After the New Zealand tom-h as concluded Miss Nance O'Neil will probably journey to England, visiting South Africa on the way. The desire to play in London is a natural one, and it is safe to prophecy that the reception the handsome and talented actress will meet with there will be a brilliant one.