The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

4 THE SAiN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW February 7, 1914 Virginia Brissac Returns From Oriental Trip and Brings Unique Tribute of Japanese Scholar .-j^SSri ftsi« we 0 •«-■>. it N^nK^w «-' S'^-'i'^ a h = e i R-S—*^-'i»*l5i^s l: Btv-»• > •u ^ii \p 2 ^ ,9 « X'irginia Brissac returned from her Australia and Hon- olulu en.Ljas^ement by the steamer that got in Tuesday. In Honolulu Miss Brissac had a ])henomcnally success- ful en^atjement of many weeks. In Australia she made a personal success of lar,a:e proportions. While chatting with this cleverest of our Coast stars, the editor of The Dramatic Review was shown a translation of a series of seven daily criti- cisms passed upon her work hy an Honolulu Japanese l)oy of nineteen. It is quite remarkable and discloses the wide range of study the Jap- anese go in for. It is so un- usual and so interesting that The Dramatic Review has secured permission to repro- duce the series of reviews, using as side pieces two arti- cles written in Japanese. \ IR(il.\IA BRISSAC By Y.\suo Fuwa SSiri ;} a V - ^ ^ B30as Kit l; -H 01;-» 3 •><«S 2-lK» u S 0 V-?-JE V-J -o £ S E If »i-)«:. u £j C> lis .0' S-'E'"'' •" *!T»«r3* •'iei''.5i« -jW»3 *3-5-*S:'* This is xi'hat it looked like before it 7i'a^ translated. fe->S3a-«5i2->t-:.t: r*~ -HK»:2a*c:«3SPt:i?-' <-. A second install- ment of the Japanese epic inspired by Miss Brissac. With the exception of ab- normal arts like the conven- tional dramas (KAIU.'KI) of Japan, the theatrical per- formances of modern times cannot be made either na- tural or effective witlunit the aid of actresses. No matter how polished in his art an actor may be, it is ab.solutely impossible for him to produce a natural feminine voice. To a certain limited extent, a woman's voice may be cleverly imi- tated; but people having their ears very delicately de- veloped will easily perceive an unpleasant masculine (|uality in the speech. Moreover, a woman has peculiar traits and emotion of her own, which cannot be found, and there- fore, cannot be expressed by men. In Kabuki, when an actor dances in harmony with an orchestra, he can do the woman's part very well. But when he conies to the representation of every day life of a woman or to a moment at which a woman's emotion is at its height, an actor is almost helpless. Nora in "A Doll's House" and Magda in "die Heimat" would become women with strong and course emf>tion and temper, instead of delicate women of tender and complicated feelings, if men were to take their ])art. Modern dramas treat very widely of women as their chief characters. Or, if they do not treat them as chief personae, at least, they lay a great importance upon them : thus seeking to reveal the I)ackgr()und of societies, inside view of families, and the changes and vississitudes of animalistic side of men. This fact again necessitates the services of actresses in the modern stages. As early as in the 17th century, women began to take part in theatrical performances equally with men, when Congreve of England first introduced a feminine i)layer into his theatre. Today, a great number of actres.ses in Europe rank higher even than actors in their reputation, such for instance, as Sarah Bernhardt, Mrs. Fisk, Moode Adams, Madam Najomov, Mrs. Campbell etc. In Germany, France, Italy, Russia, or the United States, these players have almost monopolized the fame and popularity, which are world-wide in their scope. The particular one whom the writer intends to consider at present is an actress who has recently produced a consideralile sensation among the theatre-goers of Hawaii-nei. Her name is VIRGINIA BRISSAC. The present writer had seen six programs out of the seven she and her company gave in his home town: all but one, he had seen with an attention of dramatic critics. Although some female singers and dancers that appear in cheap com- edies had occasions to amu.se him. Madam Brissac is the first REAL actress that claimed his attention. The former have never inspired jn him a sense of satisfaction, that they have given him repeatedly was a feeling of despair and contempt towards dwkrfy perfection of American- ism in dramatics. No suggestion was given him,; no hint, no teaching was obtainable from these actresses. Being totally unacquainted with the highly applauded afts of Miss Sumako Matsui (who is said to have been successful as Magda in "die Heimat," Nora in "A Doll's Hou.se," and Ophelia in "Hamlet") the writ- er's observations may become too exaggerating and exciting. But let him say this much that this repeated dissatisfaction with the stage per- formances in Honolulu inevitably caused him to suffice himself, not in seeking for suggestive thoughts but sim])ly in observing carefully the mood or feeling gained through the graceful movements of delicat' muscles of the actresses. Upon the writer's uncultivated mind, Miss Brissac has stamped deep, deep impression. An excellently arranged emphasis in dialogues and monologues, a well fitting transition between difficult monologues and dialogues, an almos liquidlike flow of harmony in moods and feelings, and a superbly rict and delightful melody of her voice; these are the dramatic qualities ol Miss Brissac that still oscillate like a pendulum in my impression of her The substitution of such mediocre plays as "The I'lue Mouse" an "The Virginian" for the much-longed-for "Suppho" and "The Devil' disappointed the writter immeasurably. The presentation of these so called ".Americanistic" plays, however, is due not to the inability of thosi who presented them but to the low tastes of theatregoers of Honoluh town. Whatever may be the case, the fact that "The Sapho" was noi given here is the chief source of my regret. In "The Valentine" given on the first week and "The Virginian" or the second. Miss Brissac displayed her ability to reproduce young girls But from her "girls" we failed to receive a satisfaction. On the othe( hand, it was rumored that her special field was to be found in the heroi of "The Third Degree" which was given on the third week. Anna, as represented by Miss Brissac, is a lovely and quiet womai rather than beautiful and gay. In the rea.soning and thoughtful light o; her eyes, the passionate love for her husband was apparent. On the day following their release from the prison, she sits at th< table to drink coffee and then cleans the table just as an ordinary house wife. Afterwards she approaches the husband who is seated in a chai^ from behind. From the instant she approaches his body, the strong burning flame of passion seems to have been stirred all through Anna's body, who up to this very moment was quiet and thoughtful. Thi< terrible emotion, and its extremely radical change was excellently por trayed. Such an artistic manifestation of the peculiarity of a person, the writer believes, cannot have come from the mere art of motion of hands and feet, but from the expression of the whole body—the expressio of'the deep, fathomless—unsearchable heart of the feminine sex. On the next week was given "The Lion and the Mouse." In the character of Shirey whose role she took upon herself, the writer haa observed the same |)assionate mood—a violent heart of a feminine sex The same impression was received from Marie in "The Thief." The actress seems most free in displaying her fullest ability as the character of middle aged maid or housewife, rather than in the char acter of a young girl; in the character of a lovely and melancholy woman 'vith a violent passion concealed in her bosom rather than a gay and lighted-hearted young lassy. At any rate, the art of Miss Virginia Brissac gave us relief to our thirst for good art. Ever since her arrival here, it has been my sincere desire to see Miss Brissac. This desire had not been fulfiled until the very last day of their performance. Madam Bri.s.sac who is a serious player on the stage, is at the same time a very faithful student of dramatics at home. She even tries to know the nature of the peo))le, their dramatic taste and artistic attain- ment of the place of her ne.xt performance. Even in the short time during which we interchanged our conversations, the seriousness of both Miss Brissac and Mr. Wray in their desire to learn of Japan and the Japan ese was evident. .Although being entirely unacquainted with Miss Matsui, it would be highly absurd for us to make a comparison between this Japanese actress and the American actress, yet .something convinces us that we can safely regard the art of the latter as much superior to that of the former. When in the coming October, Miss Brissac presents such plays as "Die Heimat," ".\ Doll's House" and "The Typhoon" to the play loving Japanese public, the impression that she leaves there would surely be tremendous. The writer is highly gratified over the impression he has received fro this first real actress that has attracted his attention. For his inability to introduce fully well the excellency of the art o Madam Brissac, in spite of his continuous attempt for the pa.st few days, th writer feels deeplv humiliated. Would that this promisive young actress VIRGINIA BRISSAC lift' herself step by step up toward the tower of dramatic art and be the Sarah Bernhardt of the United States. Margaret Ile.s Barbara Lee and ^^.^^j. s^^.j s^,.^,, loe Ihompson, by permission of the „„ . . ^ 1 1 r t brpheum management, played San- "^'^ P^P"^^'' ^^^"'"^ ^^^^ Im .- ta Rosa last Friday and Saturday, ^^Y ^^r Salt Lake to take up tluir and received great ovations for their Orpheum time.