Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-09-08
Raehers Debut on New York stage.

The rain, last evening, was not copions enough
to quench the curiosity OF our theaiIe-going pub
lie to see and hear the great ltggedieans, whose
fame has resounded through Europe during the
last seventeen years, and has been re-echoed
in this country by the thousands Of Americans who
have visited Paris. The Metropolitan Theatre
very large Housewives about two thirds full, but
the number of ladies among the audience was
unusually dISprOpOrllOnatr, and lew Seemed 10
have confidence enough in their know ledge Of the
French language TO dispense with the AID of books
OF the play. The comedy, Les DrOits de FffoHr-
me; with " hich the performances began was not
generally understood, for no books Of it were to
be had, Yetthe graceful and piquaHt action Of the
players WAS partially appreciated, and at the close
they were hOnoted with by a call before the cur
tain. Occasionally, too, duIing the progress Of
the piece, when the few familiar with spoken
French laughed at some stroke Of wit or hum0r,
the many joined IN the laughter, for cachinuatiOn
is contagious.
When the tragedy began, the majority of the
audience manifested sense OF relief, for hele
they had the books To IntcIpTet oIlhen, aud they
could form some Idle Of Tie appropriateness Of thu.
action TO the sentiment, and of the scenery aud
costumes To the time aud place of The plot. It
was 10 be regretted, however, that the audience
had MT studied their books befUre they went 10
the theatre, since The rnStliEg OF thousand leaves
turned over at the end ofeVeTy page was extrene-
ly tiiSagre cable, and reminded one more oil an ex.
animation al public school than OF the debut Of
dramatic artistic al place ofamuSement. Doubt
less, those few who remembered the uSageS at the
Theatre FrancaIS were also shocked by tue intro
duction of All orchestra.
Les HOrGees, the tragedy which M'lIe Rachel
selected for her debut here, is OF the most for
NAL and severely 'clasic' OF Comedies works. in
which the passions OF love, feat anger and hatred
are all expressed inmeaSnEed. rhyming lines, hat
ale feeble aud noMotonOuS 10 ears accustomed 10
LHOre natural aud vigorous language Of the great
English dTamatiSts. The plot Is taken from the
weil-knownlegemfo the HOratii aud the Curintii;
the IhTee Roman nnd three Aiban brothers Who
fought to decide whether Rome lba should be
mistress, Camille (M'le RacLeD is the sister Of
HOratii, and tile betrothed oil QUE of the CuEatii
and the chief interest of the play centres in her
struggle between the conteuling emotions Of al
lection for her brothers aud lcve for CaIiatuS.-
When she learns that thu thee CuIiaii arc slain,
AMI that one OF her brothers survives as the VICTOR
she fIEst swOons, then awakenS 10 revenge, and SO
violently curses Rome ard approaches her brother,
that he kills her.
This plot is so simple that it may be seen through
at glance, and Nav York audience can appre-
clate quite as keenly the PsriSanS, the brief
scenes in which Mile Rachel IS conspicuous. Her
Camille is, indeed, n grent piece Of acting, which
scarcely needs language TO explain it. Her atVi-
,udes, the varied and intense expression Of her
face, the CLEAN of her eloquent eyes, the powerful
and sympathetic tones of her voice, exercise un
Irresistible influence, and it is impossible 10 repreSs
exCatnatiOnS of enthusiasm. II is woude riuI how
much force her gemimS gives to the plnttudes Of
CnrnelIe, and one cannot help regIelling that The
accident Of birth aud country lad not assigned 10
her the nobler task OF interpreting Shu kspears
The success Oflast evening gave reason 10 hope
that the predictions OF failure, which were ut
tered perhaps III no nnirienlly spiit to n. Felix's
enterprise will not lie verified. Mile Rachel is
one OF the great artistes who appear only AT inter
walls OF Iie-time, aud it will be surprising, in
deed, If the intellectual and refined in all the large
cities which she will visit in America do not throng
to See her perfOrmnnces.-M. " Com. dido.