New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-19
MRS. MNARON AT TIE ACADEMY or
MUSIC.

IL il ever unpes ant tack TO record the faare az
determined attempt to achieve the object Of sods-
Die smbtoa 1t is particularly unpleasant thing TO
90 wien the aspifani is q woman, and one She has
evidently spared no time study To qualify hsrsef for
high pcsiiion 10 honorable profession But ~Aen,
as in the case Of Mrs. McMahou, it is ~ uomisaksbly
evident that the time has been wasted and the study
thrown away, il IS an act OF justice TO that profession,
snd Of true kindness TO the heT.e TO state tho
bitter truth in the p'ainest terms consistent With
journalistic courtesy.
Mrs Dennis McMshcp, the new and Determined
claimant of dramatic aures is resident Of this city,
and although novice, has known the ioothghs BE-
fore her appearance in Nes.YorS. She lately sp-
pesred in Buffalo where her success wss by No means
commensurate with her expectations and she declared
herself grossly abused by the comments OF the
Buffalo press upon her performances. Do Saturday
night she sppeartd at the Academy OF Music as Juhet,
before critical aucence though many were her per-
sors 'iier6s and al, venture to say. were most
kindly and avoraby disposed toFari her and anxious
10 see her ssccCcd. ~ much had been said IN tho
nswrpsr.rs thst curiosity was at It's blight, and the
ctclsms Of the Western press had been 80 unusually
aSd. as it seemed, unnecessarily savage, that Ms.
McMshon was regarded by very many as persecuted
Individual. The general feeling was therefore
strongly in her favor and the public was moro
than ordinarily disposed to excuse the faults
Of mere iueIperience and instantly recognize and sP-
plaud any spark Of genius, indications Of talent
The house was well filed, and this the prev aihrg
state of feeling when the curtain went up. Juhe, ap
pears IN the third scene She instantly greeted
with proorged and hearty applause Mrs. hchshen
is middle sged Of medium hight, with a couatenaneo
intelligent though not beautiful, ard with meet self
possessed and confident manner. In no way abashed
BY her novel situation she received the pauts OF the
crowd without the slightest appearance Of tremulons-
ness or stage fright. When the clamor was stilsd,
the scene proceeded Juliet has but twelve haze in
the whole first act; those twelve were dozen ITO
many for Mr.. Mcmahon. and quite suffieed 10 kil
any undue enthusiasm of her admiring friends. The
curtain came coldly and silently down, the feeble at,
tempts at spplaue being summary crushed out by an
indignant hiss In the second act occurs the balcony
scene which good es Of the ability Of the sste.s,
ard which, in this case, was amply satntyng en- that
point. Any lingering hope for her success which may
have been cherished by her anxious friends here took
ts flight and the faces Of the audience, less than
their whispers and their hslfsuppressed smles, told
the verdict of the house. And yet this not her
worst; the balcony was not so bad rs the great
speech over the poson-via half 40 funny a. the
death agon.s She went on from bad TO ~ase until
che attained climax of Pitiable bahos which sellsd
bur,ts of immoderate laughter from the many bet
which put the few true lovers Of Shakespeare 20
untold torures
Mr.. Mcmahon had a fair tial before most lenient
Judges, and failed: utterly merably, hopeleesly
failed. We cannot, conscienhously, give the lady
single encouraging word II is not that her elocuticn
is STACEY and unnatural it Is not that her ges.nres
have an artificial and uBgracefl sameness u is nct
that che exhibits the common tendency Of al youag
actors to rant that we express decided opinion,
for tn, Sc faults could be overcome by experience and
good instruction; but we cannot discover in her read
ing Of Juliet ordinary appreciation Of the points
of the character mu,h less any scn,iation Of genius,
or the presence of any talent which study might de-
yelope into hopsfuness. We are 10th 70 think that
Mrs Mcmahon ia alone responsible for this humlistng
exhibition Of her,elf but wliog 10 believe that il
ia owing in part at esst to the advice Of Interested
teachers or ipudicous lends. II the former, shey
should not fail to have at the hands Of the prose and
the public the reprooaton they deserve; the latter
probably received their sufficient punishment 10 wit
Messing the scenes on Saturday night Mrs. Mcmahon
seemed unconscious that after the second act her Iago
efforts were openly laughed ct and rdicued by four
fnbs Of the entire audience, but took the joer and
ibes in good eane,t and set il all down as genuine
applause. This was perhaps the most ptabIe thing
Of all. When the curtain came down upon the last
act not satisfied with what she had already done, she
appeared and made the following speech which was
frequently interrupted by ronical applause and re-
marks:
81 AIDES AND GESTLENES: cannot express 10 words
my gratitude TOR the uDequiyoca kindness EXTENDED TO
me this evening. The hearty Applause bestowed upon
ny Efforts tonight rich recOmpeDse for the annoy
spoe lately suffered at small city 10 the western
part Of this State To say that | thank yoa for your
reception Of me- lie but feeble attempt my part I,
expr.s - nv fe. ings. h4,ier myssf thst have to-
night succeeded. | do not profess 10 be a hnshed
artist bot do profess to understand my ant IL not
sufficient for the making Of great actress % merely
commit b. memory a certain lumber OF worcs-talent
il required. IL IL not merely to commit woroe 70
memory, utto di,,eet them. What want now 70 eI-
perieuce before the lights Ladies and gentleE'eo
love the stage fhs tercefof;h adopt u a. my pro.
feesion. II is ia my OpiBi the greatest oil Afr AMI
il is the only one LETT 10 which woman may scheve
fame It 10 no easy matter ~ leave home and all tha
ia dear 10 adopt the Drama Dot aspire 70 be Amexi.
ca't bright tyseedierne | am bat beginner nos And
| rrnst ssk for your indulgence AZ woman l now
about the stage. Al ire professions are open 10 q
uar-Le may choose Las Medicine, or what he
peaes; but IN my opinion the Drama Is the only neid
left for a woman. Ladies and gentlemen, can say
hut little more-I can only tn nk you. have en-
gagged tie Chambers Street Theser for one month, a.
NV own expense, and | hope 10 sse you all there j
lave cole ted a mOst excellent company, win Sw
exceptions. Ladies and gentlemen, i Ga loka9 %
me. IhoIe however, that w. shall so0n meet AGAIN.
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RAILROAD AccIDrSr-EITRAoRDisART EscAPL.--
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