New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-07-26
TIE DgaaIA.

n was nearly ~ O'Clock on Monday evening when
o G; representation Of The Ice witch" closed at the
Olympic heaters yet the larger number OF the large audience
conegated witness it remained their seats until the AL
Of tie curtain. On the part of the spectators this was no com
patient endurance which IS to be
Godke For the Witch no, ghstandng
scenery Is alhcr rying work Dating very Ear back in The
history Of Norway il golyes tte loyestory interview
ing with impartial lpcoree,aess. SHEDS Of Scandinavian
mythology and historic associations OF remote and lu
doroas period Its acton proceeds partly amid the icebes
Of tie Polar and partly 10 and around Norwegian castles
10 characters are the hand. goddeses gobns. and
syphs and the other hand gentry and seTvtOrs Of
ceedngy far off Norway tie story oycted Of all eKraneous
material Is briefly. this There "Ses-king Harold
BY name s e Norwegian boroe that ser We heard oil are
sea ngs and named Harold) who had pghed his faith
to U The daughter OF Ssao and had thereupon gone to
SEES and been wrecked In tho region OF the North Pole lie
makes his first appearance uno0mmony gorgeous ament
and with carefully shaven chin walking about anoBg the
icebiocksLmself aud one follower Magyar, Snoro being the
sole survivors VI the wreck Under these circumstance
DC presently aecos;ed by Drnda the "Icewitch" who
tsaders him heF bore affections lie accepts the love OF the
goddess-as nj Hover Maenus SdorO also does that Of
another mnoi Hsela and the strnghiwsy
ported 10 Vaih not the Valhaa which Lok plotted the
destruction c Ter bat vsuala IN which the queen
large red CHAR anf Ans her ofcr with wine and fruit
and the antcs Of dauoag gl This kind Of life proceeds
smoothly for While until Hqro tires Of Druda and longs
again to be. as Shakespeare has 1t,
"wbere the Norwegian banners foat the .sie,
And fan cur Peope cold"
The IceWitch. OF his secret desire suddenly
grants It; sending him back however his lett hand
trofcn and endowed with the peculiar capacity OF killing
whonsoeser it touches Hir. initiating hor mistress sends
Manns off enorcled with small frgd that
spproaoh him shverDg thus cse adventurous
earth 10 Notwsy The. in the
While ntfrtune has oVeraken r the sweetheart Of H1y
DID, end Mime the sweetheart OF AesEsshese ladies having
been abducted by grim individual armor nGDed GrlioG
Harold end Srsro proceed Against the castle of GraoF
and terrific sword combat between Harold aud hs
eog the bew.ldered spectator. between Har
old aud twenty OF his foes but he successfully saughter
everybody End the OF UHa and Nina thus effected
spbseq reveals Harold and Ua at the altar An
astque marriage proceeds and Is all bat cOnsum
mated wher tho eppearsto stay the nupas Her
proceedings summary She seizes Haolds frozen hand
aud presents 30 bis bride who touches aud dies. Bu, ut
this unciGre FIeyr God of the SGu o under this guise
las the damast presented Ero the mother q 0lD aud
der appears 30 thwst the lcewcb to restore Uc to c
dorchant shc frozen hand OF Harold and free BdSrrs
from his polar ano phere. The is peaceful matrmony
and gorgeous though somewhat Irrelevant spectacle Taat
This story exhibits lively play OF fancy need be urged
Its unknown a0tor however has crudey
lad written it n such bad Engsb that will not bear close
examination This the fault with persons who
ruct spectacle pecesha they trust entirely to fine scenery
md shrink from the demands of literary and dramatic
When ell is SAID there nothing in The lee Wtch" except
inc theatrical effects. Much Of it, indeed is positively silly.
rbe players under the weight Of bad mythology aud
70 cfee historic associations Mach that they do indeed
very funny to the saca observer to whom must appear
light OF delicious buresque but melancholy
hat what they do intended to be quite serious. The Chic
u the Hills and the gentlemen who helmets and armorf
I'D carry about banners four times long themselves
presented realy Illustrative Of that ancient scsyic Life
roh burns and goWs the venerable Eddas and 10
Worse poems those of Motherwel II you fancy Mrs Bate
mans play OF Geraldine" converted into spectacle and
gcd with the pantomine Of Jack and Gil and think Of
impression that would thus be produced you may conceive
he rdcrous inconeruy and tho aboye character of the
lee Witch. 1t - utterly nondescpt aud paerie compo
iton. and is not entitled the slightest critical respect
But yet presented it has merits that will insure
'ref Its scenery. have said is In respects
ealy beautiful There indeed ali Of those TO-
Ecusale bitches and delays the working OF the scenery
Monday evening. which is usual 10 nhct upon the public
frs, nights; but these presume will avoided In ia
representations OF the spectacle Many of the costumes
so give that OF rchsess which well conveyei
Nons Phrase f ban barrie wealth" Then too the bal
~ Is good the music acceptable. and the acting 10 certain
particulars worthy OF cordial praise Mr. Marx Smith in the
character OF Magnrs .oro Hays with oil hi, &C.
gsomei artistic epose aud decacy of method lighting up
lie piece it'll flashes OF genuine humo hs hat
WomaDs Lke"-Tecsyed the first night with tImutuous
appauseis really spirited and brsnt and despite unusual
difficulties of execution sung with delightful precision
Mr. Saith possesses IN uncommon degree quick sympathy
It'll hunoi and enc and cultured capacity make 1t felt,
NJ C. H. Clarke played Harold in picturesque and
orcbe style and especially distinguished himself in what to
seemed very dangerous and superhous sword combat.
such seldom this side of the Bowery. Miss Kate
Newton de the Witch shed upon the spectacle the
welcome user OF her grace sndbeauty Miss Saunders
as Dame Mas0y presented clever picture of chatterng
seny Tie characters Of LAZY UG and MHnd acted
espectivey by Miss Emma Webb and Miss Ada Webb These
have not appeared in before for several
years They cordially welcomed Monday evening and
their return to hs stage fact TO be noted with pleasure
They represent precisely opposite styles acting The former
the latter humorous but both equally delicate and
gentle pleasing the apprecatve spectator BY that air Of ma
live refinement whchis ell the delightful tho stage
because Of its rarity. The merits thus indicated will say
render The IceWteh temporarily acceptable Had been
prepared by competent dramatist might have attained
great As is only be regarded one more
VI the many crimes against dramatic Literature that are
mitted in the name Of amusement
The Portland Fire.