New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-18
THE DRAMA.
poRA Ar TnE BRoApwAY THEAIER.

DORA AT TIE BROADWAY TIIEATER.
To have something to say, and to say it in
the most direct and pcrpcuOus manner l. to fulfill the
chief requisite In a work Of art Both conditions full
filed In TcnnysOn's Dora" The poem embodies nara
tive OF somewhat exceptional but entirely natural human
experience II presents the possible sternnes Of mans
picturesque contrast with the possible sweet
OF woman nature and Is fraugt with an impress
sive Of charity and loyethe teaching Of Christ
and all the appropriate, therefore, that the
Christmas time draws near OF the simple beauty and
strong pathos OF this dy however there need TO
speak In poetic form the story Of Doras loving self
sacrifice has already found its way TO thousands Of
hearts In its dramatic form 1t Is not likely meet with
a different fate. Mr.. Charles Reade has made very
neat compact telling play OF IT, In three uctstakug
but very slight liberties with the original and bringing
It's springs OF emotion into clear prominence The first
act shows Williams expulsion from his fathers house.
lie pauses the window, holding his wifcs hand, and
hears, amid the falling snow. his fathers halfutered
curse. The second act shows the dsinherited brought
10 deaths door: shows Us the cruel fathers ter
rlble sternness still unbroken; but shows also
D0ras ahectionats, selfsacrihcing devotion. William
dies. His widow and little boy remain. Dora bcfriends
them In the third act we sec how she lures back tho
old mans heart 10 its native mood OF love, by placing
Williams child before him. The climax OF all f., OF
course such happiness as Is mercifully permitted to
those who repent In time and do bring their affection
merely to grassy mound silent gravestOne. In the
porrature Of these incidents many and very strong
tons arc necessarily involved Tho characters OF old
Farmer Allan and Dora are, IN particular, drawn
with surprising force and depicted under the stress
OF powerful feelings Mrs Bowers entered with thorough
sympathy into the passionate struggles OF noble mind
and tender heart, involved in Doras experience
The fine element Of intellectually pervaded the persona
tion, yyi1ed howbe with that stll finer spirituality for
which her acting Is remarkable. or the acting In the
other characters little need be said for the present IL
presented many points OF mart but also suggested
the constraint and the eKasgoration that per
haps inseparable from the lrst performance Of
any new dramatic work. Mrs Bowers, We ought
TO mention, very warmly welcomed on Mon
day night although the audience not 70
large should have assembled greet this gifted
artist Mr.. Jack played tho old Farmer, and fire.
QueDt bursts Of hearty applause The with the dy
ing WHau toward the end OF act second, n
tribute OF that strange silence which speaks eloqueny
Of tears that are with difficulty restrained Mrs Bowers,
Dora reads Tennyson's poem OF The RIVER at this
point, aud she read 1t very swcety. The finest effect
howevcr-n the play as in the poem-is the scene be-
tween the old aud the child, in the bayfield,. IL
touched every heart There can DO 40 doubt
that this drama merits unbounded success IL Is full
OF dramatic power and excellence. fun Of literary excel
renee. and brcathca tho higher aud purer moral spirit