Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-12-09

The reader u,ay translate for himself the
above heading, which is the title Of the
piece performed last evening .. the German
Theatre, with Madame Jervis-C -Claussen,
better known to the American stage as Jo-
hanna Claussen, in the leading part The
story OF the play TO person whose Ger
man is limited TO 4 dozen words, more ~
less, appeared from The acting be some
thing like this: An orphan eiIl, young and
beautiful, Of course, falls under the sus-
picious eye OF prying neighbor Of her own
sex. who watches her night and day, and
puts the worst possible construction upon
oil she docs The pretty orphan is perse
cuted by various young reprobates. whose
attentions she parties with admirable coo-
II ess aud skill, and at the same time turns
their visits to account in mystifying .he
malicious neiehbor whose evil watch she
has discovered The most pcrsevcrins OF
her admirers appears to be . rich young
fellow, with not much sense, but with .
blessed temper, whom she mysufes and
who suffers untold persecution from the
other drdrl1fis persos-, consisting of tive :
ty or thirty people OF various caliings-
here are scenes with lovers, ard With
gossips, kitchen scenes. parlor scenes, dav
scenes and night scenes, interiors and
street scenes, and y scene before . nagis-
trate or Judge, OF other German legai
unctionary who stra:ghtens out the
whole affair, and finally The evil
minded neiRhbor is discomftted, horse, foot
and dragons, and the pcrsccu,ed heroine,
who has laughed through oil the scenes,
except one, in which she cried listie, and
did it well, comes out with clear record,
msrries the rich young man, who is q
trump and brick. and is happy ever after
wards. This may be all very wide Of the
true history Of the piece, but SO il looked to
the non-Ger nan spectators. What 10 quite
certain 10 that the piece WAS very we'll pu,
upon the stage that the leading parts were
admirably, end the subordinate very re-
specially acted, and that the audience was
quiet, And At the same time intensely appre-
ciativs, and offered fine example to some
other audiences that might be referred to.
Madame Jervis Claussen is an actress Of the
first rank 10 her line-that ives evident
enough-quite at home on the stage, and
with that apparent cnjoym ment Of her posi-
,ion and her part which is 90 thoroughly
pleasant to an intelligent audience. A email,
we'll shaped, capable looking head. elegantly
set on shapely shoulders ny the aid Of .
slender round neck which curves and bends
in thousand passages Of arch mischief Ind
coquet.ish bye-play we'll drawn and
perfectly colored eyes briwming
with iollicking fun and diablerie .
voice simple ard sweet. entirely free
from those mslodramatic tones which
indicate the actor or actress who is not au
artistic in the FIRST ten words and that per
feet adaptation ofthe movement and tone to
the character and circumstances Of the part,
which are only found where fine talent has
received fine trsining-these are what one
to whom johanna Claussen's acting was en-
tircly new, saw in the first act Of "Eine
Leichte Psrsen," and saw more and more
~ the play proceeded, through all the dis
guise Of an unknown tongue. Moreover,
this artist has . very clear. sweet and we'll
cultivated soprano singing voice, far supe-
, fior to that Of any comsdienns whom we
can a. present recall. The leading male part
IN Line Leichte Person" fell to Mr.. wside-
mann, who is an amateur far ahead Of many
professionals. Mr.. weidenAnn played with
. coolness, knowledge Of stage business
| ana OF his part. and vi. .or Of conception
~n'cn were to the unprcpared spectator who
mas known the solid and serious-seeming
ne's iof many years, . delight end sur
Irise. The public, innocent Of The German
1heatre, and who have seen that comcly but
grave vlcaee only among the ordinary
scenes Of life. may b. aoeufed thst il en- IS