The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-29
Miss Bateman In MOsenthaps New Play,
WPfetra.,3

follows that of Leah, nor IS there any reason TO
doubt the correctness of the statement made
last night by Mr.. Blackstone after the fall of the
curtain, amid loud and unanimous applause,
that the piece will be repeated every evening
until the close OF the ladJ's engagement on the
24th inst. Whatever question there may be as
to the merits OF the play considered by ITSELF
there can be none with respect to the actress.
Gradually AMI surely she raised her audience to
q pitch OF enthusiasm, which expressed itself at
the end of every act, and more strongly than
ever at the termination OF the piece.
Although written by the same author, Pie'rn
is totally dissimilar in character TO Leah, being
a bona tide tragedy, In the sense understood by
our fathers, with dialogue written in blank
verse, and spoken by personages in ideal cos
tunes, altogether denoting a disposition to soar
above thatpro. a'c reality which has lately ruled
the stage.
The action of Piera is supposed to occur in
Italy during Que OF the earlier struggles between
the Cuelphs and GhlbellInes the historical per-
son mentioned, though not seen, being the noto-
rlously cruel Ghibelline Ezzelno dt Romano.
The scene Is laid in and about castle on the
Btenta, belonging to Tlso di CompetTi (Mr. Chip
who e hatred of the opposite faction has been
nourished by the cruel death inflicted on his
sons by Ezzellno. AT the commencement of the
story he has gained signal victory over his
enemies, and his tole surviving child, Pletra
(Mss Bateman), trained in her fathers animosi-
ties has been searching that field of conflict in
reported to be among the slain. Her nurse
Maroa, who has been her companion in the
search, has given some signs of tenderness, and
has thereby incurred the suspicion of Tiso's
stern casteIlan, Gasparde (Mr. Howe), who is
ipsis Gete,phs GuephlOr; but Petra, who is
equally without fear aud without reproach
vouches for the integrity of her nurse. So com-
pletely occupied is her mind with thoughts of
strife and faction that she turns deaf ear to the
wooing of her amable cousin Leonsio (Mr. W.
Gordon), deeming her heart wholly unlike that
of the rest OF her sex. Marca, when alone with
her charge ventures to iutrust her with the por.
tentous secret, that from the heaps of slain she
has taken youth, dying or dead, and has con-
cealed him in her chamber, ON account of his
supposed resemblance to her own son. The
decorauon, representing the hall of the castle,
changes TO picture of this very room, and
here Pietra, who keeps her nurses secret,
beholds the lfeless form OF the young Ghibelllne.
This sight inspires her with strange emotion,
which gains intensity when the youth, who is
not deal, recovers from his torpor, and in a
half.dreamy state addresses her in tones of
admTa ion. Forgettul OF the prejudices of her
childhood she resolves 10 save him, and refuses
to unbolt the door for the entrance of her
father and Gasparde, till she has secured his
safety by removing him to her own room, which
adjons that of MaTca. With Gasparde who
at last enters with TIso, she has more difficulty
than she expected; for he has missed a young
man, evidently OF noble rank, whom he observed
among the enemy's forces, and a track of blood
convnces him that the object of his quest
has been secreted somewhere in the castle
by Marca. The attempt of Gasparde to
enter her chamber she is able to resist on the
plea OF maiden modesty, and during the alterca
tion that ensues Marca enters, who, knowing
nothing of what has passed between Pietra and
the young Ghl0e line, fears that she has been
Betrayed, but is soon undeceived when the cur
tain thai concealed him is Withdrawn, and the
couch is shown without an occupant. the pur-
are about TO retire to continue their search
in another part Of the castle, when LeonisIo
arrives with the intelligence that the missing
man is Manfred. the natural son of Ezzeno
the murderer of Pietras brother. Hence, when
Pietra is again left alone, revulsion occurs in
her feelings and 1t is in no soft mood that SD e
accosts Manfred. when he reappears from his
second hiding place. Manfred, perceVng the
state of the case, desires nothing but death at
her hands, but again her sentiments change,
and as she hears the return OF the puTsuers she
warns him back TO her chamber. The Guel oh
and Ghibelline embrace each other, and thus
ends the first act.
The decoration is not changed in the seconl
but we are still in Marca's room, when Petra
holrifes her nurse by revealing the fact that
she is In love with the young stranger. They
both, however, resolve to protect Manfred, and
wheO he Teappears he is counselled by Pietra 10
open an inner door IN her chamber, and thence
to escape through crypt to the back of the
Brenta, having first unlocked a gate with q
key which he receives from her hands. The
sound of chapel bell on the opposite bank is
to be the signal of his safety. No sooner is he
fed than Tiso enters in a state OF somnambu-
ism, aud increases the horror of Pietra by
narratiDg the details of his children's deaths,
escaped his vigilance. When he has recovered
from his trance, Gasparde comes in with
the tidings that herald is at the castle gate
speaking with Leonisio, and that Manfred is not
yet discovered Pietra'S chamber must now be
searched, and while Gasparde is engaged in that
task, Leonisio brings in the herald's message
which is to the effect that Albergo, the nephew
of Ezzelino, and commander of his army, is
ready to conclude q treaty of peace ii Manfred
is restored. Peace with the hated Ezzelino does
not, Of course accord with the honor of Tiso,
and he is greatly shocked to find that his
daughter is more Practically inclined than him.
self. A further compromising fact is the dis.
covery IN PietraG room of sardOnyX, engraved
with the arms of Ezzelino, and Gasparde now
bethlnks himself of the inner door leading to
the crypt. Pursuit by that path Is resolved
upon, Ietainers are summoned, but ust when
the destruction of Manfred appears inevitable,
Pietra who has been III an agoGy of suspense,
hears the chapel bell, which assures her of his
safety.
In the third act Pietra, who has returned to
her chamber from the crypt, whittier she accom-.
panied her father, is aroused from the reVerie
into which she has sunk by the strange lnforma
tion that the castle Is about TO be attacked by
party of Ghibellipes, furnished, by the treason
of Manfred, with the means of entering the gate
by the river. Love now gives way to the IN
tensest hate, and Pietra implOres her cousin
Leonisio 10 drag the base young man into heI
presence, ii he is able to secure him. The last
scene is The crypt, whittier Pletra rushes to
meet Manfred. She finds him mortally wounded
by Leouisio, but with breath enough to tell heI
that the key was forcibly Obtained from him by
his cousin Alberigo. Thereupon, after the ap
proved fashion of old tragedy, she stabs herself
and dies aVowlng TO Leonislo her love for Man
fred. IN the German play the transmission o.
clearly shown, but the compression that has
reduced five acts to three involves the erasure o.
Alberigo's name from the list of dramatas
perS0nB.
plot OF PaeTd will cause some Ito regard the
play as an ATTEMPT on the part of q Shake