New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-04-09
Charlotte Th DseR's Cani,iiie E-a.t AighE

Charlotte ThorpssR's Canniiie Last Knight
"Camille," or as it ID called in the YER
nacular, '"La Dame aux Camelas," from
the French o. Dumas fils, was presented last
night with only one drawback TO the cu4inl-
nation Of its success, SO far as the Jerome
was concerned, and thet was the weather.
The audience, select, critical, fne as It was,
would, we are satisfied, have paced the
Varietias, lad propisious evening seC IN
tor the fair beneficiary. Not that we mean
the slightest disparagement to Mr. Byron,
clever actor by the by, correct always IL
his pert, and with considerable dramatic
capacity that, iudiciously trained, might
readily yield to h;gA histrionic achieve
menta, Or any of the cast, who onpported
Miss Thompson, but simply, that we have
oniy to deal here with the main character
ization, and, therefore, pass by the company
with this apologetic comment.
Ogn3Ile is Parisian coque::e. She is
also historic character, recognized III
the French capital as Queen of the Ca
meihs.n She is courted and teted by the
nobility, becomes adopted by E. duke, but
nevertheless may be regarded IS a social
Pariah; traduced, because of he freedom of
m&nners, and scan6aliZed, beoS1se OF her
reckless and nonehClant life. The Cottn'
peFIruiNe is desperately smitten with her,
and in the acEao of his passion not only
tenders her q protfer of matrimony, but
Offers to strengthen the alliance by a sum-
mary liquidation cn his part of all her ooli-
cations. A young man, however, one Ar
| lnaas2 Durdl, is likewise enanored OF her,
and Cor no less thar two consecutive years
| has teen tracking her in silence and incog-
nto. During period of her inllsposltlon'
young DGra. daily called to inquire after
her health-sha aware of the fact, but pro-
foundly ignorant of the person. At last
they meet at supper, are introduced, and
reciprocate each others sentiment. Solici-
tous to relieve herself Of the incubus OF
debt, she seems 10th to rebuff C0s:ft De Var
ciYe'c attentions and yet in this dilemma,
naturally excites Da1dES Jealousy. This Is
mere cursory synopsis, and to skip more
sumnarily over the details Of the narrative,
she leaves the retirement she had sought
with Duval, under the Influences Of DuvaPs
father, the Receiver General of Tours, and
rushea back into the whirl Of French
fashionable life, ucde- the pretext OF an
aversion to rusticity and quiet.
They meet subsequently at BALL DuUaE
upbraids her. He iusul4s the Count; duel
ensueg, the Count is wounded, and Durdl
fees Paris. These coEtcetemps, or cpl
sodical incidents, tell on her debilitated
constitution. She is hereditarly, or at
least naturally consumptive, and the
anguish she is forced to bear causes her to
pine away. and die. The delineation is
throughout remarkable; in some of the
salient features, striking and impressive.
The agony of heart, distracted by disease
and adversely, is depicted with wonderful
felicity. In the little piece, of what yeu
may even critically call by play, or stage
trick, where she approximates mirror to
see the extent Of the inroads time and suf-
fering have made in her, and starts aback,
startled at the reflex, she is superlatively
effective. And yet, after all, it is nature,
and no less markedly natural than the
pathos and tenderness she throws into
the perusal of DnrGrs fathers letter. Here
she Is touching. In the interview in the
third act between old D,soaI and Camille Ito
retrograde moment) and in the final
parting between Gdu.ie" and A1maHd, she
is simply grand.
We trust we will be paIdoned. Cdmale
is Charlotte Thompson's most powerful in
personstion; and this, with no slight put
staU T,r,p3,o Ru%
there Is in the part u wider field and higher
scope for dramstic action, for tragic dis
play and romantic exhibition, and it is the
combination that makes the rendition so
chaste and elegant. 1t is too late to give
more than running commentary Of Miss
Thompson's Camille now. There is too much
in the character to treat it thus lightly; we
must do so analytically on some opportune
occasion; in compliment to Miss Tnomp-
son. and in acknowledgement OF its being a
historic association, we will. In the inte-
rim, let us gently remind our friends we
have at The matinee to-day Tom Taylor's-
nav, Charlotte Thompson's Nell Guynne,
and in the evening the witching transcript
tion of Pafthenid, in Maria Lovelrs beauti-
full play Of "Ingomar.' And then. the cur
tain closes on q star it's folds can only shut
out from the mere faculty of vision. There
is horizon or heaven in the mind we call
memory, and there will she rest eDsphered.
lighting US back to bygone triumphs, and
kindling a glory about such theatrical asso.
Citations only as she made grateful by her
presence and participation.
THE CANAL STREET SENSATION. - No
sooner do we tire of one style of amuse.
ment than some far-seeing and energetic
caterer announces something new under
the sum-" and here we have it, according to