The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-03
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.
Japauscbe,, ne oD.bor,b.v

Herr Mosenthas drama OF Deborah, which was
first made known to the playgoers OF this country by
Miss Bateman, IN rather poor adaptation entitled
Leah, the Forsaken, is pious and not unpoetica
piece, which presents number of admraby-cOn
ceved dramatic situations and one fnely-outlined
character that in the hands OF such artists Risto
and Janauschek, is very effective Deborah is pro-
test against the persecution to which the Jews
have been, within q very recent period, subjected
in some portions OF Germany, and it is inspired by
the broadcast and truest Christian spirit In spite of
its many merits, however, 1t must be confessed that
great portion OF It is excessively dull and Madlle
Janauschek would be doing real service to her
auditors II she would curtall those portions OF the
play in which she herself does not appear. This we
think, could easily be done in such a manner as to
preserve the thread of the story, and the drama as
acted would gain In strength and interest.
M"Deborah" has always been esteemed by Madlle
Janauschek's admirers in the city OF her most
impressive performances, and the manner in which
she acted aroused the enthusiasm OF her audience
last evening at the Chestnut Street Theatre Janaus-
chek is a powerful and passionate rather than
tender and pathetic actress but that she portray
the softer emotions was amply demonstrated by the
manner in which she played the love scene with
"Joseph" in the second act last evening Fechter
plays the lover better than any male actor upon
the American stage, but he might take lesson
frem Janauschek In this scene, and it would be diff
cult to imagine more perfect mingling of power
and tenderness than she portrays in this situation
1t is In the subsequent portions of the play however
that Janauschek is most impressive, in the scenes
when "Deborah" is turned away from her lovers
door, and when she meets him In the churchyard
after his marriage, and all the emotions OF despsed
love and religious fanatcism stirred within her. she
pours upon him the terrible which in the beau
tiful and pathetic ending of the piece she lives
turn into a blessing. As the curtain fell upon the
churchyard scene last evening the audience re-
bponded to the efforts Of the actress with burst of
enthusiastic applause such as is too seldom heard in
our theatres
There is no fine character painting in Janauschek's
Deborah but it is rather grand abstraction, an
epitome Of the wrongs Of Judaism, and there is
something titanic in the emotions expressed by the
sombrely- dressed woman who takes pains to
represent merely the prosecuted Jewess OF play
that might be a dramatization OF a Sunday-school
book, but who merely considers the dramatst's
sketch as the medium for the portrayal OF the
tremendous passions that it but family suggests.
This is not the Kind of acting to which
our playgoers are most accustomed, and
when any but really great artist undertakes it the
less we have OF 1t the better, as general rule. But
Janauschek is one of those actresses who are not
bound by the conventionalities OF her art and her
Deborah would be magnificent still If she vio-
lated in 1t each and all OF the common precepts of
dramatic proprety. 1t is one marked popularity Of
this artists style that she is not stereotyped. She
has broad general outline that she fills up, but the
minor details she apparently leaves to the nspra-
ton of the moment. The consequence is her acting
has a freedom and spontaneity that add greatly to
its impressiveness. Last night her performance of
Deborah" differed in number OF particulars from
what we remember 1t on former occasions, and
although this method is one that none but q really
great artist can follow with success 1t is really
reshing to actress who has not certain attr-
butes, gestures tones of voice for every turn of
the play, to be repeated night after night and
son after season in exactly the same manner.
Janauscheks mastery Of the English language was
more apparent last evening than it was in her
personation Of "Mary Stuart" and in the most i'm
pressive scenes her auditors were able to for
get altogether that they were in the presence
of an actress who was trying most
dinlcult experiment. The audience last evening
was larger than on Monday and Tuesday, but there
was not such an attendance as the great artist de-
served and 1t is certainly not creditabe to the cu
ture and taste OF the Philadelphia public that this,
the greatest dramatic artist upon the American
stage, If we except perhaps Mr.. Forrest, should
play brief engagement OF six nights to anything
else than crowded houses. .
Mr.. Frederick Robinson, who assumed the part OF
"Joseph" is actor OF excellent abilities, and he
played last evening in manner that made most
favorable impression. The rest Of the support s
commonplace.