The New York herald., 1873-09-10
PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENTS.


Perhaps the illusions that are most easily de-
stroyed are those which we cherish IN regard to
the characters in the favorite novels of youth.
We erect finer ideals than it is our lot ever to find
realized when we come to see these novels drama
tized and placed upon the stage. "The Wandering
Jew' Is not an exception to this rule. 1t Is
much too varied, too romantic, too gorgeous
ana too fanciul to admit OF being put in the form
OF play unless twenty acts are employed instead
OF one. Hence dramatzations OF this Kind in
stead OF being harmonious whole, are generally
glittering aggregate. We ask for hOmOgeneity ana
are given heterogeneousness. In fact. 1t is
hard to say how this failure can be
helped unless certain portion or episode
OF the work is thrown into dramatic form and the
remainder left untouched. For example, ne who
attempts to construct drama out OF "David
Gopperneia % dose not no meet with % mnch success
But II the playwright limits his exertions to that
portion OF the novel which details the experlcnce.
within limited PERIOD OF wilkins Macawbcr his
chances Of triumph are much greater
The same principles apply to "rhe wandering
Jew" All that the most sanguine dramatist could
hope to do was to string together series OF de-
tached scenes as ,ceyerly as might be; He has
vided sufficiently good opportunities for actors
whose rule is to be conscientious Some OF
are retained. We are brought face TO
face with Rodn and Dagobert' Moros and
SD1s SDa Rose ana Blanche the orphans The reader
| will at once perceive how large portion OF the
the brilliant and fantastic incidents OF the original
sacrificed. Not having recognized all the diff
to mch Se
| Indebtedness to MIR. Harkins and Mr.. Hardenburgh
iorihaving given US enough good acting to lend re-
RarElns the ~oe F's .! pasSSert esfi
and Mr.. HaIdenburg that OF Rodn. The first men-
| toned gentleman preserved that frank and sturdy
courage which characterized the old soldier, SO
ably painted by Sue. at times there was ten
the nervousness OF first night and the conscious
ness that great part Of the burden OF the piece
% seeded in a overcoming that hat 1s Hn!s4suaa,e @
Of an elephant crossing broken bridge
and cautiously feeling its way. Few or no
Of MIR. Hardenburg. HIS acting was the gem Of
the piece-withouta single serious naw. It was
full Nn usy thor
fully he said favor Of OF the otner character
izations. The Rose and Blanche OF Miss LennOx
and when Mr.. @. L. Fox, as Goliath. made his APP
pearance in an Assyrian-shaped beard and with
that pensive air which is visible through the
bismuth OF his Humpty Dumpty. grateful ana not
dnneeded flavor Of humOr became evident. The
carnival scene in the third act was principally Oc-
cupied by the dancing OF the children trained by
Nine. Lanner. The children have been well drilled,
and their dancing is phenomenon which people
who have never known what It is to have little
ones Of their own @ may, ,h perhaps, be pardonea
upon what principle hundreds Of married people
with young families safely sleeping in their beds
at home, can applaud to the echo such spectacle
a spectacle with which art has nothing whatever
to do, and which administers only to a corrupt,
unwhOlesome and selfish taste. One dance ny
Nine. Lanner herself, who is by far the the most
| accomplished danseuse now in America, Is worth
q hundred from these pale pigmies. But moras-
ing on this subject is useless, and we blame the
management not so much Tor producing as the
public for demanding
"The Wandering Jewn will probably draw good
sized audiences for the next two or three weeks.
The excellence OF the scenery, the good acting OF
Mr.. Harkns and Mr.. Hardenburg, the brilancy Of
the carnival scene and the singing Of little Fay
TemplctO ton Will contribute to this result