The New York herald., 1873-10-10
SALVINI AS TIE GLADIATOR.

jignor Savini appeared last evening at the
Academy OF Music in a tragedy by A. Samuel. en-
titled 'eThe Gladiator In yesterdays HERALD we
gave a brief r6suns6 OF the plot, which we need
not now reproduce. 1t is sufficient to say that the
action turns upon the guilty love OF the wicked
Empress Faustina for Flavian. Roman patrician.
Her rival is Neodamis beautiful slave Of Flavian's
and convert to Christianity whom the latter is
about to wed, The Vaccinations OF the Empress to
make away with her rival are foiled by the Glad
iator's rugged manhood. who finally, when about
to execute the girl in the Amphitheatre discovers
her to be his daughter Faustlna. saves his
life and hers, because by an oracle, the life OF
Neodamia is SAID to be bound up with that OF
Cesar the son OF the Empress. A Roman mob
rises and Stays Caesar, and when Neodamia ID
about to fall into its hands the Gladiator Stays her,
and then, oddly enough, becomes q Christian and
propheses the passage OF the fifteenth amend
ment. There is great deal OF speechness in the
writing OF the piece and long declamatory efforts
are the results. The devotion Of the early Chris
tians to their banned religion Is good subject Tor
reading OF q Sabbath evening; but long oratons'
on the matter from the Christians them
selves wearsome. Hence Origen mot,
the great Christian OF that ilk) inspires,
little interest. The character OF the Empress
is iorcibly drawn. In the hands Of Signora Pia-
monti she was indeed the woman ior whom "the
devil threw dice with God" according to SWINE
barne The rugged strength the gre great T,Iaa,y manly
slave were finely rendered by Savini in his as
sumption Of the Gladiator. 1t Is a part whose
physical needs suit his nature, and he held the
audience finely from the beginning OF the play,
where he commences In impassioned tones
to recite the heartrending story OF his wrongs.
This was done in his best manner that
Is, with an exhibition Of Overpowering force.
Where in the third act he reproaches the statue or
Jupiter with not being the god OF the poor, hc
again brought down the house, AS IN his impotent
rage he strikes the stone. In the fourth act ne
gained his next triumph. This was In the ampni-
theatre scene. The discovery OF a daughter under
dsylce. but IL was magnincenty met by Salvini.
The setting and dressing OF this scene were credit
able In the last act, where all the physicaa ter
rors accumulate, SavinI was again equai 10 Ines
task Indeed there seems no posslDle nn. W IN. ~.
amount OF mental anguish and torture which this
Italian actor can depict In look HIS inplacaDi.s
hate OF the implacabe Empress IN the hour ., .mes
common danger was revealed IN Dursts
OF passion which fairly shook the tneatre. wnsn
he plunaes the dagger into his daughter Dreast
Tn save her from worse fate, his acting was ias-
cinatingly awful. IL was tne Polns ucyvnn s,o %
cIImax OF endurance In man wncre all sacredness
of life falls before the shamelulness oi tne "ny
alternative lett. Mental beauty ana grace are not
fn no expected in such character. IL Is oil iorce,
anJ therelore within the scope OF Salvinf
Sior,ora Pamonti's Faustina was ine perform
ance. The part IS overweignted WIN long
sneechcs but her great ability brought oat the ie-
IlPna nature OF the Empress with wonderful fidelity.
| A. the Young Christian convert Ne0damia, SgnoraI
i pa Serafina deserves KIND WORD, put the rest
of tho ca ast was as usual, not particularly brliant
/ Roman patrician with small placx mustacnc
i 10 an absurdity, yet Havian wore the same ad0rn-
| ment on his upper lip rs was seen IN CussiO-
/ There was good house, which gave the TWO
| nrincipal performers several recalls, SignOra
Pamonti evidently being on the rise IN popular
on saturday q matinee OF Othcllo will bc given
by the Savini troupe at Walack's.