New-York tribune., 1873-12-16
THE DRAMA.


OLYMPIC rur,rEa-yDwis ADAMS TX ruE DEAD
ngART.
"The Dead Heart was presented At ths
olympic Theatcr last night. and Mr. Edwin Adams
represented RoJ,rt Lodry The play had not
before NewYork for years and It's revival had
therefore the effect Of absolute novelty genera.
ton OF play goers has upon the scene since Mr.
Adams made his first In the character cf Robert
Landru ard comment his acting Of the part Is Kely
10 occur 10 many readers discussion OF fresb sub
lect. Tho Dead Heart" is based upon The Count os
Monte Crsto" by Alexander Dumas, and {" A Tale Of
Two Cities" by Charles Dickens The motive OF tho
plot taken from tho former book. while much Of tho
personality OF the hero and all Of the dramatic climax
and moral lesson OF the piece are taken from tho
latter Tho scene Is PARIS before and during tho
Revolution OF 1889. The hero's maine is Robert Ian
dry The hero's story OF suffering. revenge and
sefsacrince. The play shows how Ro5erf Landry in
consequence OF the sinister machaops OF certain Of
his enemies was imprisoned in the Base. for II years.
how he came forth. when the mob destroy Cd thst
fortress-prison wretched and dazed, bearing desh
heart within his bosom, aud purpose oi terrible ven
geance in his mind his mplacable force Of clarac-
ter deadly purpose. and his marble camness made
him power and terror. In the wild and boony days
of the guillone; how his resolve OF reribution wss
efected--til TO the sacrifice OF the woman ho
had oy ed in his youth how the strong nature thea
shaken by Of tenderness and broken down IN
fierce revulslon; aud how, finally. FOR TINS womsns
.akeor for the sake of that ideal which, to true
who truly loves than woman ever can possibly
be-he sacrificed himself and laid his own head upon ts
block This story Is told la four acts OF incident'
and in prose STYLE The most picture esque and thrilling
Of its Incidents are the emersence OF Robert out o ma
long and captivity his duel to the death win tho
Ab Latour and his sooquy at the foot Of the guiohne
in the chill morning-twght preceding the day Oh hs
DOOM These that powerfully AFFECT tho imsg'
nation and that afford fine opportunities to The actor
even while they apply an eXacung dram 10 hiS emo
tlona resource. Mingled with these good scenes ara
some aints of mprobabity and coarseness. The Abb
Jotour ia fearfuIIy malignant. without sufficient
motive The Count Valerie is grossly repulsivc in hs
wooing scene. The mobiles are grotesquey absurd In
their defiance the mob the night after the storm
ing OF the Baste. Tho dialogue between Legrdnd and
natoe in the last act Ia ndecate, and altogether tho
tone of the drama is little rabid while Its aspect 10
battered" and disheyeed Ii Is, neVertheless,
strong and an interesting play.
Mr. Edwin Adams manifests more fully In this pecs
than in any other the poetry OF his temperament the
scope of his Abilities and his capacity 10 present SYM
metrca work OF art His Robert Landry at the outset
ia handsome, manly felow-fIank merry. spontane-
ously courteous and naturally kind. HIS buoyant nap
piness is the flower OF which his virtue Is the seed HIS
gentleness is the fragrance of his strength And "
easily seen that this deep and sunny nature Is capable
upon earth and winch most human beings understand
very much "A mud turtles under the rainbow. Tho
obseryant spectator is thus prepared for the sublime
catastrophe which In the second stage OF
the personation his Robert Landry type Of unspeak-
able wretchedness-an image OF pathetic misery-sn
embodiment OF wretched shattered, aud wasted human
mowers aud affections that look at through tears
But there is CLEAN OF urid light through al TINS
darkness Of mortal baeful sign OF the spr,'
tha with
and soon 10 rise again. Then the mood OF im-
pscable purpose wholly destitute OF wslDie emouo"
and calmly terrible. This, likewise Is perfecty as
,aS.ed, IN the embodiment of Mr.. Adams. Throughout
the duel scene he was like marble image 'ei"eu wiz"
,e and hs auditors responded to his art WIN 'ne
sona,e applause o. setfforee,.ul anus,,an ~.
struggle betwixt love and duty the "'VupunSs-ot nA
and the monons OF principle in the Weird scSne AZ
the deserted guOtine. 1t would not be easy to imas
finer situation In pahos it Is stronger than that
OF Bru in his garden the night before the des or
March-as any reader may see, who VIII con-
slider Its spirit. and Its suggestions. a.
shadowed forth in the ,closing chapters Of Dckenss
somber novel. Mr. Adams reached a noble hight OF
simplicity this trying and his finally suggested
ideal OF the dignity with which magnanimOus soul can
lift itself above life and tho things OF this world when
once determined upon sef-sacrfce, was tenderiy pa.
thetc aud mournfuly beautiful Mr Adams was several
times called before the curtain.
On Friday evening for his benefit. Mr.. Adams will
play Str Bernard Harieigh, In Dreams Of Delusiou.
and Rorer In wild Oats" His engagement closes with
the week and next Monday will be produced az this
theater a Christmas piece, founded Dickens and
called Gabriel Grub, the GPbns that stoe'the Sex
ton" In this the Majilton Family and the Rayner Fam
lily will appe The novelty thus prepared Is in three
acts and be garnished with rich scenery and the
usual appliances Of a holiday spectacle.