New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-05
THE DRAMA.

FIFTH AVENUE THEATER-MAN AND WIFE-MIsS ADA
DYAS
"Man and Wife, is one of the best plays
that Mr. Daily has placed before this public 1t is well
constructed and well written, and 1t is reighted with
practical lessons, OF real value to society moral is
not indispensable to play; but, when a play has
moral, 1t is imperative that the moral shall be pure
Man and Wife" would still be good production, were
only for the fact thar. without tending to vitate the
moral sense it interests the mind " its story ana ex-
cites and mpresses the imagination by its dramatic IN
cidents These the results proper for play TO pro-
duce; and it makes no difference how delicate
is the subject that is treated, to this
end 40 long that subject is treated
in a delicate manner and without implication of a vi
ciOus sympathy and influence. But MAN and Wife" is
good for the added that it supplements dramatic
power with strong and sautary teaching IL urges the
sanctty of the marriage te and 1t maintains The su
premacy of the intellect above the animal nature OF
man. These lessons necessary TO be taught-and
Just applicable and desirable in country that has its
Indians its Utah its of free and OF spirit
ISM muscular Christianity In educational lnsti
tutions country that has It's Scotch and Irish
laws ,and its Cambridge and Oxford boat races
Here, elsewhere, the enormous importance OF the
Family institution and the beauty OF those simple
virtues that blossom and flourish by the Preside
OF I. happy home need continued ana emphatic
usratoD-since here, as elsewhere goodness is peace
fully ndoent and evil is aggressiyey ndusriOus and
surely people require than our people do,
in these hard aud selfish days be taught that judi
cous and ncessant nurture Of the spiritual element in
our being imperatively essential If would crown
our material prosperity with serenity and sweetness or
fe and thus attain the Hottest possible hight Of cvi
zaon IL because Man and Wife"-ake in the novel
by wlkie Collins and the play constructed upon it
teaches these lessons and teaches them with Intellectual
force as well as dramatic skill, that now, before
welcome 1t with sincere satisfaction.
MAN and Wife" was revived at Mr. Days theater
on Saturday evening, and Miss Ada Dyas-an English
actress ne W to America-made her first appearance in
this country acting Anne Sylvester She welcomed
with courteous and copious applause by large assem-
blage, the house, indeed being crowded TO excess In
mental caiber in quality of temperament and in some
peculiates OF personal appearance Miss Ada Dyas Is
suggestive Of both Miss Mlly Palmer and Miss Agnes
Ethel Her physique s thin and nervous her eyes are
gray her hair is brown her temperament Is tenderly
sensitive; her nature is thoroughly refined; and her
manners are marked by that repose which arises
from dignity OF character and the polish Of ex-
celent breeding. She is q trained and competent
actress. Her personston OF Anne Sylvester combined
strong intellectual character, great refinement sweet
wOmany feeling the reticence and selfrespect Of a
ady-in even the widest moments Of anguish-snd per-
feet precision of utteance and symmetry Of FORM In
Tone finish. and in all the mechanical attributes OF
acting il better work Of art than the Anne Syrer
ter of Miss Clara Morris-who the original repre-
sentative of the part In this theater But 1t lacked the
animal passion the vivid color and the bizarre vitality
of that performance and therefore IL did not-and it
never villas deeply impress the popular intelligence
and taste. Trepidation-natural to sensitive woman
under trying circumstaDces-no doubt 0ccasi0ned
some part OF Its paid iudistnctness, as
we'll as tths thinness and frequent acidity
of voice iu which it expressed. Miss Ada Dyas it
should also said, lacks those qualifications Of fresh
kn.., h,ah r "a
potential in effect upon the public mind than the finest
intellect the freest command OF the most delicate
methods OF She won. however the unqualified
spect and the kind sympathy of her numerous auditors
and was twice called before the curtain by vocferous
and sdmiring plsudits Miss Ada Dyas Is not extra
ordinary actress, but she is very valuable acquisition
to stage which stands in far greater reed OF brilliant
intelligence, trained ability. refinement, and modest
worth than physical exuberance aud the capacity OF
slobbering excitement.
The cast of Man and Wife, on the occasion OF this
revival presented chief features Of the original cast
when the piece was presented at the Fifth Avenue
Theater in september, 1870. MI James Lewis appear
ing as SIR Patrick, was afectOnately welcomed. The
personation frivolous and angular. 1t lacked In
weight OF character and and elaborate fomaty
of manners but it delightfully."- quaint, eccentric.
and refined Miss Davenport luscious and droll as
Blanche Mrs Gilbert faithfully depicted the gloom OF
incipent insanity. as Hester Dethridge. Mr. Davdge
was dryly humorous and finely natural, as old
Bishopriggs The novelties Of the cast, aside from
Miss Dyas were Mr.. Clarkes Arnold Brinkporth, Mss
Jewett's Mrs Gienarn, Miss Alice Gray's Lady Lundy
and Miss Mortimers Scotch hostess. Mr.. Clarke was
unmauly and artificial TO an extraordinary degree Mr.
Harkins excellent from the first GeoDrey DsLan,ayn
materially improved upon his former psrsonaton. by
meaus simplicity Of action, and by total avoidance
Of whine and whimper The scenery In which the drama
this time framed was superlatlyeiy handsome.
Man and Wife" will be repeated till Saturday when It
Is 10 be displaced by Mr. b. c. Howard's farce OF
Saratoga"
Protest has often boon made in these columns against
tue uroducton upon the stage Of dramas that tend "