New-York tribune., 1874-01-14
THE DRAMA.
BOOTHS THEATER.
LA PKMME DR PEU.

On Monday, at Booths Theater a new
drama entitled La Femme do Feu"-translated and
adapted from the French Of NJ. Adophe Beot, tho
author OF Article T"was acted for the first time in
America. and Mrs j. b. Booth made her first appear
here that conspicuous professional rank whioh
she has attained during upward Of six OF earnest
work and experience the Boston stage The occasion
proved 10 be OF unusual interest aud excitement
The assemblage that witnessed Mrs Booths venture
uncommonly numerous and keenly sppreciative- The
theater quite full In every part and the representa-
ton was with close attention and apparent
sympathy and approval through six acts OF mingled
sentiment, strange passion, violence and horror Mrs.
Booth has before been the local stage since
she acted in "Arrah.HaPogue under the name Of
Agnes Perry-several years ago. at Nibos Garden Hs
mastery OF her talents has been greatly improved snos
then and, as between the play and the actress tN
success Of the evening must decidedly be ascribed
Mrs. Booths performance. sho manifested emphaus
force OF character, q commanding and controlling
poise Of mod, and sponteous skill and supple grace In
the management OF a handsome person animated ~
fiery vivaoy OF temperament and the ardor OF beatn
Tho character which she appeared Is compounded
Of some ine qualities and many attributes that arc
rep1lsive and that character Ia displayed In story Of
dubious morals and diseased spirit Ii we say indeed.
that the character OF its heroine Diane Berard Is the
analysis of monster-not less because sup
posed to be endowed with the attributes OF overwhem
ing beauty, burning passion human weakness, and the
capacity OF pathetic sufering-we shall indcste the
truth in single statement. She marries and murders
one man. In order win another and she Is murdered
at last by third victim Of her terrible fsscinations
That called the woman OF fire is significant do
scrptive fact arising out Of the perception Of her urd
animal nature, and Of her custom OF bathing by night
in the phosphOrescent sea. Ii will readily bo
surmsed that the design Of the French author was to
concentrate attention a superb feminine ANIMAL ar
rogant in her physical loveness power and originality.
ng .YitA anfa n "a ztl n nVnrH
not wholesome In the English adaptation much
the freedom Of treatment peculiar TO French usage OF
these outre subjects must have been shorn away.
liberal OF suggestion has, however, been made, ana
enough of the ardent and wicked spirit is retained to
make heroine kind OF Galllo Lucreza Borgta. ana
thus parsonage likely TO cause dramatic ELECTS III
dramatic effects alone be considered, tho pro
priety of presenting such type OF characte,
will not be questioned. II the means OF such
effects be regarded there grave objections 10 tho ex
pedient. Influences other than dramatic proceed from
Tue DRAMA and it Is duty to consider them There
will be another time, though for comment on tho moral
and aesthetic aspects OF this drama For the moment we
re record its prosperous production IL was
set upon the stage with exact and intelligent care
and lavish luxury Of furniture and fresco. and tho
picture OF the phosphorescent sea- with which ls nrs
act terminated, copeda gorgeous phenomenon OF naturo
with pleasing fidelity The scenery Is from the brush
OF Blr Thomas A. Closing, whopants Ike poet ana
pended. The performance ended at about halfpast
eleven Portions OF the first two acts Will doubtless DO
omted-snce the action lags In these acts. Miss Wells.
Mr. Pateman, Mr.. II. +. Daily. Mr. Joseph Wheelock'
and Miss Rachel Noah contributed with oommendaoio
earnesness aud various skill the general effect OF tho
performance 1t was Of even mert but for the
first ght OF untried play it was respectfully smooth
"The Woman OF Fire" is not an individual that com
mends herself respect or will difuse such in
fuences as are "sweet and commendable;" but she
ia a dramatic parsonage OF lurid and distinctive
kind, and she will probably elicit great ceai OF
pubc disc before her career at BOOTHS Theater
ended No new figure vivid, or 80 wicked has been
presented here since Mr. j. B. Booth assumed the man
agement Of the thester. Few dramatic personalities
have ever encountered our notice which-to our ind'
vidual tase-are hdeous, revolving. unjustlhabie
and superhuous Unless dramatic author were to bur
row In the dangerous cells madhouse or tho secres
places OF dssecting room. he would md 1t Impossible
to unvail loathsome form OF diseased human
nature ia this woman who loves likes ugess ana
sins with the wild strength and reckless Joy OF demon
That recourse should be had to such monsrous vstes
IN order TO vvify the proof that in France
at least-whence these frightful experiments exude
public appetite has been burned TO safety by all che
hot flyors Of diabocal sensualism In America tho
scorchng process is repeated at secondhand and only
OF the persons who trhe with this
OF hell being really ignorant OF what they are doing.
or which way the current OF their action tends.
II is right to add that in this adaptation OF
ia Femme de Feu" retributiye justice is dealt upon
the offender. and effort to win sympathy with hectic
viciousness of sentiment is prominently apparent The
naked presentation of lovely enormy-such as Sapphs
might have imagined and suoh Swnburne would cello
brateseems alone to have been intended and IL seems
to have thought that such presentation Is defeus
bic because 1t 10 dramatic We trust 1t is not necessary
discuss such specious riyality OF doctrine The En-
glish style of the piece is generally fsbby and some
times ungrammatlcal. prominent speech begins with
the words lone fancy themselves" There was
very dreadful OF the French words retained
in the text and 10 this the whole company participated
with noble barbaric Joy The following is the cast
Diane Bersrd Mrs b. Booth. Lueen fAuher ..J Wheeoct
dAubisr Miss Mary WeA lie Baron de Ssry III Wsvcr
ReuI Miss Rachel Noah Mons de Cabin Rot Poes
de Cabin. Mis- Foster Fox Mons Lami....H DAILY
Nine. Des hamps. Miss A. Weaver M hoEe.G D. LeAfsek
La Cspane des Dousnes
Ars ii. A. Weaver.