New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-29

The play of Maud Muller" now being
acted at the Academy of Music, with Miss
Genevieve Rogers in the title role, is worthy
of more than passing notice. The play is
the work of Mr.. Philip Stoner, q competent
actor, who appreciates the requirements
and capabilities Of the stage. 1t may be
called an original play. though Whittier's
poem suggested and gave fibre to the
dramatic story. The poem let the pretty
hsymaker marry her rustic lover, and left
the lonely old judge sIghing over what might
have been. The play makes real what might
have, and in it the judge cages the pretty
bird in his grand home, where she tiutters
against the bars of society to which che is
strange, and where her trials are made
greater than she can bear by the proud Sis
ter of her husband. The play is simple
enough, and is given in four acts. The first
is the wooipg and happiness; the second,
estrap cement and sorrow; the third, parting
of man and wife, suffering; the fourth. the
confession of the sister, reconciliation, Gun
shine. In the play are ten characters, in
Guiding the mother and sister of the judge,
the father and mother of Maud, and Nate,
q sort of Cousin Joe comedy part, who acts
as good angel in rough clothes, to whom
Maud flies when childlike and with break
ing heart she leaves her husband.
The play Of "Dora," woven from the
threads of Tennvson's poem, is more nearly
the counterpart Of Mr.. Stoners drama than
any other play. The language fits the
characters. 1t 10 tender idyl in stage
setting, and will bear the test of close crit
icism. 1t ia dramatic jewel among the
rubbish of modern plays. A word for the
clever little actress who plays the heroine
Miss Rogers is a girl of seventeen, having
a bright sunny face, sympathetic and
flexible voice, and looks the poets ideal of
Maud Muller. 1t is as child that she cap
lures an audience in the FIRST act; but she
does more, and shows the ekill Of trained
actress in assuming the position of q wife
and depictiog a sensitive woman's suffer
ings. The laugh and color dies out of her
face as the story goes on, and tears come to
her voice. Her acting appears finished, and
the little lady surprises playgoers by her ex-
cellence. Miss Rogers is supported by Mr..
Frank E. Aiken's company. organized for
the purpose of playing the new piece, and
all characters are satisfactorily filed.
Mr. Scthern has given new life to the
Varieties Theatre, and the public will not
soon tire of the inimitable Dundreary.
An extra matinee will be given at the St
Charles Theatre to day by the new variety
company and the living classical statute
artists. The matinee will give ladies ar
opportunity Of judging exactly how bae
| the entertainment is.
A new III agician is in the field in the per
son OF Professor Miguel Har.z. He is a
least new to us, though years ago he wal
| the formidable rival Of Blitz, Anderson anG
| the elder Hermann. Few who witness thu
| performances of professional magician
know to what extent he is aided by me
! chanical appliances. Each performer il
this country for the last twenty years la
| been indebted to the Hartz brothers for tn
| perfection of his best tricks. NJ. Hartz, o
New York, is senior of the magical firm which
inyents and supplies magicians with thei
| missionary apparatus. He can do all trick
| attempted by other performers, and ha
many others never seen by the public. Ii
| will commence a season as Grunewald Hal
| on Monday evening next. In his enter
| tainnents he wilt be assisted by his wife
who will aupply the music. Nine. Hart
has been pronounced by the Steinwa,
brothers to be the best lady pianist resi
| dent in New York.