The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-03
AMUSEM ENTS.


Doo1H's THRATRE-"JANE SHORE"
Soma time about the yesr 100 one Nicholas Rowe
chose as a dramatic theme q story connected
with the innor lifo Of Edward Nv. land madc
q play that became famous, inAsmuch ~
It Afforded oppsrtunisyo u somOiuthg che talent OF
many leading actors, SUCH as Booth Charles Kem-
ble Macready, Miss ~o,Nsnt Meg somer-
vnIc and In late 'soars MI waliack.
Mr. Davenport and 'sCIara Morris. II was
strong In dialogue and effective In situation. The
sJano Shore" OF Rowe, however. does not begin
to compare with the arrangement Of plot and. il
almost. tempted to say, with he beauty OF Lam
auages that charac,cr,zss work OF Mr.. wills,
the English dramatist, which was first brought to
public notice about i've years ago The ink was
scarcely dry on his pen before his critical trends
found no had given birth 10 something that
born to live, and little while
later OF tho features of the English drama
Only year ago was replaced on the
stage OF the Princess Theatre aud had u
remarkable run. Tho version Of Mr. Wills
preserves the main elements Of the old story,
but no adds to them the cooring OF q more perfect
picture, such we OF modern times prefer to look
at Ho introduces Jane Shore q woman full
OF warm, generous impuIsvs feelings, largely
gwen TO charity, and wnnin. love ALI sides,
especially from the lowly VINO come to nor apartments
to r. cevs their daily from her purse
and larder Asthe mistress OF the King Sue OF course
becomes hateful the Quesn and several fine passages
occur between the two women, VINO are brought TO-
getncr now and then by tho wilss Of the Duke
of Gloster, aud who has an eye upon tho
throne The death Of the King being aunoun
Jauo shore abaudons her princcly Apartments
and seeks the homo OF the husband Henry Shore from
which she has boen seduosd Hero she IA discarded;
hc learns tho hor child goes fth
hcarte cd. An honest baker, howevcr-one Jonn Gris-
q true type OF an English workingmsn OF the day,
stands by the uniori innate woman IN her trouble
anI watches over her subsequent career. Sho
Is recalled by Goster alter the death or
the King, he not only endeavors 10
make his mistress, but to be prvy to the death
OF the two little princes AT this her mothers nature
revoits, and. refusing to YIELD Is punished by bong
abandoned TO the ncids and highways with AN cdict
over ncr head that whoever shall give her evon
crust Of bresd shall be regarded guilty oil treason
ANA suner death. Sno Is compelled to stand before
tue public In her great shame, and there confcsses
the iniamy OF Goscr and her nowiedgc of his propo
stion to disgrace Queen murder children.
Meanwhile the little ones havo been smothorcd In tho
| Tower she learns the iact the Queen comes 10
| abuse. learnA from tno lips OF Jane OF the
| death OF ncr own little ones The grief Of the Two
women brings them together. Glostsr, however, tn
tent on the destruction OF the formcr mistross Of
| Edward, whom no has tailed 10 sedues. sends
lug amid winter storms, snow and misfortune,
she appeals IN her extremity 10 honest John Grst,
|
| upon tho mnions CT the Duke rush In To iftct
| punishment Hehry Shore, the husband, here appears
among the people, rushss 10 tho side OF his WHO aud
bears hor away from the tumut inacnsitls.
| Subsequently she reappcars In her old home,
| from whicn no has discarded her. her
| own little child, whom she believed 10
10 Dead restored 70 her aud the curtain drops
| on a scene OF scnewea domestic snecton. In
| working out those incidents 80 difTsreuuy from
| his predecessor me- wllis has displayed not
| n httlc ingenuity, aud tho managsmsns Of
Booths Theatre have aided materially, ny means VI
stage setting and we'll chosen wardrobe, Ia making
| "a serios OF dramatic pictures. As ~ pfeBSut
| Represented, however, The success Of tho piece H.
| evideAty expected 10 depend more on spsctacuar
elects than strength Of individual action. Ia n ns
Genevievs Ward as the heroine 81 The play Jan
the audience saw shancly and maturcd lsdy.
cultured IN speech grace fdi In movement expressive
in feature anu admirably attired-in fact 80 ambti-
ousy respect OF dress TO dstract from
the force OF character which she sought represent
| The audience was very large and moro than kndly
| disposed. anu on one hand sue could look to the
occupied n box ard hred or bouquets at appropriate
intervals, and on the other see tue kind commence
lion Of Mayor Ely and DION Boucicauli who sat cs-
| hind an array Of floral tributes ready 70 "
| handed out whop they would DO the moss
| good. There Is no reason, therefore, why Miss
Ward should have becn inspired ~ tue warmth o.
| a genuine welcome. The auditorium was nheo
with u critical ana obscrv1nt congregation Of ifenos
| who evidently Intended TO recognize every point
NADIA IA "a hst snsa IA az a@F"s into cnnsdsr'