The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-18

With the above cast Frederick Hahn great work
was presented at the Germania Theatre last night to
q full house. In women the cast was weak by con.
trast with the men. and this inequality in the sup.
port was manifested during the whole development
of the play. Some other defects might have been
overlooked but for the painfully contracted
area Of the stage. which enabled every one
in the audience to gather Its extremist limits
in q single focus. &c. when under ordinary theatre
cal conditions. attention would have been centred
on the STAR to the exclusion Of slight and hand
movements by the accessory tho audience
last night suffered the annoying distraction Of
pulsory recognition of the twitchngs and shiftngs
of the should be statuesque figures the stage
of this grew painful se of contraction which
disagrssably emphasized when the great Irschiek
claimed attention. Her performance last night was
speak, microscopic. Irschick was on the stage,
but 1t Irschick viewed through inverted lorg
nette. 1t 10 exaggerstion to say that she had
not room enough to move around in. Now
and then. when she manifested something of
her beautifully powerful tSara voice: the effect
enough in the house to contain It and she spoke
into her own sound. She had. however. investi-
gated the acoustics Of the theatre, and with
art modulated her voice to conform to its peculiar
ity; but when taken out Of herself with the emo
ton she portrayed the effect was anything but
pleasant. While her art was sufficient on
most occasions to compensate for the linn
Its OF her d nouse nj was mot sumcient to
straint. The performance. by reason Of this want
Of space, unsatisfactory the inspection Of
Mr. Stewards great sliegorical picture OF America
would be in narrow hallway. Then, IL to
further remind the audience of the liteness the
house, the prompters voice heard plainly in
the middle of the auditorium, and several
times tho people in the gallery made
whistlng noise to admonish the canopied
gentleman to prompt in lower tone. During
eral in which the actors seemed word perfect
their speeches were q the loud echo OF . mnm
voice. To conclude the list of adverse conditions
under which the play was given 1t Is only necessary
to mention the presence OF table OF very recent
pattern OF the sets among others In which tho
time of the play had been critically considered.
This snachronism all the more inexcusable for
the reason that business depended the pres
ence of the table there.
Notwithstanding all these adversties several Of
the actors won well deserved applause. Herr
Rinau's Percival was . magnificent piece of acting
and he delineated the strength of will unaffected by
the love which also possessed Percival with ex-
auiste finish. The Welshman's pride and unbcnd-
ing character in his conscientious hands
were true the story. Herr Raberg
(Keldrick) for whom the playwright left but
little work. created his own part and In the little he
had 10 do he acquitted himself 30 well that no was
twice recalled. No praise of his acting would be
fulsome stood oat in bold relief. in COM
pany OF the work of Irschick and Herr Rinau
Miss Heller was passably good as Arthur's Queen.
and the same be said OF the other artists on the
bill.