New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-10
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
A BAFFLED BEAUTY.

BAfFLED BEAUl1.
In the piece entitled A Bafled Beauty" wmch
is now current at the Park Theatre an effort mas
been made to tell in action story which does not
readily lend itself to that form of utterance, aud
which would not Electrically be worth the telling
even if it did. This effort, furthermore has peen
made in clumsy manner The heroine OF the piece
an internally wicked woman who exults in her own
wckedness-is made to pursue another woman with
Vaccinations of hatred and most baleful malev0-
lence without any adequate motive. and IN fact'
without any motive at all. The success OF TINS
fendish individual is promoted, whenever
from time to time her little schemes are
becoming perfectly obvious, by an instan-
taneous and unrestricted accession OF stupidity
on the part of all the persons around her. Such
action as the work contains accordingly, may be
said to depend upon convenient dulness Nothing
like it could ever happen in life-and the piece
assumes to be a transcript of the actual. Much Is
supposed to occur between the acts-an eXpedent
very common, and very tedious, In the tneatncaI
work of all novices The persons permitted,
with but little exception, to speak IN one UNIFORM
manner. which is that of the novelist Oh whose
work the piece was based. Several of the speakers
are allowed a liberal indulgence in photographed
soIiloouv by way of piecng out the story, and ex-
planning who they themselves are and what 1t is
that is supposed to be gong forward. Questions
are frequently asked, which drop on the
audience with the weight and thud OF unanswered
conundrums. comedy element, quite low, ana
wholly unconnected with the central subject OF the
piece is violently thrust in. There IS free use OF
the element of tableau-usuaIly the melodramatc
confession of dramatic weakness-in which tricks
of situation are made to stand for true climax. AT
the cnd-where the hero ought to kill bis dastardly
foe and the she-deyl be discounted and brought
to self-consclOus defeat and disgrace ana PUNISH
ment-the opportunity IS sacrificed TO some vague
idea of consistency with a preceding STRAIN Oh
lachrymose sentiment. These are some of the me-
chanica defects of this production; but its deeper
defect is in its trteness futlity its lack of SUBJ
stance and its generally repulslve character The
spectator of it is conscious OF a vast zeal
of effort that is all about nothing and that
comes to nothing, at last and that is saturated
through and through. with hatefulness; conscious,
too that everything in the piece has been seen be-
fore better done. The Corsican Brothers"
Camille" Led Astray," and "Tne Bankers
Daughter" would occur instantly, to any ex-
perienced Dlav-goer, among the obvious sources
of all the effects that phe drama in "A Baiied
Beauty" The story IL that GiuliG Miss Rose
EytinCel hates Viotet C0olebn Mis- Ellie Wilton,
and contrives to max mischief between piotes
Cameron and Laurence Aylmer (Ir. Mark Pendleton)
and 20 drive Ayimcr into duel with Ion Demetri III
which Dcmetri seriously wounds AyImer whereupOn
Diogcacs Schmidt NJ ID. (Ia,ry Courtainel, gives to
thinner drop of uncommony good brandy. and
yioiet Cameron sinks gracefully his
bosom. while Giulia and Demetri de-
camp in apparent triumph. The incidents
are: an audacious conversation between Miss
Eytinge and Mr.. Grsm.r; the detection of cheat
at cards. an insult and quarrel, over card table ;
and duel: and in the beaten way of humor, MIS-
Eldredge, as a cross between Prudence and Mss
Ophclid takes glass of gin, and artlessy eXcaIns
Doctor what are you giving mep In brief. this
is badly piece, on commonplace subject
dressed up with hackneyed staeeefects. and devised
ia magnify a monster and exhibit the wardrobe of
Miss Rose Eytnge. 1t has been received with in
difference.
Miss Rose Eytiuge, who is good actress,
within narrow limits affords, in her imper-
sonation of Giuid, a striking illustration OF
her peculiar powers. Her affectaton of sem
slbility is superb; her icy tones, in level
speaking whether conventional or sarcastic, ex-
ceedingv ettectIve her repose is excellenty artis
tic; her appearance and carriage are imposing; and
her outburss of defiant rage are made with happy
ychemence such denotes the joyous liberation OF
| n strong but coarse nature. The spectator would
not b. astonshed If, III these latter moments GIam
were to break forth into vOlley Of prOfane oaths
and TO punch the heads of all the persons IN her I'M
mediate neighborh0od. Her yeIy voice partakes of
! tins vulgar pugnacty, and becomes rancOrOus and
stridenr. Ii Is quite n remarkable piece of realism
| and worthy of TINS experienced actress.
NJ Harry Courtaine, ii the part OF Schmidt came
| TO ANYTHING. would he n brilliant success III this
| play But schmidt IS so managed by tile
author that he IS always just on the brink OF beng
somebody and doing something but never passes
his Rubicon. An exceedingly pretty and piquant
notwithstanding 1t Is uneven, fur
| Red and raw-ls that of Miss Josephine Baker.
| Barton Hill reappears, but in a character far
| beneath hlslne talents and ample experience. lie
was a favorite here with good Judges of acting, III a
| far-olf day when acting had not degenerated into
| exhibition of dry goods and diamonds. and he is a
| man of sterling professional ability and worth.
| The stage setting is pleasngly luxurious.
This is the cast of parts i'll " A Bafied Beauty p" ::
Giua Duchesso da Rimini. Rose Eylinge
|
GaDiltlle uu sauna
| nauV