, 1881-08-28
A Succession of Crowded Houses
>~ = to Witness &c Daniel
Rochat."
Analysis Of the play-The Act
ing Even and Very
Good.
Miss Henrietta Vaaers at Hooley's-
SamI Of posen" at Mc-
Vicker's.
Promised lettings About
Home and Foreign The
atreS.

Theatre company ut the Grand Opera-lious
asst week were witnessed BY large numbers
II spectators. All the seats were occupied
Zach evening, and after "Wednesday persons
were t1lrlled away from the doors. This re
1narkable patronage WIS we'll deserved. Tllt
merits Of the play and of the acting were
properly set forth by llle management: i'll the
stace-settings, the properties, the music, att
all the usual accessories If Iligh.ciass drama.
The performances were, it not quite tlawless,
1unre nearly 50 than tiesltrc-yocrs III Chicago
are accustomed IL sec.
The play Is almost model of dramatic
construction The situations follow each
other in an orderly and natural manner;
they are all necessary to the action, and there
is no deficiency Of them. The author has
avoided the common device Of closing each
act with d picture lie has had the courage
= to let the stage be empty or hearty So ut the
close Of the first and second acts, and has
lett only the principal character and his CON-
foriers III the scene wicn the curtain falls
for the last time. But in uis:arling the
conventional part Of stage construction he
mas not omitted the essential quality of good
dramatic writing, nor his lie forgotten to
leave his audience between. the acts, where it
should b2, in dire suspense. That is far
more important than the s'pictures.'' Some
OF the minor scenes are ingenious. Such an
one is tile conference between Daniel and Ills
two tanliliars Us to the course he shall pursue
with reference TO the religious ceremony.
The promptings Of the good and evil spirit
are aptly put. and they contribute to the per-
piexity Of the hero. Dd1licL suffers from 4
multiplicity OF cOunselors, and not from the
want OF advice. Another such scene is the
one between Dr.. Biduclc and hrs. Potccrs,
in which the grim lumor Of the atheist
proves to be quite 4 match for the saturnine
temper of Il Pharisee after the straightest
sect There are. indeed, iilnu,nerable felici-
ties Of this description in the play, which
time and space would fail us to mention.
The suule may be- said in general way
of the dialog, which in the lighter scenes
bFlstles with epigrans, many of Which
are quotable. but ought not to be severed
from their relationship when they may
so easily be found there How
much of the merit of the acting-play
is due to Alr: Cazauran it would be difficult
to say, but probably large part of it is. The
piece might so easily be spoiled i'll the adap-
tation that it is virtue not to have spoiled
it. Mr.. C;szauran has done more than this.
He has improved upon the original. His
choice of words is good; his style plain, ncry-
GUS, and rapid; aud his sense of propricty
in tha alterations he has seen fit to make
almos unerring.
The moral Of Daniel Rochat," though
that is small matter, is unmistakab1y goou.
The sympathy Of the audience is at the end
with the Christian woman. and not with the
1nfdel man. The heterodox sentiments of
the latter get a liberal share Of applause i'll
the earlier scenes: but his character and
actions do not commend theu to public ap-
prOval at the last.
The actinR iseyen and merltorious through
out with one Or two small exceptions. Mr.
Thorne's ilnpersonation of DanicI in the
last TWO acts is superb, and iii the first three
acts it is capable of rational defense and eN
planation. Everything depends upon the
ter. II may be interpreted as chiefly sen
sual and material. the animal qualities pre-
dominating. or the Intellectual nature may
be presented and made conspicuous. Mr..
during three acts. Where We would have
him calm, meditative, and and passionless,, he
are happily blended in the last acts, and
Miss Jewett's Leo is the must vigorous and
harmonious character she has ever done here
As sustained effort i easily takes the honors
cultivated mind have brought Miss Jewetr |
through a trying stage experience. She is not !
6e,tcr tda CAT Ipi i oHt 30 10
her present manner the ti1uid actress OF Il few |
seasons ago. 1t may not be ungracious To sny, III
she has contracted the vice Of Il fa- |
vort gesture, which consists In extending !
@ m
The gesture Is good one for strong situation. |
but loses its effect OIL being repeated, MS it was
Thursday night, some fifteen times. The spec
tator begins then to look forit and to dread its re-
eurrcnce. Mr. Walden RAmsey-Eu ambitious and |
studious actor-nus ulisconceived the character
n ' 1F f1SayS Sf1v1I
something of Il roue in tho original, and friy- I
o!ous, but not foolish. He is in tue hands Of
Thing ''' Ike ''' lisp and p; Skip: m and D is
dangerously near repetition OF character in
French Elats," which Ar, hamsey also s,,.: as
Fdruis the scholar, and brains ran in The fanti-
+: Mr. Stoddart's extra dry i1npersonation Of DR..
Bilacl.c, Mr. parsclIes smooth and finished in
depreciation OF Iri1lfam Furyix who believes
1n ail the religious" tho charn,iu. picture of
young American wotnanhood which Miss Maud
tho liberal New England Puritnu who deems all !
religions ''supersriuons" except her own, are
tho demands Of the 6ccasiou. Doubtless tuora
might f'e better companies and better plays !
brought to this city than by the Union Sluare
management but doubtless also there IcScr
have been, and nrc not likely soon to be.
OF ssDANIEL ROCuAT,,'
Considered merely :es an intellectual pas-.
time, "Daniel kocllat'' is I'LL interesting
study. lie motives Of Daniel and Leu may
be interpreted in different ways; and the
will be tinyed by the tcmpera-
n1entof the spectator. a feeling Of disap-
pointinent at the ending of the play prevails
i'll the audience, especially among the
women. That IS because they spura reason,
as Leo did. They accuse her Of inconsistent
cy. She requires religious ceremony on
religious grounds, and rejects it, when it is
finally offered to her, OH rational grounds.
The hero and heroine exchange places dur
lns the progress Of the drama While
it's not precisely true that each conyinces
The other, it is plain that they mutually i'm
part feelings which they do not at first pos
sess i'll common. Daniel is the sentimental
lover at last, and Lea the calm and stony
nationalist.
The disappointment caused by the final
separation Of the lovers is a tleeting emotion.
It Will net bear examination. There could
}e no different ending without injury to the
'iece, which would then he conventional and | t
anne # Daniel and Lea had been recon- .
lied, there must have been sacrifice of {
principle On one side Or the other. Leu was |
convinced Iy the ,ni1ni~I.t inrar.-;at,, th,t !