Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-24
VERA, THE NIHILIST.
Oscar WiIde's New Play Success
fuIly Performed at Union
Square Theater.
speolaI 70 CommsrcIal aalstte.

NEW York, August 20.-The pro-
duction of Oscar Wilde's first drama
of Vera, the Nihilist," brought out
q large and fashionable audience at
the Union Square Theater this even
ing. This popular play house had
undergone complete renovation du-
ring the summer season, and was as
bright and gorgeous tonight as paint
and gliding could make it. Mr.. Wilde
himself sat in the rear of a prosceni>
UNI box, where only the mirrors be-
trayed his presence. In the audience
were many well known professionals,
including John I. Raymond, who
came over on the same steamer with
Mr.. Wilde, and is said to be a firm
believer in the ability of that writer.
Among the others we're Mr.. and Mrs.
Florence, Mr.. Mckee Rankin, Miss
Fife Ellsler, Mr.. Ben MeGinley and
Miss Margaret Mather, all of whom
watched the play with interest and
delight.
The story of Vera, the Nihilist, is
one familiar TO most readers of con
temporaneous Russian history. The
woes of the peasantry and the auto
cratic tyranny Of the Gar are pro-
claimed at length, and seem to form
the main burden of the writer's song.
In the course of the play it turns out
that Czarowitch is a member of the
order, and an opportunity presents
when he is ableto defend them from
his fathers soldiers The Gar him
self having learned to distrust. every
one: too learns that his son is his
greatest enemy. He condemns them
to Punishment, only to receive q gun
shot wound from a member of the
order, hidden in the courtyard, and
the Nihilist becomes the Gar Of Rus
sia. But it is against the rules of the
order to wear a crown. The Nihilists
learning Of the young Alexis eorOna>
ton, Vera is fated to assassinate him.
Going to his room, for the new Gar
has dismissed all his body guards, she
is about to murder him, when be
awakes and proclaims his love for his
old associate.
After a most affecting love scene, in
which the writer's aesthetic princi.
pies certainly find room for the wild.
est freedom, Vera kills herself with
the dagger she has lifted against her
lover.
The costuming and scene paintings
are brilliant, but sadly inaccurate. The
soldierly wear the uniforms of the
Crimean war, topped off with Bayarian
hats, the peasants being equally inac-
curate, and the Colonel of the guards
wearing the uniform of a Moscow cab
man. Miss Prescott's acting through
out was charming, and deserved all
the applause a generous claque be-
slowed.
The author was called forth in the
fms. He wore an ordinary evening
suit, with a white vest, black shirt
studs and tie. He carried his white
gloves in the folds Of his crush hat,
and his shorn locks we're voted q de
cided improvement to his boyish
face,
Mr.. Wilde thanked the audience
for the interest manifested in his pro
ductiOn, and said that he could not
help remembering that it was in this
city, a year ago, that he first spoke to
an American audience on the theories
of an art to whose studies his youth
had been devoted. He was glad,
therefore, to be able to have his play Of
Vera" play which had become
very dear to him, produced first be-
fore an Amemerican audience, and by
q distinotively American company.