Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-08-26
OSCAR WILDE'S
Play. "Yera," Declared to be Defective
and Pounded on PrepOsterOus Ideas
A Most ~Extrayagant
Picture Of Russian Society and OF the
All-POwerfuI Nihilists, the Gar
and his Court.

Inc new play, called vera. written DIV
Mr.. Oscar Wilde, which was produced at
the Union Square Theater, New York, on
Monday night, with Miss Marie Prescott
in the name part, received a good deal Of
attention from the local press. The thea
ter was crowded, and Mr.. Wilde addressed
the audience between two of the acts. The
story of Vera is thus told in the New
York Times. with running comment: A
Young girl, the daughter of a peasant inn
keeper, finds that her brother is a Nihilist
who has been doomed to perpetual indus
try in Siberia. This young man, about
whom, and about whose past as 4 turbu-
lent Nihilist We know nothing, is brought
with many of his brother Nihilists to his
fathers inn, where he and Vera" recog-
nize each other. There he tells her his
fate, and writes upon Il paper a most dia-
bolical oath, which he desires her to ac-
cept. In this oath she is forced to re-
nounce love, honor, duty, womanhood-
and, strangely enough, and for no reason
which Mr.. Wilde makes lucid to US,
she enounce these things. But her
will is not as potent as her heart.
This truth supplies the whole dra-
matte quality and alu of the play.
Vera" Joins Il band of Nihilists, who meet
on certain nights in Moscow. Among
them is a young student named Alexis"
who loves her p~assionately and unselfish-
ly-as dearly as he loves liberty. "Vera,"
too, loves him in the yelled secret of her
nature. Blu she has sworn to venge her
brother, and she has already become
known throughout Russia as "Nera, the
Nihilist." At a meeting of the Nihilist
conspirators Il troop of Russian soldiers
enter their house, led by the chief of po-
lice. The Nihilists age seemingly lost,
when alexis" appears and saves them by
raising his mask. de is-at once recog-
nized as the "Czarowitch" by the officer. \
scene between the Gar" and his son fol-
lows. in which a lively argument upon the
rights of peoples and kings is held, and
which end with the death of the Gear"
who is shot by one OF the Nihilists.
Alexis then becomes the Emperor of
Russia, and attempts, with praiseworthy
sagacity, to relieve the people OF their bur
dens by careful and moderate measures.
He is, OF course denounced AZ a traitor by
the wild-eyed Nihilists, who, with a prompt
ness which does credit to their execu-
tive skill, doom him to death. "Vera"
happens to be the person who is chosen to
kill the young Gear" 1t is understood
among her companions that, when she
shall accomplish her act, she will throw
her bloody dagger into the street, in
order that the brotherhood of de
stroyers may begin a war dance as
soon as possible. "Eera" finds her way to
the Cars" room. He is sleeping. She is
about to assassinate him. AT the last mo-
ment her love overcomes her; she stabs
herself, and throws her dagger out of the
window. The Car embraces her while
she is bleeding and dying. This i, with
out doubt, the one pathetic and dramatic
scene of the play. The fine poetic charm
and the strength of this final situation re-
deem, one is almost willing to say, the
other four acts Of Ter0. Yet this would
be saying too much. The Nihilism which
is presented in Jerd is u stupid and tire
some element of work. These rabid fell
lows who talk like lunatics, swear the most
preposterous oaths, and act like children,
give no dramatic force to the play. 1t
should be observed clearly that they do
not act-they talk. They yell their theo-
ries OF liberty. They argue and quarrel
What one asserts another is bound to re-
peat. The monotony of the second and
fourth acts OF Vera is simply depressing.
h everlasting garrulity of these
Nihilists, one is forced to believe,
is like the constant babble of the brook
only less musical. In the third act the
"Czarnand his son have a vivacious dispute,
which carries on the peculiar argumentive
purpose Of the play. Fortunately, the
Gar" is disposed of before his loquacity
ends. Mr.. Wilde's play is, in fact, an en-
ergetic TRADE against tyrants and despots /;
it is full of long speeches in which the
glory of liberty is eloquently described;
each of the characters has his preaching to
do, and each does it with extraordinary
vigor; the play is, we may suggest, a kind
of pulpit from which Mr.. Wilde utters his
declamatory dictum upon freedom and
the rights of man. Blu all this does not
make a dramatic play, and Vera is not
dramatic. Yet there is constantly sug-
gested in it a dramatic motive which is
not shown concretely. The first act or
prologue, for example, opens well as an
exposition. 1t is then felt that the drama
lies between "Nera" and "Alexis," in their
love and tragic passions. But the body of
the play does not exhibit this drama,
which appears only in the last act. This
fact, and the fact that the Nihilists are
dull haranguers, kill the interest of
4 the play, which seems hollow and In
satisfactory. Yet there is a great deal
of good writing in Vera, and Mr.. Wilde
exhibits c~leverness and wit in q character
like prince Paul"-which is considerably
sharper thar NJ. de Talde in The Danichefs.
But his cleverness stops short of dramatic
art. His play is unreal, long-winded and
Wearisome. 1t comes as near failure as an
ingenious and able writer can bring it.
We do not think hat such a play cGn be
popular. Mr.. Wilde offered Vera to Miss
Marie Prescott because Miss Prescott, in
his Judgment seemed to be adapted to a
character like "Nera." The character is
oppressively pedantic, and Miss Prescott
acted it with Il sort OF pulpit eloquence.
She preached 1t, and that il about all n
need say of her performance.