New-York tribune., 1884-11-13
THE DRAMA-MUSIO
CONSTANCE AT wArLAcKs

NNA'oAhNSC" Al WAlLACKA
Tho formal opening of the regular season AZ W.T..
lacks, the return OF Mr.. Wallack's dramatic com.
pany to its usual home. and the production Of pev
piece by o distinguished author, were united ele.
ments of attraction, Tuesday night. at the renr..
sentative theatre of the city, They drew to0cths,.
large and brilliant assemblage--tho house he;,.
crowded to its utmost capacity-and thew gavs
much pleasure to many persons Miss Rose CoghIan
has never looked loveler on the stage than she da
as tho heroine Of this new play and there wer.
moments when her acting was thrilled with penu,,.
passion and guided by fine instinct of dramatic
form and effect. Mr. Edward j. Henley. NJ new
actor here made his first appearance. and impressed
his audience with keen sense of intellectual, foro.
and artistic skill. Two scenic pictures OF rcmark.
able beauty painted by Mr.. Goatchcr, and one hv
Mr. Dayton. aroused hearty admiration II would
be delightful but inaccurate TO add that the puh,,
pleasure. thus inspired, was entirely uumitivatea
MIR. Robert Buchanans new play contains many
beauties: but these often of n literary ratbe,
than II dramatic character, and hence the pieco
moved slowly and at times became monotonons
constance" may be described rs a collo.
quiai story. cut into four sections and spoken by
ten intcrlocutors. Ii contains two dramatic situa.
tions Of powerful and splendid character. A cruel
and rcvengeful husband seeking to entrap his wife
n
former lover. in her boudor at night; and this
lover, soldier, but recently wounded in battle !.
overcome by emotion, AMI faints, and apparently
dies IN her presence The husband subsequently
copels the disclosure of her completely in the inter-
view by cold-blooded stratagem-the pretence.
namely that the dead body. which really he has
had conveyed away, is still beneath cloak upon
her couch. These situations fraught with deep
and true feeling. and here the author has shown
correct and intimate knowledge of human nature
and OF the passion of love- AS to the rest of tho
play it may DO remarked that it largely consists OF
dialogue and narrative with reference to things
which have been done, and things which are about
to be done. Its persons furthermore, frequently
act from inadequate motives, and in an irrational
manner. The heroine instantly believes O false
hood against her lover In the first act simply be-
cause it is told and instantly disbelieves it in the
second act simply because it is contradicted The
reputation of her lover by Constance is groundess
and most unlike q woman, and her subsequent mar.
rage with man whom she detests is monstrous in
nature and is not shown to be inevitable in the
dramatic art of the play A certain avenger who
pervades the piece may be personally picturesque
but his conduct is preposterous and his
long-dclayed vengeance, both in itself and in its
means. is observed with smile. Mr.. Osmond Tearle
acted this part. The new play.is invested with
beautiful surroundings and fraught with gTcat
sincerity of feeling, it concerns a theme
OF vital interest, and it is acted well
The Oberyant spectator of IT, however, scarcely
avoid questioning its construction. Why shonld Con-
stance at once believe story prejudcia toward the
she loves Why should she not ask him TO explain it,
and accept his explanation Why should she give him
upconsiderng what the story is,even IL she believes
it How does it happen that she has lived so
long in her grandmothers company, without
having any just perception Of that relatives
wicked treachery of characters Why should
because he has asked her TO do so Why should the
Duke contrve snare to bring the appearance 81 dis;
to succeed, when few natural words of explanation
would have defeated its baeful purpose Why should
pursuit of vengeance the wicked Duke and enact
Bertucco in that nobeman's family Are not the in
| throughout the piece is there not painful
strainug after meodramatic points VIII woman-
sonatc love in her heart for one man. turn aside from
over when repeed and rthlesslyand cruelty away
by the he adores come back to her again Why
fact that she is married Why does he wear his arm in
sling when his SS wound n.,,o is in his m BODY w.
s9sn T9y By eosaee simply she she sorry
Tor her crimes why does the wicked Duke engage the
% Rs ar III s nd ho Why
not at once fight duel with the offensive snitor OF hi.
can be said-aud with truthhat stranger things hap
pen in the lives OF men and women where love is mp,
Gated than the sraGges things that ever were supposed
to bappen in story STILL the work Of art should be In
vulnerable as to probability
reached in the third acn Mr. gSchanans @ play becomes ne,
E o1SnS %Saea aTa h. other man:
rage against the cruelty OF opposing circumstances ana
the womans struggle between sense q duty and the
passionate impulse OF her hsartnthe wiid ,,ac N,
yetory Of passion reason and cot
| lapse and apparent death or tne w, wounded ,n.sl