The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-01-15
"THE AMERICAN Countess. -
An Admirable Preaentati0n o.
Howard CARROTS Play.

first time at the National Theatre last even
ing, in the presence of as distinguished and
apprcciative an audience as ever assembled
in Washington theatre. The President
and PARTY occupied one OF tho boxes, POST
master Conger another, Howard Carroll
ihiId aud +. T. Howe the fourth. Among
tho persons present were Mr.. Lionel Sack
Vile West tho British Minister, aud his
daughters Mr.. and Mrs. Horace Helyar,
Of the British Embassy Senior Don Juan
Valera the Spanish Minister, and several
members of his legation; Colonel Emil
Frey, the Swiss Ministers Secretary and
Mrs. Chandler; Representative and Mrs.
Mitchell, of CONNECTICUT; Senator Wade
Hampton, Of South Carolina, n personal
friend Of Mile. RheB; Representative Scales,
of North Carolina; Representative
Ochiltree, of Texas Senator Miller,
Of California; Assistant Secretary
Davis, Senator Lapham, of New York
General Joseph II. Grosvenor of Ohio; ex-
Secretary Belknap. Senator aud Mrs. Ed
muDds, Representative Hopkins, of Penn
sylvania Senator Vest, Of Missouri; Sens-
tor and Mrs. Hale, Delegate Martin Magin-
mis-, Of Montana Territory ex-District At
torney Corkbill, Sergeant-at-Arms Leedom,
of the House of Represe natives; Represea-
tative Post, OF Pennsylvania; Lieutenant
Darlington, U. S. A.; Colonel James Il.
O'BeiTne, of New York General Duncan
S. Walker, Representatives and Mrs. Slocum,
Of New York Mr.. and Mrs. Frank A.
Richardson, Mr.. George W. Adams, Lieu
tenant Shufeldt, U. S. NJ Mr.. Charles G.
Glover Representative Storm, of Peunsyl-
yania; Mr. W. d. Rudy, Representative
Robinson, of New York Representative
Aldrich, of Rhode Island; Judge Lochraue,
of Georgia; First Assistant Postmaster
General Crosby, Mr.. o. o. Stealvy, Postmas-
ter Lycurgus Dalton, House Of Representa-
tives Mr.. Butler Malone, General William
Mckee Dunn, Mr.. James w. White, Gem
eral Green B. Raum, Mr. Charles NJ. Hend-
ley, stenographer to the President Mr. W.
ID. Eaton, of New York Mr. Page Nc
earthly, Mr.. John Carson, Mr.. James r.
Young, executive clerk of the Senate Mr..
Edmund Hudson, Dr. George B. WEIGH, DR..
Patterson.
New York was represented by District
Attorney Elihu Root, Commissioner Jacob
Hess, Judge Dittendorfer, T.. A. Ditmar,
dramatic critic Of tho Times, Commissioner
s. b. French, Hon. Henry L. Dimmck,
and ]. II. Reaves, of the World.
The play was beautifully set, scenery,
costumes and properties being unusually
effective, and Mile. Rhea's exquisite toilets
SURPRISING all that had been said about
them.
At the conclusion of the third act the
author, Mr.. Carroll, was called onto the
stage and responded in q very pleasant
address that was received with enthusiastic
applause.
The New York Times makes the follow
ing sketch Of the play:
Hoftens PQiIdno is the daughter OF an Amerl-
can woman and a foreign nobleman, who mar
ried her for money and ill-treated her. The
girl, having come into possession OF her
estates, is living in America amid fashionable
society, similar in Its motives and manners to
that in which her unfortunate mother was
reared. Amid this society, the young Countess,
who speaks English with foreign accent,
though Puritan blood courses in her veins,
moves somewhat in the character OF a teacher
and philosopher. She warns American girls
against foreign marriages, and talks about her
own father In way that reveals rather ugly
disposition. Nevertheless, she is beautiful and
yss Nsw
| certain BaTdgd, Spaniard OF noble blood
| and very black. rascal withal, is de.
termined that the PdildnO estates aud the
money of Hortens's mother shall not pass Into
| American hands, and he proposes to save
| them by wedding the Countess himself. He
| first attempts 70 secure this end by defaming
| tho character OF hortenE In the presence OF her
| lover and is knocked down for his palms. Then
he involves both the woman and the man IN
| the meshes OF q conspiracy, but his best laid
| plans fail, and he is led to prison, while the
| lovers are united.
| In criticising the performance of new
| play there are so many elements to con-
slider that it is difficult, unless there is
decided pleponderance in one direction or
the other, to pronounce satisfactory ver-
dict. The elements entering into last
| nights performance of Howard Carrolls
American Countess" are so diverse that
| tho word success" cannot be impulsively
written, nor can the verdict Failure be
recorded. The French phrase success d'esiime
would seem to apply. The feeling created
| is one of disappointment. The play had
been widely advertised as powerful satire
on American society. 1t was said to be
clever hit at certain foibles to be found
only on this side of the Atlantic.
| But the spectator waits in vain for the
satire. If the play is satirical the satire is
| so effectively hidden that its force is lost
One pompous old individual, allan McAlldn,
| III. d., by name, is much given to social phil
osophy and trite maxims, but even his re-
| marks cannot be called satirical. In Mrs
| Van Cortland, of whom the play -bill speaks
as 50 luminary in religious circles" is
found the representative Of a certain class
| who dishonor their religious pretentions.
| 1t is evident that Mr.. Carroll put In some
of his best efforts as satirist on this char
acter. The satire is too broad to be artistic.
At times 1t descends to open ridicule.
Perhaps the satire is to be found in Miss
Emily Van Cortland, gushing young lady
who dotes on poetry, and q rhyming
young clown named Alge,nOn Sydney Stubs
Here again Mr.. Carroll has mistaken carl
cature for satire. Perhaps it is to be
found in Judge Vdn Cortland, IAN ornament
of the bench and pillar of society"
But it would be an injustice to Mr.. Car
roll to suppose that the fame of the play
as great American satire" rests upon
the few commonplace remarks of this emil
nently passive character, who does not
manifest at any time either the ability
or the disposition to utter satire 1t Is
certain that neither the actions nor the
remarks of the rest of the characters are
in the least satirical. They are too deep
in the meshes of the genteel villains plot
to act or utter a satire. AS a satire, then,
the play appears to be lamentable
failure.
The play is not without its commendable
features. 1t affords opportunities for some
quite clever defamation. Arthur Morton
description, in the first act of the alluring
Lorelei, although as old as the everlasting
hills, is we'll written, and rendered, as it Is,
TO slow music, is rather effective. The
scene between the Countess and Bardgd, In
the third act, when the former, after
struggle, consents TO wed the latter, gives
Mile. Rhea slight opportunity to display
her ability as an emotional actress. The
scene in the fourth act between her and
arthur Morton gives them both a chance TO
enact the conventional lovers quarrel, in
which they tragically cast each other of
only to be reunited-as the placid audience
know they will be-before the curtain falls
Bdrdga is given his Opportunity when the
I MI Rta af da md tttVau mi In