National Republican., 1885-01-17
DRAMATIC FEuILLEroN.

critical center has yearly been increasing and
l believe that the stamp Of approval here will
ere long settle the merit Of play an opera, or
a work ol art. The play was brought ont un-
der circumstances as favorable rs could have
been selected. The brlllancy Of the audience
has been alluded to in every notice Of the
initial performance and while thero were
many warm personal friends Of both the
author and the charming actress in the audi
torlum, the determination to form an impair
tial judgment Of the merits of the work was
evident The large audiences that have wit
messed the play each night since its first pro-
duction proves conclusvcly that the piece
will become a popular success. Everybody
| except professional critics speaks well Of H.
and even they admit the elegance Of Its die.
tion and the ingenuity Of It's climaxcs The
ladies all praise II, principally perhaps on ac-
count Of the interesting though by no means
new, story, but also because of the elaborate
toilets worn by Mile. Rhya and her earnest
and magnetic presentation of the leading role
| That the play had some faults which have
been already remedled, and still has some
which will, no doubt bo rectificd is but
simple truth, but ! believe that au Amer-
can playwright who does honest and
faithful work, aud who produces n play
which has In II as much unquestioncd merit
as has "fhe American Countess is entitled to
the warmest praise and encouragement This
first effort Of Mr., Carroll is so meritoriOus that
If he will continue in dramatic authorship,
and never again attempt to run for congress in
n democratic district no will certainly meet
with both literary renown and peCuniary sue
| cess Perhaps he will not always be so fortu-
nate as in the present instance of having his
plays presented by company so com
Vn1n hot Vtl.f
ports Mile. Rhcn, or of securing lady 20
personate hisheroino who possesses the cmi-
nent and varied abilities of Mile. Rhea That
she is in thorough sympathy with the part of
IIortcnse, and identities herself absolutely
with the character is evidenced by the ex.
treme naturaness Of her acting in every phase
Of the play. Her whole treatment Of the role
Is thoroughly artistic, and exhibits a keenness
Of comprehension and II depth of emotional
power that Is afforded in no one of her other
| roles; and believe that the part Of llortense
will become one of the lavorite impersona-
tions Of this charming actress.
ata
Only one branch of theatrical business con-
tains more or greater elements of uncertainty
than Italian OPERA and that is English opera.
Our friend Carleton has of late been playing
in hard luck, as the boys say, and will soon be
n standard Il hope the printer won't got that
stranded) authority on the truth Of the theatrl-
cal proverb, "The impressario proposes and
the prima donna disposes," or, according to
another reading, "The impressario dlsposes and
the prima donna discomposes." Before his
| first visit here he lost one of his best artists,
Alfa Norman, who quilted the company sud
| denly and went back to New York. Then,
with an excellent troupe still, even after this
! l. T. H.. -. - a...N
people were not ready to go to hear him. Now
that the people may be supposed to have got
ready for him he returns with his forces badly
crippled by the loss of Mrs. Jessie
| Bartlett Davis and Richard Golden. There was
something singular about the concdent mis-
fortunes which deprived Mr.. Carleton OF two
OF his best people almost at the same time and
in such manner that there was no opportu.
nifty to notify the public that he would be com
PEELED to disappont them after advertising
the attractions extensively. By the way, this
was not the extent of the disappointment
either. The appearance Of Mr.. Alonzo Hatch
was also announced, but / do not remember
to have seen his name on the programme nor
himself on the stage ut Fords during
the week. Mr.. Golden, 1t was learned,
had had painful operation per-
formed on him in Richmond, and had not
quite recovered from the effects OF IT, Mrs.
Dayis's absence was unexpected; but later in
the week It was given out quietly that she had
been detained at her home in Chicago by an
accident to her baby, who, 1t seems, fell out of
bed on his precious little head. Curiously
enough, 1t was striklngly similar accident to
her baby which caused Mime. Gerstor to sud.
denly desert Col. Mapleson in Baltimore not
many months ago, leaving the gallant colonel
TO placato the disappointed orioles with har-
rowing portraitures of the loving mothers dis
tross aud anguish over the misfortunes of her
child.
Still another curious coincidence. Col.
Mapleson Is an Englishman. So is Mr. Garlic
ton, who, although now a plain civilian (as
far as my knowledge eXtends), is apparently
in the way of rapid promotion to equal rank
with his brother and compatriot Of the Italian
opera.
~
II II only possessed little deeper human
interest, there Is no play in Mile Rhea's roper.
toire better calculated to show her ut her very
best to an American audience than Arcadia"
At every point Of the action in which she II
concerned she is at liberty to display and eX-
erclse the charms Of manner, the glowing
girlsh SMILE the pretty coquetres, the en-
gaging ingenuousness which are peculiarly
her own. The role of Helene does not call into
play, of course. the rare emotional powers OF
Mile. Rhea, although 1t Is not devoid of a
gentle, pretty pathos; but 1t presents he
throughout in situations 30 peculiarly con
genial, so in harmony with her own gracious
personality, that cannot regret the absence
from this part of tear-compGlling passages
Arcadia" taken in its entirety, however
hor "a IL ,yit nf gtn a N
genuine human concern as to secure It a higl
!, and enduring place in public regard. mo
Bons Villageols' is Il comedy, and Frencl
comedy; and the American adaptation of II
: curlously enough, in eliminating much of tn
/ comedy portions eliminated great deal o
, the moral Of the piece and much also tina
, made the original II standard popular favorlte
The moral which mos Bons Villageois'
points is the annoyance and peril that oftel
follow the gossip and ohlcious meddlesomG
ness OF village busy.bOlle5 In Arcadia
this moral is lost sight ofor limited ut in desult
ory manner. Still, the play as 1t stands is IN
agreeable bit Of dramatic work which serve
to display pleasing actress at her best.
-
There Is no other city Of It's size or preten
slons in the country whore the press treats tn
| theaters aud theatrical managers with sucl
. unvarying kindness, might almost say s
, gingerly, as in Washington. As a rule no item
that can possibly be tortured into meaning
detrimental to an actor or organization Is al
lowed to be printed in any Of the papers In ad
, vance of the appearance OF the attraction
| and some ofthe papers are exceedingly chary O
4 saying anything uncompllmcntary afterward
! no matter how richly deserved. Asa consC
quence Washington managers are abnormall
sensitive, and actors and companies who TAX,
n abuse as matter OF course IN other cities fee
: pained and grleyed at anything less tina
c glowing oulogy from the critics here. max
q these remarks apropos Of nothing In parllcr
lar Just now, but will call the subject up fc
discussion ut Il later day.
q Amor natlentlY Maltlng years and years