New-York tribune., 1886-01-06
THE DRA IA M USIC.
MARGARET MATHER AS LEAH.

The long promised revival of the drama or
.Iesbn sometimes styed "The Forsakeh." was accom-
last night in Union Square THEATRE ana MISS
Margaret Maher presented her embodiment oil its CEN
tral character The love story that Is told In this play
when viewed with reference to It's vital elements and
without regard to OF circums found
TO be representative OF phase OF experience by no
means unusudl In human life and u Is proDaDe
that this fact accounts for the abiding popularity OF the
niece man and woman who love each other are parted,
beneath a cloud OF Misunderstanding the man, In the
bitterness Of his spirit and the rebound OF his passion
marrles another the love that he has discarded
and outraged turns frenzy in the forsaken wOmans
heart so that she npon him the burden and blight
OF her curse and thus although at the last her male
dction revoked aud both these parted lovers indicate
their submission the decree OF fate, the result Is
ship wreck for two lives which might have been happy
and peaceful they been left to their own natural
preston aud uInlment Leah is the woman and Rudolph
the man. The one at the cruel defeat
of her love, lives for q while as wandering
outcast and DIES orgivirg ALL when she can endure no
more. The other. welded TO a commonplace damsel,
whose emotions orderly sympathetic as a
Dutch clock lives out his vapd existence in
domestic plattude and half-regretful resg-
nation. This current OF human expert
euce is made to flow through picturesque
surroundinps in an old German village among per
sons and objects such afford the variety OF quaint
contrast ihe heroine Is Jewrss' anu tns nero Is G a
nersecuiors OF the Jews and the draatisL has placed
tneso lovers situations that sometimes remarkable
for dramatic significance and impressive pictorial
beauty 49, -,
Lean. In aDiriL while by coarse. she gav e
throughout the love passages the Impression of metallic
and artificial TEMPERAMENT It WAS "a performance
plee with force, but mostly devoid or charm Through
is earlier portion much of the text was spoken by
Miss MAther as II were lesson that had ben learned
recation auh the consequent result OF unreality
was augmented 10y an artificial manner or speech IL
until the brtween the lovers. when they
fall nj rOss-
erated. Here, aud In the suhseQuon curse scene she
exerted q fiery force or excitement which slenddly
effective; and she Was three times called before the
curtain after each OF these Miss Matheps deiy
cry OF the would be vastly better
II abe would but allow the passion to be con-
nuous when 1t hegirs to swell Last night It's flow
was times broken hy edless rclapses There
fine touches in tue scene with the child. and
the death-agOny was hkfuly drpc,e'. although suS-
alned for much too long time. Miss Mathers Leah ~
better than E-r Juie-nOre picturesque In appearance
human and natural more real and more artistic
Neither these performances ID symmetrical! neither -
indicative Of swertIe,s or tenderness but the
power. The girPs backward glare OF defiance. when
she stood the bridge Ia act hrst was exceedin "
fiue, aud at pInt expressive or violence. fury
the comnaye aud rrvengeful prOpenstes eDrased and
~ Grated she rrrated natural aad often magnificent
effect The text of ths play ia mostly tissue OF pIati
,nde snch , talk TAX % mat ro. between 18th tn
ludrrOus. and such srene ~ that OF the misunder-
standing between them Is impossiDe. Miss hather's
earne .tness however makes these discrepancies to br
forgotten. Her dress. VIII earrings aud bands or gold
rich In act. it should not be rich at all.
Tho house was crowded and the reception accorded
Miss Mathrrz performance was such warrants ait
worn drama. There suggestions In her arting last
nght OF tho sort OF power which would AXE her admir-
aele In such pay ucrrZla Borgia and u might lie
worth while for hts consider that and kindred
tragic dramas OF the old school.