New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-24
THE LONDON THEATRES.
NADJEzDA AT THE KAYMARKET- IMPULSE

IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF IHE TRIBUNE J
LONDON. january ..
Mr.. Barrymore's Il" Nadjezd was produced at the
Haymarket Theatre on Saturday with Miss Emily
Rigl its heroine, or two heroines. Rumor has it
that this play has been acted in America and
applauded by American audiences. 1t is era OF
international good feeling, but there still
persons who 20 about nventing stories TO bring
America and Americans into disrepute. Acted in
Poker Flat md applauded by the first families Of
Dead Mans Ranch, perhaps. The house at the
Haymarket on Saturday one in which personal
good will to Mr. Barrymore was strongly marked.
but amount of personal good will could save
such piece from damnatiOn. The play is ono long
accumulation of horrors. Even had it not been
acted in America should ask to be excused from
giving an outline of the pot. Its author has
deliberately chosen the most revolving story it is
possible to conccve lie has told it in the most
revolving way The worst passions of human
nature are presented and the most dreadful things
happen at every moment. Hatred and lust lead up
to murder and suicide, and when the play is dole
there is 50 far as one can see but person left
alive. The house thought that eKtcnuating
circumstance.
1t is not merely that the motive and the situation
which Mr.. Barrymore elected TO present are
horrible. He makes them by his treatment
of them. He is not content TO indicate the nature
of the outrage his heroine eIdures to state
it and have done with it. lie dvells on It,
Nadc.ds it may almost be said, revcls in her
shame her creator certainly does Her agonies
long drawn out. her soolues intemnablc;
ending and ever beginning again. IL is az vulgar
as 1t is Infamous. Ii Mr.. Barrymore wishes to SEE
how a similar situation can be treated by mau Of
genius, not thought over-scrurulous let him read
the scene where Marion Delorme meets her lover
vybo slo has mod hv tD
Ldocnas. The situation is far stronger one, but
Victor Hugo has dealt with ii in the spirit OF an
artist; not OF man who delights in horrors for
their own sake. The rcmOnstrance of the audience
at the Haymarket, though it did not begin at this
point, was in behalf of dccency and morality. Mr..
Barrymore has sinned grevously against both, and
not less grievonsy against the canons Of dramatic
art. The structure of his play is 80 clumsy that
much OF tho action is difficult to follow. II IL
neither simple nor direct. There are clever lines in
it, there are ong scenes bot Of unity cohesion,
continuous and coherent movement, nothing.
Criticism on such play as this is thrown away,
but first night at the llaymarket requires notice
in the papers. and notices there are, accordingly
and of the usual length. They agree in condemning
"NadIezda .; where there is difference il is of
degree. But more interesting question than the
merits or demerts Of Mr. Barrymore,s piece has
been started. There good deal Of kissing as
the play proceeded; there were at times loud cries
from the gallery; there deep RrOan from
more quarters than one as the curtain went down
on the last act. WheIeupOn, there is much com
plant in two OF three papers OF the behavior OF the
audience and correspondence has begun which
threatens 10 DO long. A critic whose good will to
author and actors is evident puts his with
paintive energy The dssenters, he says, after
stamping and whstling through two acts, had at
the close Of the performance an opportunity. with
every variety of noise Of which human throat is
capabe, of frightening weeping woman who had
done her best for their amusement. Tho attempt to
make IT appear that these demonstrations were
directed against Miss Rigl is a clever one. but the
fact il otherwise 1t was the play not the actress,
which the dsseDters desired to damn OF late,
however q strong effort has been made TO restrict
the night of audiences to express disapDroval on
a first night. Much has been said Of cabsls and
hostile organization. Mr.. Buchanan raised this cry,
and many another author or manager has pro,ested
against the popular Judgment when it happens to
be unfavorable Mr. Gilbert. in his capacity Of
author Joins in the protest this morning though he
is willing TO allow people 10 hiss at the end of a
play, if they dislike it a whole or even at the
end of each act. During the actual performance
their mouths are to be padlocked.
But IL was quite evident there was no cabal
against "Nadjezda" The curtain fell on the
prologue to loud applause. Not hiss was heard.
M Barymore's friends we're numerous. One Of
them near whom sat was 50 jealous that at this
point he began calling for the author, and the cry
was taken up by few others not mere judcious
than he. 1t was during the nrst act that the
cTudties Of the piece began to tell the temper Of
the house. When Prince Zaboa'0G proposes TO mako
Nadine his mistress the scene is revolving in its
nude naturalisn that the play WAS within an Of
coming to end then and there. Nothing saved it
but the blow from DeUereur which knocked down
the Prince As the iriRoe is an old man of venty
and his assailant gO1ng fellow OF perhaps twenty
two the blow was act of brutality which no
provocation could Justify. A play which depends
for its salvation on such an incident as that can
hardly be- worth saving But it lie dlfficu't to
deecribe the grOssness Of the scene IL Mr. Barry
more chose to neglect the conventionalite4 which
even In such matters scrupulously observed the
audience was within its right IN giving him q
lesson. The Prince, upon the unwilling assent of
Nadine to his proposal, takes her goved hand and
touches 1t with his ps The glove reaches above tho
elbow, beyond which the arm is bare, and the
Prince, with lcer on his face, kisses the naked
flesh just below the shoulder. II il had been done
in Paris police inspector would have interfered.
This is but OF the elegancies which reused the
hostility OF which Mr. Barrymore's friends COM
plain but this one may suiiice. Miss Rigl has some
of the most offensive lines in the play put in her
mouth and figures in the most odious of all.
She naturally had to bear the brunt Of the censure
meant for the author. People thought her actress
of some capacity wanting in force. unsympsthetic.
and in many scenes unintelliQbe by reason of her
German accent. Her grimacing was incessant.
No doubt shc wss unneryed by the storm she he'd
to face, but nc doubt also abe overweighted
by the part But both rs regards her and Mr.. Barry