Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-09-04
LEAH, THE F0ksAKEN."
miss Margaret mnfherfs new


Last night Miss Margaret Mather ap-
peared in Leah. the Foraker" at the
Grand Opera House. The role is very
different from anything she has es-
sayed heretofore during the short season
in this city. The play Is one of those
adapted and played by Augustin DAILY,
and was written by Mosenthal in Ger
man. Days company is perhaps the
best in the world, taking IL all through.
To play in his track requires good deal
Of confidence Miss Mather must have
confidence in herself and her company
or she would not have tried Leah, the
Forsaken" in Los Angeles. With all
efforts it never was yet told why these
companies who visit us here 80 often
fail to bring all their proper
ties. 1t is simply that they,
will not tit the stage. 70 play Leah"
shorn Of any Of the accessories OF the art
histrionic has in 1t something bordering
on temerity. The play is not an attrac-
tive one There is not spark of light in
it from beginning TO end any more than
IN the dark night of storm, which fiily
pictures the dark storm in the heroines
heart, save the CLEAN OF the fiercest
passions also fifty pictured by the play
Of the forked lightning round her head.
1t is 80 different from the genius OF
Shakespeare, who relieves the sadly ter.
rible fate of the actors in Romeo and
Juliet" by the play Of gay "Mercutio's"
humor, and by the absurd pomp of the
old nurse.
The role Leah" is full Of exigencies
that call out all the native forces of the
queens of tragic art. In the opinion OF
iiany of the best critics among Los An
geles playgoers-and Los Angeles has
critical playgoers who, by the way,
never saw London-Miss Mather last
night gave most mastery iuterpreta-
ton OF the poor outcast Jewess, cast off
by the hard religious prejudices of So
called Christians, and cast off by the
lover who had won her fresh young
heart only to trample it under his feet.
The role is full Of fine lines, and she
read them with rare intelligence.
Her acting was strong all the
way through. In the death scene 1t was
grand. There are few deaths on the
stage done more successfully, because
there are few done more terribly in their
realism.
Mr.. Paulding has less to do as "Ru-
dolph" than has usually fallen to his lot,
but he read his lines with great intelli-
gence and acted more naturally than on
former occasions.
Harry Eytinge as the "Village Bar
ber' and doctor was quite up to his
usual high level, as was also Mr.. Will
lam Ranous as abraham. the old blind
Jew.
Mr.. Milnes Levick, as Nathan" the
Scheolmaster, and an apostate Jew was
as he has approved himself in all he has
undertaken here, very clever actor,
with his art at his fingers ends.
Miss Helen Glidden played double
role as Sarah" and as ''Rosel." She
was quite charming in both.
For the matinee this afternoon
Romeo and Juliet" will be given and
for the farewell performance Shake.
speare's Macbeth, one of the four great
tragedies OF the bard is underlined. 1t
will be an excellent study to see Miss
Mather first in the lighter and sadder
role of "Juliet" and then in the grander
and more terrible one of the guilty
queen who boosted in unwomanly man
ner: