New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-13
THE LONDON STAGE.
THE WIFE'S SACRIFICE-OTHER NOVEL
TIES-ITALIAN AND ENGLISH OPERA

B
the verdict the English adaptation Of MM.
D'Ennery and TDrbe's ala Martyrc" produced
last night at the ST. James, Theatre. 81 ID Emery
is known 20 every the most popular living
writer Of melodramas. This Last work of his WIS
brought out at the Ambigu Theatre in Paris.
From tho Ambigu to the st. Jamess is long step,
and Messrs. Hare x Kendall must have been al
their wits end they borrowed from stage
which may be called the Adephi of the French
capital. Their company Is capable OF moro deli
cate work than is commonly wanted for pieces IL
this class deficient also in some Of the vgor which
they demand. When @Altoinettc Rigaud az
peared at the pleasant theatre in King-st. it was
thought bold departure. I" The Wife's sacri-
fee" as Messrs Grundy & Edwards have chrs-
tened their version of La Martyre," goes still
further afeld. but, like its predecessor, has
achieved dne chiefly to the admirable
acting Of two or three leading parts. Nor could
anything but acting Of high order indnce a
British audience TO tolerate much less to applaud
play stuffed so full of unnatural horrors as this.
| "The Wfe's Sacrifice " IS not an outrage pub-
| lie dccency like Mr. Barrymore's NadJezda,' but IL
contains situations which are out of place on tho
stage. A son shot dead before the face Of his
mother and his sister by the sisters husband on
suspicion Of being her lover such is the climax OF
the second act. True, the mother does not know
Il
brother. 1t is their ignorance on which the plot
turns He is a son born out of wedlock before his
mothers n arriaee and she knows not OF his exist
ence He has in his possession bequeathed to him
by a scoundre father, packet of his mothers let
tiers and of these letters the interesting. amable
young man takes commercial view and values
them at 10000. The sister comes to know Of the
bargain her brother wishes to make, and, 70 spare
her mother, undertakes to raise the money on her
husband is told, he believes that it Is her own
love-eiters which his wife is buying. consronts tho
pair rs the transaction is about to be completed.
and when the brother refusing to give them TO tho
husband throws them into the fire. the husband
shoots him as before narrated. This tragedy might
have been stopped by n word from the wife. but
as tho word would have stopped the piece also, IL
is not spoken.
There are no lengths to which this wife is not
ready to 90 to screen her mother Sooner than tell
the truth to her husband she allows herself TO be
divorced, the husband marries or thinks he mar
ries again, dau ghtcr comes home from India 70
find strange woman installed in her mothers
place, and the interest then turns TO the struggle
OF the real mother to see her daughter. Mrs. Ken
da's rendering ofmaternal passion is theinest thing
that has been witnessed on the English stage this
many a day. Never before has she found such
pathetic aceents. gestures, expression; never be-
fore such power. Alone she would have saved
this revolving piece. Mr.. Kendall comes to her help
with an impersonation not always subtle in art
but always vigorous and elective. Mr.. Hare
lightens and emil vens all these s0rrOwful scenes by
his hand ng of the one character in the piece which
| lies within the domain Of true comedy. He is in
his own line comedian of the first order, and
he played with excellent judgment part
which exaggeration would have robbed of its
truth and its charm The success of the piece was
at more than one moment doubtful but the actors
in the end carried all before them.
Of theatrical novelties there are not many, and
TIE season draws to close. Sir Charles Youngs lu
gubrious drama Jim the Pen naa." holds the field
at the llaymarket, and fills it nightly. The Ing
lishman " no is jealous OF French intrusion may
POI Mt to it as an exam pie of an English play that
has succeeded. Manager who rejected it are daily
computing the Sums they might have made had
they accepted it, Several managers are busy in
this way. for Sir Charles Young vainly offered
A" jim " at sundry theatres before the morning ex-
perimental performance at the iiaymarket which
| all UNEXPECTEDLY resulted in such success. Tho
Haymarkct thus adds one to the list of London
theatres which have found profit in melolrama
when genuine comedy was unavailable OF would
not draw.
The Princesss Theatre is winding UP a singular
season with the very singular play called Cnto"
friend of Judgment and great experience advised
me TO this play ia order to get some notion of
what the English public would stand As have
not yet found evening to devote to this Interest
ing oh ect, | do more than indicate the nl-
preston of other friends who did They avow that
they laughed where they should have wept, and
finally quilted the house in amazement at the spec
tacle offered them. | never can induce any one TO
give me q serious opinion of the merit CT Ar. Will
10 I oil
TO form one myself. This matters less since he is
shortly going to America, and each of you will 10
able to try all experiment for himself. | imagine,
moreover, that assistance will be offered you. IL
Mr. Wilson Barrett does not take means to let
America know what has been said of him here in
the way of panegyrlc. he Will not be the " son
Barrett familiar to London through columns OF
advertisements and acres of piacarls, and Other
acres of photographs. No man deserves better
than he of the printer and the photographer; none
has been a better patron TO either
Two companies of American comedians have
timed their appearance in London for nearly the
same moment. Mr. Dxey makes his first bow to
Gaiety audience next Monday, in :" Adonis' Mr.
Augustin Days Company already known and
liked produced :" A n ght OF at the Strand yes
terday evening If | may Judge by the notices in
to-lay's papers, the success of Mr. DAILY and Ms
company was of the most decided kind.
The croakers have once more been disappointed
and another Of Italian Opera has begun
with excellent prospects of success Coyent Garden
Theatre is longer the homo of the circus The
Incompatible Cinquevalli is performing his impo'-
sible feats at the Pavilion. The marvellous Arab,
are, or lately were, at the Alhambm The Amen
can gymnasts are-where are they. and where s
Batty, the bareback riderf The place tina. SC
lately knew them now knows Mile. Lubatovi ans
Signor Gayarre. and will soon echo more to
the golden strains of Nine. Abani. Pa.ti' NO
Patti would listen to no terms less than 5000
night. and the sensible Sgnor Lago who is tie ne"
manager at Covent Garlen, declined u embark 10