New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-18
THE DRAMA---MUSIC.
RHEA AS JOSEPHINE.

There persons who still able TO take senti
mental view of the character of Napoleon Bonapare,
and Mr. william Harris appears to be one OF them
long, prosy and dismal play by Mr.. llarrs-in which
the incidents are mostly absurd. and OF which the
language is by turns nspld and bombastic-was pro
duccd last night at the Broadway Theatre where It
was received with good natured acquesccnce by
large assembage. The name of it is "Josephine'
The extent of it is six acts. The purpose of 1t Is TO
present the Empress Josephine a celestial type Of
resignation and pathetic marty rdom and to indicate
that Napoleon although he divorced his wife n order
that he might marry another woman, was exceedingly
sorry to do So because he loved her then and continued
TO love her to the last. These points not now
of the slightest importance to any creature on earh:
vet it may not be amiss remark that the man who
can seriously ascrbe human feeling to Napoleon Bona
parte read his life in vain The state OF JoSephines
mind since she was a woman, the discreet observer
will not venture to specify.
The most important point for Mr.. Harris was the
deduction Of effective situations from his theory and
that point he has missed. In Act one 1t Is inti-
mated at great length that Josephine is likely to De
divorced: TO tell which incidentally consumes an
inortinate ouantity of snuff and the Emperor dis
charges Fouquc from his Office as Chief OF Ponce.
In Act Second Napoleon and Josephine are mace 10
sign articles of separation, and MuIat thefeupoh
makes a highly obnoxious statement OF HIS ulsap-
prevail OF the proceedings. In Act Ihin Josephlho
visits Napoleon when he Is asleep. arouses him and
hearing that he has sent embassy to ask for the
hand of Marie Louise she chants a prayer over MN
and retires. in Act Fourth Josephine av0ws her ui-
brldled satisfaction upon hearing that the nc" In
press has borne heir to the Napoconic throne In
Act Fifth Josephine and Marie Louise meet ann OK
change bad language. And in Act sixth Josephine
dies. I he tenor of all this is that Josephine was a
mucabused woman. who endured all in sanity
manner, and that Dostcrty ought TO weep over her.
This pOstcrity would doubt cheerfully do II TIC
case as put by Mr. Harris. had been put in a terse.
pungcn, and convincing manner. But the Artesian
love Is more drcful than the usual one Nile.
Ehea might have accomplished her mourDfnl pur-
pose with less expenditure of time and trouble by
playing Mrs. Halter in The stranger The es-
scnce Of peppermint is al. there.
"Josephlne' was set upon the Broadway stage In
distrcssingly scenery, and was dressed Win
elaborate magnhcence Of costumes OF the First En-
pre. Mile Rhea on frequently and stayed
long time. and she is pretty woman and was
beautifully arrayed this arrangement gave great salts
faction. But if In actual life the Empress josephine
favored her imperial spouse as literally a. Nile.
Rhca favored Mr.. Harris with laclrymose exhortA
ton and ecclesiastical chant, the wonder Is that liz
did pot divorce her long before. The husband who
could stand that unintegibe strain Of matrimonial
melody for fourteen years deserved better iats
than Waterloo and IT. Helena. In demeaDor Nile.
Ehca often impressive. and there was at times
a sweetness in her behavior that would charm any
body. Nothing that she uttered however, was UNDER
stood-which i, voucher for the truth Of tribute
uttered by one Of the subordinate characters, ASSERT
Ing that the Empress Is popular with the people,
Mr. Harris the other hand. was distinctly Audible
which i, pity, because it was only when this
amazing gentleman stood still said nothing thas
he maintained even slight Tc.eMblance 10 the
authentic portraits Of the Emperor In speech hls
imperial majesty used the unmlstakable voice Of Old
ccticut. While in movement he was observed -
possess much Of the distinction that elorifes busy
gasema>tcr just before the departure OF the eA-
press. The only piece OF acting noticeable for brain
and purpose and consistency and finish that u
Iallelraud by Mr. J. VI. Francocur, but this states
man + made To cvince his a>utcness by vulgar anc
blatant babDe and his incisiye Wit by downright
iupcrtlnencc.
The play belongs TO that insnferablc class repre-
scnted by those intcrminablc productions OF >acd
mctti, which resemble endlcs, tape pulled Ou
Of rolling box. IL waS, in the main. crudey
barbarOusy acted, with the following cast: