New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-24
THE DRAMA---MUSIC.
" A MIGHTY POWER,

In the presence Of considerable assembIage-the
house being two-thirls full-a new play called a
Mighty Power written by Mr.. Frank Rothschd. had
its first representation yesterday afternoon at the Fifth
Avenue Theatre The general drift Of this piece is
assert what nobody denies, that there is much virtue
and hcroism in the Jewish character. All Jews are
not shylocks- says one Of the speakers. and all shy.
locks are not Jews, "Thc l0r OF Moses said an.
other Is the voice Of Cod These comprehensive
statements (the house being largely composed Of
Hebrews) were received with rapturous appreciation.
Incidental and forid tributes to benjamin DsraeL'
and "sir Moses Monteforc7 likewise evoked the re-
Spouse Of tumultuous enthusiasm. Inc text Of A
Mighty Power, is indeed. literally supplied with ex-
ordums upon the virtue the antiquity. and other noble
and venerable attributes Of the tribes OF Israel and
although they are absolutely supcrilnous and in
yariably uttered in the. place. the strenuous
energy with which they are declared ana reiterated by
Mr.. Rohschild seemed TO afford great satisfaction 10
his hearers. There is no dissenting voice. The Jews
are a mighty power: and If that be Mr. Rothschids
resolution, it is carried, By common consent. some
such belief this prevailed lin the language Of one
Of this authors compatrot, the erudite Myers. from
time immatcral7: and truly there was 10 need of
new play merely to prove what we all admit.
The means chosen by Mr.. Rothschld for the main.
tenance Of his truism are a number Of the usual
pedients OF old romantic drama. Mighty as the Jews
are It came near going mighty hard with them In
TINS play, ana certainly IL NDuiu HhN' ''N' ~ ""
not Mr. Rothschld wisely made use Of an authors
privilege 10 kill of one Russian yrant at opporune
juncturc and much to soften the heart Of another.
For the scene Of this play is Russia and the names IN
end in of and WITT and ski, and therefore IL IS
Russian. General Mickrakon George O,bourne) hates
all Jews, and especially Antonio Luyoshl lNilt"n
Lackaye) who writes for the papers and who bursts
Into rhetoric the smallest provOcation-so that
tie Generals hatred OF him is not unnatural. Colonel
JalOwitz 1enry Lee the contrary loves all jews
and particularly Antonio LuvOshi, and tries In vain
to save him from the Generals wrath julie AlchIa-
koT Mary lamptOn) also loves him. In act one,
while under arrest, LuvO,h springs through an open
window and saves the wife Of General Mickrakoa from
being crushed by a runaway horse, and the details
Of this Procedure are described with great animation
BY Colonel Jablowitz. This act Of heroism 80 in
furlatcs General MickrahOf that he trcacherously
cOntrves have Luvos started for siberia; but tho
wary Antonio suspectng snare f0lsts his passport
upon the Generals son, and returns to confront MS
enemy from whom he EFFORTS damnatofy confession
the point Of the dagger. Of having secretly melted
a massacre of the Jews. The General, however finally
counters on him. and ordains that his sister Isabel
Miss seligmm)-who has contrved to send the con-
fes>i0n to tie Czar-shall first be publicly logged
before his eyes and then hanged. and that
he shall again start for siberia. This amiable
commander, though, gets mad while giving the's
orders that he bursts his boiler and expires: and
whether
Notwithstanding the liberal display Of beautiful bach
under the Generals window. Luvosh sets FORTH
however, his siberian trip accompanied by capital
quartcte and. after musical performance has been
given in desert place in a snowstonn, he creeps in'
having been left for dead and he is rescued by Jus
Micklakof and carried home in her sleigh, by a real
horse Julie has obtained pardon for him from ths
Gar. The details Of controversy raised by '"ohci
Zogoroa Jamcs Edwards. disagreeablc obstruc'ion'
i,t who is much dislked, occupy tho concluding scehe
but at the lat LuvosM and Julie are bctrothea' WIN
the consent Of Sir Moses LuvosM Mr. Eud de C"doVal.
and Colonel Jablowz. vino has succeeded Nlchrahon
General, states thdt nc Will shv.tS '1''7N ' ~'
Of Colonel ZOgOr)N. -.
Th, tale !, not sufficiently substantial 10 impair
a backbone a play. and Nj. k"th,' mo ailit,u ~
shows himself to be possessed Of good dramatic ih,h'l'
ha, not revealed the faculty OF original di:.', ~,
venton in his treatment Of II. lie exponent =" ~
frt act i, a. ancient INalhoc. The tower scene ID
Which Relecc, describes 20 the wounded lvanhoe ING
battle in from; Of the peieaguered castle }, me pre'
of all these animated theatrical descriptions "i &c.
currences passing lust on me -'s"i. ma & fnso
IIamlet's trick upon Eosencldniz ana ,itNu' s''..,
The Interview between Julie anf her father, III ',t
second, smacks OF julie ana hicheneu III ~ Do y,
Buwcrs familiar drama. LuvoslB nstoNioh OF
Mahos c99fer9n IN e p se dg' tie , os p Nav
Of The Wife" 10y sheridan Knowles. The march 20
siberia is faint copy Of the same thing In " The
Exile>.7 Accordingly. because Mr. ioth-ehilf, story
j, slender and because his dramatic en-. icni, a'd
hackneved. \ Mighty Power necessarily proves
theatrical weakness. The piece "'nd Ire MADE hetct
by severe condensation. by the omission 81 certain
tOnfOOlcN with a fat man ana several n'N> VINO tic
understood L. be- employed faster" Of Nictudl> ior
the Russian General 10y eNpur-aton Of the several
addresses Jewish virtue. and by acee'idi'n ~ me
movement throughout. An expert drtnafl>f viii not
take three hours tell what might better he told IN
one. 81.
Thi, piece was acted in a jealous manner by al
concerned Henry Lee described the rescue ~ most
spirited way and Ms, >ell-man-plailrs rhetorical
dar-el who is kept at high pressure ~ HcpleW en-
thu-a-m and vocal fcrvency throughout me pay
recounted the OF I~atcls parents m STRAIN
II startling vchemence: Mr.. La'kaye ~ ne h, lo
Hebrew. was duly bellicOSc and blatant lhl, piit
+ invested by the author with portentous a~'Gn,p-
ton Of importance for which nothing said or done ny
il furnishes any sufficient ground. The >"ert No'e
II Mary Hampton was heard with pleasure Inc pay
may lie said to have had success Of mia c'te'Ai