The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-22
tragedy AND TWO FARCES.
-ur yrW PLAYS LAST NIGHT WE'RE
''' SERIOUS AND MIRTHFUL.

me NEW PLAYS Lhsi Nu "AHH
'nN srRfOUS AND MIR7HFUJ.
.. Nero" with the Earnest Mans
su',s uu Nye's sThe CAD" with the
II 49,, s.sbrooks, McNally's boys and
,.,., with the Pantomsmio Leopolds.
MI, talented and versatile Richard Mansfield
~" tracedan at tho Garden Theatre last
",, uis r6,e was that Of Nero. the grandly
hs"t,.hI, Roman Emperor. Tho essay was
.ls carefully yet boldly. after the man.
p,' =, most Of this interesting actors
N,,+atings. and It achieved q measurable
' u.ru, Of SUCCESS. Although. Mr.. Mans
.Ia', acting aroused no enthusiasm. and the
.Ians. was light and infreuuent his por-
'"p,raI,overthcless commanded tho close atten-
."n and undcmonstrative admiration Of many
Si.ry,rs. and turthered him in the estima-
.of his following. Even when the majority
,'y,,bsd nj some miscarriage OF his intentions.
a, ri,ortty was ablo to discern the artistic
".n,.s and TO find excellence in the very
ga that failed. So there is bound to
. s.iss the iiscordance Of opinion. printed and
',iva,a. which usually follows upon any fresh
l,,m matte cndcavor by him. There was no pos
.hii,y last evening. however, Of oblivious-
,o..to tho fact that the performance was
~, sn,.rtalning to the audience in general.
,.,, only with few considerate and favorably
r,pdIsposcd persons present
Tho Nero whom MIR. Mansfield presented
,,,sspted was In tho first act a handsome but
,.itlv disso!ute Roman rowdy. providing dis
missed. and drunken through the streets.
raylayins and robbing men for sport.
and wantonly numbering his successful
1yal In the love Of dancing
dave girl Next no was for two acts the gor-
,A,us tyrant in his palace Of the Cesars. cruelty
,A,.etins the abject love Of his cast-off mis-
t,sss, Ace. and onite as heartlessly deter
mined to make the slave. Charts. his
,nv,es, Those two creatures Of his
yhIn were acted captivatingly. Acte
tr Beatrice Cameron and Charts by Emma v.
She idan. clever and handsome young women
18th and lacking alike only power at climax
sso be very successful s.a IN their parts: In
ia 1aa f bsnaue Whish sDdea ia the 5s
rSisoning Of the unwilling bride by the vengefl
,xmiSress. Then came u final act in which the
i, de,hroned and dementod emperor. being too
Y t6vardly to commit suicide. even after Acte
bad travely set the, example. was kindly
@ By tas bare indeatian of she Nero Of
NJ Mansfield that the character had no redem-
s 5nt Wis seSasS t sna s
lie popular failure OF an inlpersonation. which.
ID nearly all re poets. was tho able execution
The drama used was Costa and Gezolettie
Emperor Ncro.". worded into English BY
Russell Sullivan. who had made substractions
aud additions. and had turned out U smooth
Mi scholarly English composition.
The rather strong and Ingenious plot Of the
a1sinal Italian work had been followed four
is d een f maddp 0tf5on lit Mr. MsasatSSSH
for stazy death That proved wed
tEially and lmpressiVely ended with dismal
tninuendo.
As a stage production. this Nero" was adj
rrable for the painting OF it's two palace in
\ trors. for the costuming and use Of it's silent
II r!sons, and for its freedom from aaacronisms.
Hesancy and awkwardneSS hurt the results
At times. but, such faults should disappear
Besides the Misses Cameron and Sheridan.
skns %am &aWer Mefe T. crom D.
IN IN Frank handon: and others: some 81 whom
requirements OF Roman tragedy.
sThs Cadi," Mr.. Nye, and Mr.. Seabrooke.
ThsUnion Squares audience last night was
large and good looking. 1t had gathered in
Nyous expectancy. 1t dispersed in stygian
s.on. The night was warm, but the verdict
upon Tho Cadi" was frgid: and SO
E0ther test Of the fresh theatrical
rasdtf camei to An unhappy end. and
\ find hopes were shattered accordingly. It had
4 len believed by men whose Judgment has
hitherto been unquestioned that the some
saat circuitous humor OF Mr.. Bill Nye would
PERMIT OF effective expression on the stage
W. Nye had therefore made play
%, at least. he had worked with
that and in vicw.-out Of his large and extern
cast and thus same Sst ns6t
[sdi and Thomas .. seabrooke to get tho
They did not get it The curtain that as
cseHded amid welcoming plaudits came down
t s1,s hours Later upon saddened but wiser
IIainy perceived. could not be recited from
the stage and still possess its effectiveness.
AFalysi ISL, Of "a the failure ia l. not necessary
haposts lack q the piaywrishts skill nA sid isi
n t 5s,! nasc3 He either could not form, or
quaint doinrs The performance e"i thesref ore
t,.s merely an elongated address BY ono
stnPstar Judge, and politician. ain a on e and
sS eSSyn ac"n in the piece supplied
tad laa more lines. truly than Hamlet Every
s may i Sdr to him. and he'd he been comic
Bqt as, it was. he was only slow-spoken,
tssassd, man. saying odd tkinass With an mo-
a variation no grotesGuerie Of gesture nor
e!igsntric!ty OF manner. Some things that he |
ttS ia Tere funny: but all OF them-and |
w.. Is Nye's chief fault-were redundant |
INV, words Real wit Is brief Life is short. A
yHash must come quickly to be real good. |
;De works you up by degrees. preparing you |
s9r outlaw. yet the climax Is too frequently |
n',hcky grin Besides his humor is. to phrase |
" atu'r iiis own roundabout fashion. hardly |
a. sS ensste as T." rear end OF an unlocked post
H HssI stamp Ihe Cadi sang a parody on a bib |
NeTstFuy encored episode in the show.
ss axe eGd' was imEersonated by Thomas Q.
It aVIEook" z comedian, WHO Ind future be-
M. mr. hsnet Nr. Nye and fell. He still has tho |
tr,ure Nothing in THE Cadi' will bring him |
I %%m hImi lie delivered Mr.. Nyes. soliio-
, ,s,,siati0as. and Il Ills '' ire WAS nei
iI,, 'e rlnlssrs could not be counted against |
GSs sn. :. me ammunition was not right. Per-
sSps VIII occur to Seabrooke's friends. how
nmia s; mat he Is not specially happy in the
.Ssms vein Of comedy His power to please
Al Isl 70 be best cxerted In comic opera, after
s Mn iIs ne G Gqn sing very drolly his legs are
Sar .uG. una ne has conical exterior. He was
," S,aaly encouraged last night whenever the
baSi99h warranted, and he was assured
in thiIg question that no has plenty Of admirers
Gad Nv pnblic The other players In "'Tho
Were OF Qrpat ncnoinf N halpara In |