Morning journal and courier., 1892-10-22
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Last evening large audience witnessed
the initial production in this city of Zola's
"Therese," with Mrs. Potter and Mr.. Bel
lew in the cast. The play belongs to the
morbid French school in which lola is
such a master, the main action showing all
the blacker next to the bright background
of comedy against which it ia sketched.
As the plot has already been outlined in
these columns it seems sufficient to give
the argument as published in the program:
'The passion of the wife for the husbands
friend, the grim murder of the wretched
dupe; the passion turned TO abject fear
when the CHASTITY deed has been accom-
plished; the black and g1isley bridal; the
discovery of the concealed crime by the
mother, who drops parslyzed at the men
ton of it; the hideous situation of the
guilty pair face to face, day after day, with
the paralyzed spectre; the old love trans
formed into savagery; the guilty wretches
covering before the one witness trans
formed to life again; the last embrace
DEATH"
Mrs. Potter has improved somewhat since
her last visit here. Her performance of
Therese Raquin, however, can hardly be
said to be satisfactory. She has not yet
learned to drop that tragic monotone
which mars everything she does. Her
| strong scenes are her best ones, because
here her elocution is in keeping with the
words she utters, and hsr gestures and
| movements are graceful and often telling,
but in the lighter moments this monoton-
GUS wall is inappropriate to put it charita-
! bly,.
AS Laurent Mr. Bellew gave a most fin
ished and powerful performance, often
| surprising the audience into spontaneous
| applause.
| Both stars were encored after each act. Ida
| Vernon as Nine. Raquin showed marked
| ability as a delineator of the horrible,
while Mr.. Ward IS Crivet and Mr.. Charges
| as Michaud furnished comedy of the first
order. The Cammee of Mr.. Mitchell and
the Suzanne of Miss Hudspeth were salts
factory. AS dramatic work the play is
powerful and artistic; as a production for
icate.
Rhea will appear on Tuesday evening of
next week in 'Josephine." An exchange
says: Rhea's play of Josephine" is pos
sessed of a double advantage. First, it's
| dramat1s personea are all familiar, most of
them inspiring figures in history; and, Sec
ond, the treatment of it is such that the
spectator sees series of impressive, beau
tiful and eloquent object lessons that illus
trate some of the great events of a memo
rable epoch, an epoch that has excited the
| amusement and reused the imagination of
mankind.
THE NEW GRAND OPERA HOUSE.
There was a tremendous audience at the
new Grand opera house last evening, and
it was we'll rewarded for its presence.
Lucier's Consolidated minstrels gave q
very satisfactory performance. The sing
ing in the first part was unusually good,
aud some of the jokes were actually new.
Harry Budworth and Harry Ward made
some excellent fun. There was not weak
act in the second part. Eddie LeBarre did
very grotesque things. Mr.. J. R. Lucier,
who is blind, made moving music, and
was ably assisted by Mr.. G. N. Lucier and
Harry w. Barton. The clog dancing was
a marvel of the art. Scott, the "frog
man," and M. Forber, the slack wire Jug
Rler, made the people stare. Harry Bud
fworth showed good deal of ability as a
comedian, and the concluding act, "Plsn-
tation revels by the Lafayettes," was not
tame, as many end pieces are. The COM
| pany as a whole deserves success, and If it
has such houses as it had last night it will
haveit.
''The Fire Patrol" will be the attraction
on the first three days next week, with q
matinee on Wednesday.
NEW HAVEN OPERA HOUSE,.
7:30 o'clock last night the last of the
reserved seats were sold of the New Ha-
ven opera house and ''standing room
only" was from then sold until the curtain
went up at 3 o'clock. The matinee was a
repetition almost of the evening. So Agnes
Wallace in "The World Against Herr can
feel that she did good days work for
herself and the public. This afternoon
and evening will be the only chance to see
the star and play.
It can be counted upon that the public
Of New Haven always welcomes comic
opera gladly, and 80 next weeks business
| ct this theater ia we'll assured in the en-
| gagement of the Marie Bell Comic Opera
| company of thirty five people. Beatrice
Goldie is fine looking artist and sings
"Germain," in the "Chimes of Norman
dy," with success. This opera will be the
opening bill at the Monday matinee. Nsu-
rice Hogeman is stage manager and there
| are few better. Frank D. Nelson, Essie
Barson and Edith Barton are in the cast.
Harry Nelson is q we'll known tenor and
the whole companyis up to all require