New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-02
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
/. B. AIDRTCH'S (" MERCEDES. y

The performance given at Palmers Theatre last
night was an unusually Interesting and important one
especially In consideration OK lis occurrence 80 near
the end OF the theatrical season. larg" ana cX-
eellent audience present, and Its attention was
centred short play by Thomas Bailey Aldrich en-
titled Mercedes which was acted for the first
time. The subject Is probable enough incident Of
the Spanish war in 1910. a wounded French captain
has been nursed by Spanish peasant girl, and has
been filled with gratitude and love- lie has lett her
and. as she supposes, deserted her Nearly Two years
later his regiment Is ordered take the village where
she lives and 10 massacre all the Inhabitants. Mer
ccdcs refuses to flee. When the soldiers come to her
house she Is defiant. They have found some wine,
which they suspect IS poisoned. To convince them
that II Is not, the woman, expecting nothing but III
slant death in one form another. drinks some Of
II and gives some to her child. The soldiers are con
WINGED and drink. The woman's lover, on his way
to her house to save her. meets his comrades ana
drinks too He finds her and conylnccs her Of Ills
fidelity only In time for them TO die together
The play moves somewhat slowly at the start.
but IL goes ii develop, a deep poetic feeling
and fine dramtlc intensity. Toward the end also
the writer has worked with more freedom. and where
the language is TO be forceul II becomes AT
the same time more spontaneous and more confident
The instinct OF the poet Il always shown Mt the
places where the best opportunities are to be Gtap-a
and the most telling effects 10 be made The
strength Of the story. l. readily - be seen, Is
In the title part. Mercedes is woman oil man!
ties and many impulses. She IS a daughter OF her
country and hates Its enemies she has loved
foreign soldier and hates him for his supposed
unfaithfulness. She will not desert her chhd OF
the old who Is the companion OF her nome
when there Is danger and when the danger IS eAre"e
she can defy 1t and those who threaten II. ana can
even go firmly 10 meet the death winch she Sc'H
approaching Last OF all she can Ole All Ou' ""pp'
in her lovers In the restored confidence Oh HIS
faith. And with all this she Is an isho'ah'' uh'c
fined. common peasant. 80
The impcrsonation OF such character as 'his
l. a worthy task q finished artist 1t Is attmp'eu
by Miss JuNa Arthur and her performance Is Il H'oS'
Interesting Ii Is so because oil her su''coH9'
and it is again because OF her failures VIII"
are the more conspicuous because they are "e"
side by side with such pronounced eAceLrhccS'
The cxcecnces it must bc allowed. are predominant
In moments OF hatred. passion defiance resoi'uon,
desplIr love- Miss Arthur has command 81 h.r'eil
and OF the situation. In moments OF tenderness anu
sacrifice she does not always CONVINCE "ne ''"''
with the old woman. but her action does HOT seei'
to spring from conviction OF the heart ana 10 s'a'
when the hostile soldiers enter her house. SIN ''"
away from her child leaving II between her anu
Them does not look Ike the Instinct OF mother. Yet is
has been said there is far 10 admire than To con
denim in Miss Arthur's performance. Her mchti"'u'n
OF herself with the ignorant and coarse peasant h-'
Is an exhibition OF stage technique worthy ol al
artist of more experience than she has iiad' "rs.
d. F. Bowers played excellenty the part oil ,h' ON
woman The other actors, f.. j. Henley. Maurice
Barry more and J. l.. Ottomcycr. do not require -
pcCial comment 49,, -. 49,,
Two other short plays were given. The first OF
these "Twilight from the French or octave feuuc,'
Is not Of a sufficiently marked chiiact.r 10 ultra
much attention to Itself. but II has one part VIM
was dclic atcly and charmingy played by Mls> 1ehle
Eustacc. r.. W. Holland and !. g.. seville aI'o.P
reared In il 10 good advantage. In III" other Two
od Roys~ j. II. siOddart. line old boz. indeed "uh
and deserved the most of n" applause, ana T.. VI.
IInIIoud u good share. Walden kamsay added mu'h
by n bright and interesting performance of Young
lover and there were parts for Miss Ellen iufS am
fired Ec,h