The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-28
OVATION FOR RHEA.
The Great Actress in The
Queen Of Sheba.n
a LOVE STORY OF ANTIQUITY.
The Historic and Biblical Play Gfvss
Fine scope for Rhea's Tsients-An
Able Company With Her.

Nademoiseils Hor.ense Rhea and her
company at the Seattle theaser last night.
won the pia1dlss Of an unusually critical
audience, fos the drama which was re-
ceived with mild interest at the opening.
closed with an outburst OF genuine en-
thnsiasm--the best possible tribute 10 the
genius Of the leading actress and the
strength Of her support.
The play 10 unlike almost any other In
being founded ON the Bibls. The FIRST
scene Is the court Of Solomon. where the
king makes Jabex, the accepted lover OF
lamar, the queen of sheba, the prince OF
Ophir The temple Is Just completed. and
the king promises 10 give Hiram, ms
builder OF 1t, any reward he may ask. Be-
ing enamored OF woman be has never
seen, whose cameo was in a casket he had
received as gift from the king. he asks
for thu. cameo. The king. after expostu-
fatiue with him and limiting. without say
ing positively, tina. the woman Is dead.
grants the request and Hiram goes INTO
rap.nres over the beauty Of tho face. He
rejects the advances OF the maids of the
court and when Balkis, Greek captive
whom he has freed from slavery and who
has become first handmade Of lamar, the
qucen Of sheba. confesses her love for him.
he casts her aside and acknowledges his
love for the woman whose cameo he shows
her She recognizes IL and tells
whose il is. Though lac has been
ordered by the king TO leave the
city Immediately after receiving
the gift. he is detained by Baikis. The
queen arrives and is placed on his throne
By Solomon. Hiram enters and recog-
nizas in her the woman he loves. He pas
sionately cxeiaims: II love theeW again
and again. She resents the declaration as
an insult and demands revenge. Hiram
fights duet with Jabez and disarms him.
He IL removed TO prison and in the next
scene. a terrace overlooking Jerusalem, he
Il brought before the queen. She upbraids
him for his incidence In protesting love
for her and raises dagger 10 stab him.
but when he bares his breast for the blow
she draws back. drops the dagger and
witharaws in agitation. Then Jabsz and
Balkis give him a cup of poison. which
he drinks He fall lifeiess. repeating his
love for lamar with his last breath. In
the next scene. Hiram's sepulchre, lamar
enters TO mourn over him and vow her
love to her dead adorer. Baikis enters
and lamar withdraws from sight. Baikis
pours liquid on his lips which gradually
fcvivos him and he rolls from the bier
Balkis renews her declaration of love,
but he rejects il and VOWS
TO die Ii he can not live
for the queens love. Then she appears,
st her command Baikis opens the door
and the curtain falls rs she accepts
Hiram's homage. The last act is the
dedication OF the temple, where Solomon
shows his wisdom by solving the love
puzzle OF Talmai. the officer OF his guard,
and Nahama. lamar acknowledges that
she returns Hiram's love and the king
makes him prince Of ophir in place OF
the disgraced Jabez, who has committed
suicide.
Mile. Rhea Is an ideal queen, for she has
the stature and mien OF one. The naughty
air with which she makes her first appear
ance and ascends the throne and the fiery
wrath with which she demands vengeance
on the slave who has presumed TO love
her and to declare his love could not be
surpassed in real life. With her sparkling
crown, her gorgeous train and her erect
carriage she looked every inch a
queen. But it was when the
queen melted into the woman that she
its best. The change IN her features as
shc drops the dagger was one of the best
pieces OF acting the stage has ever seen.
Ia the scene in the sepulchre the queen
has disappeared and the woman is every
thing. The seeming reality of the passion
with which she mourns over the seemingly
dead man cannot be equsled. and the
gracious kindness with which she bids
n. z A. II.
woman's heart. In the last act that
heart rules her entirely and her regal
title only adds 90 tue conquest Hiram
has made. While her French accent is un.
m,stakeable. 1t does not impair the ex-
ceilenee of her acting.
The next best part after that of lamar ia
naturally that of Hiram, and it is we'll
sustained by Mr.. w. =. Hart. Gifted with
"a fine. manly form, an expressive face and
voice capable Of deep expression, he
sustained the part 10 perfection, and
worthiiy shared the honors the play won.
A more realistic vision OF a man
intoxicated with love for woman
he had never seen has not
been presented than that which he gave
of Hiram rs ne rhapsodixed over the pic-
ture of lamar. The impression thus Gre
ated was strengthened by his startling
declaration as soon n the queen has
mounted the throne. lie brings out In
vivid relief in the second act the audaeitv
which is needed for a man of his hunt bic
origin TO declare his love for tieSno,
like lamar. and he proves by his success
that andseity wins. His rebuke 20 Ralki,
Is powerfully expressed. and his reception
OF the queens Acknowledgements that his
love is rcciproeatcd combines well the
holiness of the lover with the humility of
the horn slave.
Mr.. Hart had 90 divide his honers with
Miss Minnie Bowen. a. Nahama, the be-
loved OF Talmai. To her and her lover
vas committed the duty Of relieving the
heavy dramatic parts of the play by their
ligh; loye-fencsngs Having face of
charming oxpresstveness and graceful
figure, she brought them into service with
good effect Nothing could excel the
piquaney with which she coquetted
with the graf soldier, TaimAi. we'll
portrayed by Mr.. Benson II. Pierce. and
lurei kim on until he appealed 10 the
wisdom Of solomon u solve his love-
riddle for him. With Miss Fannie Hunt
as zilah and Miss Annie ForSiiag as
Micah, she gave sn Oriental dsnee
which won a deserved and enthusiastic
encore.
As King Solomon. jain Fxy Palmer
wss noble. dign!fed and regal. well bear
ing bis part As Jahez. priace Of OphiF.
Joseph o'MeArs did well in 8 rather
thankless part. Edwin Phillips did we'll
o. the king's scribe. As BAlsis Miss Edith
Meek had responsible part 10 play and