The sun., 1893-01-10
LAST NIGHTS NEW DRAMAS.
THEY WE'RE "CAPTAIN HERNEo AND
"AT THE CARNIvAJ."


TIE War Play st the U.ion Square Contained
Edward u. Henley and "a Battle Scene
Hoth Were Very Vivid and vieient
People who 10 much to the theatre know
Edward j. Henley as q 6ercely melodramatic
actor Well. he Is q cooling. warbling ex-
positor OF shy gentleness by comparison with
some parts OF the plav In which he was the
hero at the Union Square last evening. The
third act contained the capture OF rebel fort
near Vicksburc. Mr.. Henley was the leader
OF the assaultinG party. Lawrence Hanley.
the handsome actor who used to declaim Mare
Antony with Booth and Barrett. was here in
command OF the stronghold. He was imper-
sonating. also. the half brother OF Mr.. Henley.
There>had been lot OF trouble between them
over two women. but most OF the audience had
early given up all effort to comprehend the
family affair. But in this battle scene
the relative positions OF the two men we're
clear and graphic. One brandished his sword
and adjurod his troops to defend the breast
works. The other melted his soldiers to an
attack. There was stirring minute or two
OF mimic warfare. The Northerners overpow-
cred the Southerners. The half brothers faced
each other furiously. and one fell with a sword
thrust from his antagonist The curtain shut
out an exceedingly picturesque tableau.
That was all that any body could admire in
Captain Herne" and the rest OF 1t was ridi-
culed drama more nearly devoid Of merit
seldom gets q performance anywhere. and
hardly ever in Broadway theatre. 1t was
plain that tho authoress. Margaret Barrett
Smith. was an amateur playwright Her set
OF characters did the most proposterous things
imaginable. They came and went without
errands. They committed strange acts without
apparent motives and they talked nonsense.
Tho observers Of the performance sat in won
der. half amused by It's dominant idiocy. half
resenttui OF 1t. and wondering how 1t had ever
Dorothy ,Dene. q very handsome English
gIiished e,is on canvas; went down IN the general
had not memorized her part. or else its lack OF
Goherent meaning made her forget its words.
cast but the best treatment could not have
saved tho wretched stun from rejection. and
so Captain Herne" was nasco.
"At the Carnival"
There was q now play at Miners Peoples
Theatre last evening, entitled AT the
Carnival" and Edward Weitzel and
Fred s. 1sham were tho authors. Its
scenes were located In Romo and Paris.
and told the story Of street singer.
Lucia. whose mother was formerly a success,
and Assist s IN
work in the streets. The daughter was sep
arhted from the suttor whom she loved By
trickery. and. whil in despair at her loss. she
was led into marriage with the man who had
caused her grief.
Then Lucid was seen as beloved but un-
loving wife, who still cherished memories Of
her sweetheart and won the paudits OF all
Paris as q prima donna. Here she again met
the man she loved. and matters wero further
complicated by his engagement to another.
Luc,d's meetings with her former sweetheart
were exaggerated In the public prints. and in
a quarrel with her usband she xii cd him and
later took poison and expired in tho arms OF
her sweetheart.
This story afforded many opportunities for
awak ening strong dramatic interest. but the
authors had used far too many words. SO that
these situations were much weakened. The
incidents were not put together gracefully,
and this fault made the plays progress very
uneven. Acts three and four went of SO poor
ly that laughter was general in passages that
were intended to be fearful. With the audi
ence in such Il mood the weak spots in the cast.
and there were one or two that were very ap::
was mado to ENJOY them. The last act. how
ever. was better. and it was only fair to note
that the strongest moment OF the piece was
the climax OF the final curtain.
Tho character who was responsible for
nearly all the villniny was described in the
programme AS "a PariSian journalist" His
duties and methods made him impossible ms Q
journal ist Of any nationality. and his unnatu-
Eva Mountford had the role OF the singer
and labored faithfully. Hcr death scene was
the hest part OF her work. Jennie Reiferth.
Basil West Elmer Grandn. and Samuel Ed
wards were capable In their several rts. but
the play rs 1t is ut present Is far from being
good one.