New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-16
THE ORA MA.
PALMER'S THEATRE-MISS NETHERSor .

!
Miss Olga Nethersole young English actess
presented herself for the first time TO an Ameucan
audience at Palmer's Theatre last night. She c,o..
to appear in play by A. W. Cattle called .rh.
Transgressor." Miss Nehersoe gained the ens.
cence and friendship of her audience at once ina
earned the hearty greeting which she received she
has the quality of charm which is so nyaua,.
on the stage. and the lack of which cannot b.
counterbalanced by any amount OF Industry ar
study. she gains sympathy by the simple fors
of personality. In the technicalites Of her art she
IS accomplished. but not Always finished and ms
tured. The funess and rOundness Of her pow-
are not yet reached She has youth beauty grac,
and sef-command. Her voice is musical and he,
manner refined. With these qualities she will surep
be admired and will make her way. Greater au.
thority and command may come hereafter.
Through two acts last night Miss Nethersoe had
little to do but be the stage Cor a part OF TIN
time. Her talk bright and happy and her facs
gay and sunny. These things pleased so far al
they went. They showed that the actress was al
home on the stage and that 1t was likely to be
agreeable at any time to her there. They
showed that she had elegance and repose highly
desirable qualities, essential indeed. But that was
all. AT the end of the third act she had scene
of a sort which it is common to designate al
Strong" 1t was not sensible and 1t was not
womanly. She could not enforce the conviction
that such Woman as She had sno NE hersei to
could reach a fine emotional height, but the act Of
the woman whose part she played seemed incredk
Bile and she did not make II seem anything else
This woman, person of refinement ana lofty moral
sense, has been married 10 man VINO has another
wife still living He has convinced his own con.
science that ne has right to contract this second
her lie has deceived her and she finds him out
Then in an instant she forgves him, tells him that
she can stIll be his wife in sprit-a spirit Of no
very ETHEREAL essence it would seemand in another
instant says that she Will defy society and rushes
into his arms. II would take an actress of phe-
nomenaI powers indeed to carry conviction Of
pure womanhood through such an episode
The play was altogether a rather tresome affair
1t discusses the question whether insanity should
be a valid ground for divorce. This is a question
rather for a medical, religious or sociological
than for a dramatic work. SO far the play
answers the question at all IT answers II in the
affirmative. But it does more than that II implies
that well-meaning persons may override the social
and statute law on this subje as at present con-
stituted and that they justified in being law
to themselves. This 1t will be seen, constitutes
criticism on the Book OF Common Prayer. But 1t
that G the words 'a un Should be aiken out
OF the marriage service and II is quite another to
say that though they there, any one is at
liberty under certain circumstances disregard
the vow containing them which he has soemnly
about the wrong and injury that have been in
nicted on him by the law which requires him to be
faithful to wife who has been insane FOR twenty
years but it does not occur 20 him that II he
have made it. The view that the law Is wrong and
therefore may be broken with comparatively little
sin is the one which is supported by most of those
mand respect. Those who take an opposite stand
are shown to he persons OF rather stupid and
narrowminded sort. The possible exception to this
rule il an honest country squire. who. however Is
kept pretty well in the background.
Thee is a doctor who has written book on
Mental Disease in It's Relation to Heredity."'
and he Is the chief authority on the badness Of
the law. He happened to be in love with the
charming daughter Of the mad woman of the play.
but she mad only by accident. Miss Ida
Conquest made this daughter one Of the most
agreeable persons in the play. ana q. p Nash
lid his best 10 render the presence OF the doctor
olerable Grant Stewart appeared as a young
clergyman with lofty principles about seeing his
iuty and doing it. which did not prevent him.
however. from listening 10 a conversation be-
tween persons who did not know he was present.
pr from making Of the information 50 OBJ
aimed Wilton Lackaye was the long suffering
md defiant hero, and Mrs. u. p Bowers and j. II.
Barnes both fine actors. had rather stupid parts.
I. NJ. Holland played character that the spec
ator would have been glad TO like, but there was
10 sufficient opportunity OF making his acqualn-