New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-21
LYCEUM TTIEATRE-"A WOMAN'S ST.
IENCE"

new play by ViGtorien Sardou furnished the
opening attraction Of the of the Lyceum
Theatre Stock Company last night. 1t was called
"a Womans Silence" 1t was seen by an audi
ence Of the cultivated and critical sort which
usually assemblies on a first night at this theatre.
There was an appearance of coldness the part
Of the spectators for time. but as the play
developed in interest there more liberal
bestowal Of applause on the scenes and on the
actors and there were curtain calls after the sec
ond and third acts
Without having all the delightful and wonderful
display of ingenuity and ceverness that has marked
some OF it's authors works. and without the height
OF dramatic power and dignity of some others "A
womans Silence is typical Sardou play. 1t
begins as a Sardou play usually does. with an act
and half Of talk. not uninteresting yet not OF
dra matte IMPORTANCE in itself. but leading toward
the situations and crises which are TO follow Some
mixing Of the story is given but it is not clear TO
the audience till the middle Of the second act The
woman VINO is SO conspicuously silent Is ono
Dorothea March. Her brother shot man 10
whom he had lost money at cards, and he CHANGED
70 shoot him at his sisters door. To shield him
self he said that he shot him because he found
him in his sisters room. To shield him further
she corroborated his story. This naturally makes
things UNPLEASANT when the time comes for her TO
have q real lover. All this happened before the
beginning Of the play
The author has shown again his mastery or dra-
matte. dialogue He throws his people together ana
they talk But when the moment comes for the
scene on which the writer has set his heart. then
EVERY word that is spoken tells for the purpose.
All is clear, direct. bright and sharp as napier
Tho most remarkable scene in the play strongly
s,sgrests the one which mas always been most adj
mred In Diplomacy" AS in the older scene, the
only persons the stage are three men. Two of
them again as in Diplomacy" have the quarrel
between themselves. while the third for the mos;
part stands aside and listens. but is really the one
Who commands the situation Another likeness Is
that this third is the brother OF one of the
oilers. No who had seen Charles Coghan
play the prototype Of this character In "Diplomacy
could fail TO recall ii in looking at Mr. lie Moynes
performance last night. He held the attention even
when he did not speak, and he dominated the stu
s,on when he did 1t the perfect picture OF a
seIf-restrained. finished. elegant and rather Gym
raj man Of the world.
No one in the cast won any abundance OF new
Isurels or lost anv old Tie company is an
asle one. and 1t has the advantage OF long train
i.g as a company 1t presented the play in fin
isSed and thorough manner. Nobody had any op.
prtunity to win great sympathy. The interest Of
tie play is in the intricacies Of the plot. not In
Affection for any one character The second and
third acts have moments OF much dramatic force.
eined as has just been said. from the nature of
tn, story. Only two scenes were shown. boih
Beautifully painted by William Hawley.