Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-10-11
RHEA, AS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OF THE FRENCH"
Her New And Elaborate Production
of the Thrilling Play.

The gifted and beautiful Rhea has in
store rare and genuine dramatic treat
in her magnificent production of Mr..
Havens remarkably exciting historical
play, Josephine. Empress of the
French"
Rhea will be seen az the Bennington
Opera House. Tuesday evening, October
Is, and that there will be great audience
to witness the fascinating actress in one
of the most picturesque, and thrilling
characters both in history and drama,
goes without saying. Rhea has bad the
powerful play so constructed for her
tour this season, that it requires the
most capable support and the fair art
iste and her managers, MesSrs. Rich and
MBder, have spared TO pains at all to
insure perfect representation of the
historical character. Besides there are
many realistic episodes of the most ex-
citing description added to the play and
it may be said that Rhea has never seen
a greater advantage than in her latest
elaborate production of Josephine.
The incidents in the ball room scene of
the Tuileries have been admirably ar
ranged by Rhea that one indeed feels
the very existence of the famous per-
sOnages. The heroic and the honorable
courtiers of the Napoleonic court, the
selfish, the base, the traitor are all
present, and become familiar figures.
The play affords the audience oppOrtun-
ity for the ABSORPTION OF one of the
most picturesque of historical periods.
Its dramatic and literary strength are
such as TO stamp it indelibly on the
mind. The wonderful accurate scenes
never fade from the eye. and the exquisite
and powerful representation of the
martyr empress Josephine. are not to be
forgotten. Rhea has identified herself
with the splendid character. 1t was
Rhea who first created the part dramatic
ally and consequently to Rhea the stage
and the publis acknowledge the deepest
appreciation. How strongly marked
are all the episodes as, for instance, the
roar of the cannon announcing the
birth of an heir to the throne of France.
The suppressed excitement during the
cannonade and the nervous, almost
breathess count of the mighty reports
which tell the nation and the cast off
wife, Josephine, that a son is born TO
-N"pOiOOii ulO III hCCPlhS WIN NlC lllo-
tOrical narrative. The sympathy for
Josephine when the divorce is being re-
corded is only deepened when her ming
led joy and sorrow are witnessed on the
birth of the King of Rome. Her con-
slant love for Napoleon supersedes the
hatred she bears her rival, Marie Louise.
For Napoleon and France has she sutfred
nOblv, unselfishly. But nothing can
dauut her affection for the Emperor.
Meeting Marie Louise, who has refused
to Join Napoleon at Elba, Josephine
curses her for faithlessness to him, and
one of the most human and forcible
scenes is enacted between the two.
Had not Josephine risked her life when
with him on the field of action? Had
she not travelled from France to Milan
in the most troublesome times in order
to join him? Yet, Marie Louise refuses
80 go to him in his exile where he anX-
iOusly awaits to receive and clasp his
infant son in paternal embrace. NapOl-
con however returns to France at the
head of the army which follows him to
man after his memorable appeal: Here
am, you know me. If there is a sold
Ter among you who wished to kill his
Emperor, let him do it., What a bril-
liant coup d 'etat, but Josedhine. over
whelmed with grief, disappointment and
dies at the time of the
grand re-entree and so ends the strong,
emotional and historical play.
Rhea is an ideal Josephine and every
inch the Empress. Such is conceded by
the press and the public. The charm
ing artistes production of the play this
season surpasses anything eyer attempt
ed by her. Her costumes are a dream
of loveliness and in her imperial robes
and coronet of diamonds one might
think that the beautiful artistic had just
stepped from the mastery picture by
the famous painter, David, which hangs
in the Leuvre. Rhea has moreover
paid special attention to the costumes of
the various and many characters in the
play Nnd each portraiture is historically
and exactly correct. The one aim of
both Rhea and Messrs. Rich and Mader
has been to give as perfect an atmOs-
phere of the NapoleOnic period as stage
will allow, while Mr.. Haven
the author has so constructed his play
as to make it enjoyably comprehensi-
ble There is nothing involved in plot
or language; indeed, the work is full of
human interest and the most intense and.
dramatic historical facts have been treat
ed by the author in fashion worthy of
the distinguished Rhea.