The herald., 1897-02-21

Seles at an immense expense, and his
efforts will no doubt be appreciated
by every amusement lover in the city.
Having given space to this enthusias-
tic anticipation. it leaves but little room
to say that six of the remaining seven
acts are entirely new here. These are
the Faust family of Swiss bell ring
ers, nine in number; white statue imi-
tstions "by the great fi&>los;" the two
Risleys. acrobats; Master Freddie. the
boy clown: Miss Eunice Fernandez,
mandolin player; Ted and Eugene Faust,
violinsts, and finally the Frantz family
whose really wonderful acrobatic work
has ELECTED great deal Of admiration
Instead of opening as usual tomor-
row night. special Washirgton's birth
day performance will be given tomorrow
afternoon, with the full new bill. The
two usual performances today.
Henrik Ibsen's new play. John Gabriel
Borkman." translated by William Arch
er, has been published in this country
and in England. The story is that of
man who has sacrificed honor and all
else to gain wealth and power. but has
failed to win anything better than COM
plete disgrace. His soul is practically
dead. and the opening scene discloses
his wife, knitting in her cherries home,
pacing the floor above, as he has done
for eight long years. He is an ex-convict
and the hard hearted wife listens care
lessly to the restless tread of her wretch
ed husband. Joyous sleigh bells ring
without, harshly grating upon the ears
of the unhappy couple. Mrs. Borkman
hating her husband. hates also her twin
sister, Ella Rentheim, who as Bork-
mans first love has fallen before his in
iah 1a nd ne h is
daily reciprocated. One chance for do
nestle redemption appears in the person
of Borl<mar's son. Erhart, upon whom
hang the dismal hopes of the luckless
trio. But Erhart runs away with q
dashing young divorce. Mrs. Will
mot. and the bells of the departing
sleigh that bears the young couple
chime through the desolate home, leav-
ing it gloomier than ever The new work
possesses the same literary and dramatic
worth of Ibsen's former plays.
The production of Auguste Germain's
new play, Il Etranger,' at the Odeon,
Paris is a recent dramatic event of inn
portance. The play is an interesting
one, and the public like it, although the
critics are not by any means unanimous
in pronouncng it strong piece of dra-
matte writing The theme is familiar
one Madame Gauthier and her son
Paul are living happily together, when
Paul falls deeply in love with Gwyette
Chazal, the daughter of a banker. AT
about this time the young man learns
that his father is not dead as he sup
posed, but is alive, having deserted his
wife long ago. Paul makes the further
discovery that his father is the banker
Chazavs partner, and that he, too, is
in love with Gwyette The father re-
fuses to consent to her marriage with
his son, and enlists the influence Of
Chazal against the marriage, by threat
ening to withdraw his capital. which ac
tion would ruin the bank. At last
Gwyette declares that if she cannot mar
ry Paul before the civil officer she will
marry him before God. and she goes to
live with him. After this the heart of
Paul's father suddenly softens and
there is a legal marriage. This abrupt
change seems inconsistent with the
fathers former character and is the
weak point in the play. Aside from this
flaw the plot is we'll constructed and
there are some strong situations. The
author of the play is young journalist
who has already been successful as
playwright with Famille, produced at the
Gymnase, and La Paix du Foyer, at the
Vaudeville.