The Saint Paul globe., 1897-03-22
AT THE THEATERS.

Shall We Forgive Herr" is the question
able title of the English domestic drama
which received its first American production
at the hands of Manager Jacob Lift, at his
theater, last flight. There is plenty of good
material in this drama There is also some
material not 50 good. 1t easily be dis
posed of by omitting it. The vacancy can
readily be supplied with an improvised arti-
Gle. When these changes are made and the
cast is strengthened, as it be and un-
doubtedly will .be.y the play ought to prove a
winner. 1t may be said in passing that, for
nrst performance, the achievement of the
company last night was highly commendable.
No stage waitsIwefe noted, and the prompter's
voice was not audible
In its present form the drama lacks one
essential element necessary to the success of
any play. The principal male character
the husband, who drives his wife and the
mother of his child out of doors when he
learns of her unfortunate past-engenders
disgust instead of sympathy. Oliver West is
prig, in his lightest moments. When the
crucial test comes, when the opportunity to
exhibit the magnanimity Of presents
itself, Mr. West displays the narrow intol-
erance of the puritan in aggravated form.
This is not to charge the dramatist with ere
atlng a character unknown in real life, for
such detestable individuals still exist. But
as this play is constructed, the conception Of
the character is fatal, for it antagonizes the
sympathy that the wretched wife arouses,
She loves her respectable husband, and he
loves her, or is supposed to. After her hor-
rible experience with the villainous ruffian
who betrayed and abused her, after enticing
her to the wilds of the antipodes. her sub
sequent union with the man who loved her
and was loved in return meets with the
heartiest approval. When the secret of her
past is finally revealed to the husband, the
shock and the accompanying revulsion of
feehng that he suffers are but natural. But
the dramatist does not stop here. He accen-
tuates, aggravates and prolongs the unforgiv-
ing, uncharitable disposition and centempti-
bic intolerance of the husband to such an eX-
asperating degree that we lose all sympathy
for the wife in her efforts to effect a recon-
ciliation with such puppy. One feels that
she would be more justified in kidnapping her
child and leaving the country than in seeking
to restore herself to the bosom of such a
husband
To intensity the agony the upforgiving
husband is stricken with blindness while in
the act of denouneing and renouncing his
wife. you have broken my heart and
blighted my life, for 1 blind!'' he ex-
claims. Instead of arousing any sympathy
for him, the calamity strikes you as a just
retribution.
Fortunately however, the mistake of the
dramatist in destroying all sympathy for this
man can be easily rectifed by expurgating his
distressingly orthodox and intolerant speeches.
In other words, endow him with some of the
characteristics of a man worthy Of a noble
woman's love, and then her efforts to become
reunited to him will have the sympathy of
the audience. AS ait is, her good taste is
called in question. Mr.. West, it may be add
ed. should show some signs of weakening"
before the final curtain, inasmucn as the
dramatiSt is, bound to make him relent at
last.
The tmpersonation of this disagreeabe
role was entrusted to Maurice Drew. Mr..
Drew's affectatf6n of speech and goody-goody
appearance and manner only intensified the
disagreeabeness of the character Mr..
, Drew was lacking in dignity though it
cannot be said he departed widely from
the character as denoted by the lines.
The distinct hit of the performance was
Miss Annie Woods portrayal of Aunt Martha
the English matron. 1t was an admirable
Characterization, refreshingly spontaneous and
natural Miss Fanny McIntyres impersona-
ton OF Grace West, the wronged wife, was
characterized by intelligent and earnest pur-
pose. Charles F. Gotthold was entirely sat
isfactory in the role Of James Stapleton, the
young engineer and. Thomas A.zNise contrib
uted an excellent characterization of the
Scotch oculist- The others were acceptable.
TIE com 'ng SAef& Amer cas- gf3atest actor,
Richard Mansfeidl2to the Metropolitan opera
| house for three snightsSOnly, with Saturday
matinee, commencing next Thursday evening,
is an event that every lover of the art of act
ing balls with pleasure. Aside from Mr..
aId
art in the portrayal of character, a. feature
that must command attention is the great sex-
pense he undergoes to worthily present the
many pays in his .repertory, which for this
engagement is The Merchant of Venice" ON
Thursday evening; king Richard Ill.," on
Friday evening; Beau Brummel" at the Sat
urday matinee, and "Dr. Jekyl and Mr.
Hyde" on Saturday night. In producing
these two Shakespearean plays it is said that
! Mr.. Mansfield has even exceeded the high
standard of production that he himself has
established in this country.
For the first half of next week. commenc-
ing Sunday evening March 2S the attraction
at the Metropolitan opera house viii be the
charming comedy, 'My Friend From India"
the latest New York success in that line 1t
will be presented in this city by the Smyth
& Rice companysSthe same as in the original
New York production. The engagement is
for four nights and Wednesday matinee,
The popular actor, James O'Nein, VIII appear
at the Metropolitan opera house Thursday,
Friday and Saturday of next week presenting
during his engagement Hamlet" "Virgin-
ius" and Monte Cristo."
THEIR GREAT HEADS.
New York SUN POIxes Fun at OUr