New-York tribune., 1901-12-24
THE DRAMA.
4 NEW PLAY AT THE EMPIRE.
THE WILDERNESS"

THE WILDERNESS"
The social world assuming that It is popuious
with sordid schemers and dreary with every form
Of neanness and selhshness presents itself to the
mind arid realm of faIsehood. treachery, and
peril such may well be called wilderness; and
from this point Of view the dramatist has in this
instance, chosen to regard It Mr.. Esmond's new
play.-successfu in England and auspiciousy pro-
duced here. last night. at the Empire. to signalize
the Remittance Of the stock company Of that the
atre,-shows ar episode in the experience Of
young woman who began a fortune hunter.
striving to make wealthy ana brilliant marriage,
and ended. after achieving her object, in becom-
ing affectionate, loyal wife The story is thin.
but it has been neatly told, and in such way
10 exhibit several interesting characters and to
frame situations that sympathetic and mildly
dramatic. The play, accordingly, is agreeable to
see and pleasant to remember. It received
with cordial favor, and individual members of the
Empire conpany.-particularly Mr. RichHan, Mr..
Crompten, Mrs. Whihen, Margaret Dale Miss
AngIin, Lawrence D'Crsay, and Mrs. Jones,-were
greeted with g glad welcome.
The heroine OF this comedy, Mabel Vaughan, ap-
pears to have been intended unusually subtle
study of feminine human nature She turns from
a poor man, who is her first choice. In order to
marry rich who is her second. and, having
won the latter. she foolishly apprses the former,
by mail. of her matrimonial good fortune. Her
letter falls into the hands of her husband, and
thereupon. in a gnanmous spirit Of self-abnega-
ton he prepares to efface himself from her path
way, in order that she may find with another the
happiness that he supposes she can never find with
him. But in the natural course of events her con-
science has been snitten her moral nature has been
awakened and her affections have been engaged,
and, when the crisis arrives, she confess her
fault, despise and condemn her imposture of con-
duct avow her true love for the to whom she
is welded and. casting all artice aside. stand
forth in the simplicity and honesty OF virtue, a
woman whom the degrading influence of social In
trigue may have beguled and misled, but has not
spoiled. All this means that a young woman, tenn
porarily sophisticated by selfish social influences
may for time. be frivolous and fippant nsincere
and rnercenary, but. IL the original fibre of her
character be sound will eventually prove herself
noble and It is not startling proposition
The play OF The Hunchback, now slowly reced-
ing in the dark backward and abysm of time
was long it's delightful illustration and enforce
rnent The dramatic representative OF such won1-
an should obviously possess beauty of person BRILL
fancy OF manners, depth of feeling, melody Of
speech the distinction that subdues and the charm
that irresstibiy alIures In this instance the part
was assumed by Miss Margaret Argin.-an
actress who has sometimes defeated cleverness
of purpose by surprising crudity or execution,
and by querulous stridulous vocalism that is de-
structive Of emotional effect: but one who has
steadily improved and advanced, so that, IN this
performance-far SURPRISING anything hitherto
achieved by her-she more than once astonished
her auditors by intellectual force and at one point
THAT OF the heroines explanatory scene with her
nil hdrebrained,
an his return to her after the rarriage) held the
it,.t;on in complete control BY her truth of feel
ing and her incisive precision alike of touch and
soeech The scene is remarkable too Tor its coia'
clear absolutely ruinous rebuke of the VICIOUS sem
tiunentalis that so often passes TOT love- "he'eF
in plays or in actual life
Mr.. Richman distinguished himself by singu-
Isriy well conceived and simply expressed assump-
ton Of the grave, seif-poised, gentle unseinsh,
noaenaninous. yet ardent, lover-that thoroughly
zood fellow romantic though past the age OF re-
nance who knows (and who can practically e%-
ernIifv) that true love seeks always 10 promote
the happiness of its object and never thinks OF
itself The part is impressive rather than Demon
<+rafive involving moments Of tunultuous eN-
citennent aside from one superb outburst OF honest
nassion at the close; sweet. pensive. slightly
autunnnal in and color fervent with deep teel-
ing but generally dominated by innate dignity
Mr. Richnnan embodied this character. Sir Henry
Milanor in a spirit of manly sincerity and with ao-
Ie artistic repose evincing unusual tenderness
NJ feeling and sustaining his ideal clearly ana with
,nvariable grace The part is not light comedy; the
rse,cA If II is sentiment and romance tinged with
reason and in this instance the part ana the ACTOR
- ,s-.sc+I,r harmonious. The chief honors of the
representation were gained by Mr. Richman. Mrs.
Kate Pattison Selten gave an excellent perform
ance of q matchmaking dame who though Worloly
minded and formidable is not devoid OF pieasahtrv-
A. r--or,ntor an actor whose of character
is exceedingly acute, whose hunor is spontaneous
and dryIy drol and who possesses the rare 1acuity
of making much out of little.-impersonated an
astute old English gentleman. who sees the truth
ana saws ft-rneetng with the reward that Is usual
under those conditions Other social types OF
r,ore or less conventional order are not wanting 10
t.-ee and diversity the picture Of English society
,r which this little love story is embedded Ike
r.r, in its setting and these are displayed and dis
n4rsed with the practical skill that Mr. Esr1ond mas
ACQUIRED as an actor and cultivated as oEamaust.
The love scene. in the second actin one Oh
1,btch the man is false. while in the other he is
.ru4 and in both of which the woman Is waverlns
betveen truth and falsehoo6,-are delightfully."- con
ceived and written and deiiciousiy framed IN
r,,stic beauty of woodland wealth The comedy OF
9TH. wilderness" will not astonish anybody by
either invention or briiliancy but ii Will please by
the sweetness of story the diversity OF It's char
ac+ers the purity OF its spirit the hoeity OF It's
pertraiture dettness Of its mechanism aho the
lightness Of its crisp and fluent style W. w