New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-20
THE DRAMA.
MRS. FISkE AS THE MAGDALEN
MANHATTAN THEATRE

IL
sanity accomplished. last night. at the Manhattan
rheatre and, in presence Of an assemblage re-
1aarkable for intellectual character this original
and singular fabric Of the German Muse stood re-
-ealed as a spectacle OF sombre spleudor. a play
r, tragic force story Of rarely pathetic character
and an ethical impairment of actual value-be-
cause compounded Of tender human feeling char
.rv and truth. The pictorial part Of the produc-
rfon blending Hebrew simplicity with Roman mag
--fecsnce is Invariably impressive and sometimes
exceedingly beautiful The scene is laid in and
rear the city Of Jerusalem, under the reign OF the
77o-1sn Emperor Tiberius and in the year OF the
crucfxi0H Of Jesus. around whose unseen but con-
,inuousy operative personality the characters and
Incidents are made to eddy, and under whose
celestial influence the action is impeled This
action devised 10 portray the rescue and regenera-
,ion OF a human soul. involves a conspicuous rep
resentative image OF sin and sorrow-the re-
,,antant Nagdalen OF the New Tesla ment-vhom
i lifts out OF infamy and shame awakening her
conscience by purely spiritual means subjecting
rsr 10 one agonzing ordeal Of awful trial. and
sweeping her along, as upon a torrent of destiny.
= the security Of redemption and the ecstatic
triumph OF absolute faith The pictures that CON
etftute physical environment for this action.-an
environment Of great archaeological interest and
destructive utility display room in the Magda-
lens DWELLING which is severely yet richly Hebraic;
+ room in Roman consular secretary's dwelling,
which IS Hebraic and Italian, g spacious square,
with couverEing streets, in Jerusalem: and a desc
late raiEe IN the outskirts Of that venerable city
dark and ominous with the pail of an impending
storm and with the vague menace Of a baletul
catastrophe These pictures. composed and paint
81 with admirable fidelity TO Oriental objects and
coI0rs-set the locality OF the story clearly before
The vision and abundantly suggestive Of the
external life OF the Jews in ancient times while
me story which is simplicity itself is told in a
Izpd sequence Of incidents and in colloquies that
ere smooth direct. and brief It is g twofoId story
The one that is told inClosng that is only
suggested. the former showing conventional
posture Of love and jealousy, the latter indicating
in a shaGoWy background. the character, the in
f-snce. and the -ragical sacrifice Of Jesus Christ.
This drama first acted, by Mrs. Fiske and
her associates. ct Milwaukee. on October %. ana
Hftengard at Chicago. on October p. and some of
me accounts OF II. published in newspapers Of the
West gave the impression that il invades the sane
r.ty Of the Bible and trenches irreverently on the
domain Of sacred things. That impression proves
Be erroneous. for there is offence in the
piece than there is in The Pilgrims Progress" or
Croly's "SalathieI." or Grace Aguilar's Vale of
Cedars." all OF which compositions are not only
harmless but salutary. In fact. Mr.. Heyse's play
is not much Biblical as It is historical Like
other plays OF its class. it mentions historical
names and il alludes 10 historical incidents but its
dramatic substance is, essentially, a abrc Of the
fancy. having scarcely a shred Of basis in the
Bible narrative, and no veritable authority what
ever. Mary Of Masdala appears a the truant
wife of Old, corrupt and Hcentious Hebrew.
from whose cruel treatment and bestial society she
a
inpassioned and honest lover OF Mary,-between
whom and himself the bond for time, is that Of
sincere affection.-and as a Hebrew patriot fanat-
icsIly devoted 70 the service OF his country
Caiaphas, the High Priest Of Jerusalem. is repre-
scented as { willy schemer; bigoted and implacable;
solictous for the authority Of the Sanhedrim, and
capable Of any indirection, however interruptions
and abhorrent, 70 maintain his power and to graf
tfy his vndictive hate Aulus FlaHus, the consular
secretary, designated as nephew 10 Pontius PLATE
l. mad nv
portrayed as q sutton 70 Mary,--at first from mere
caprice. but ultimately. from genuine and not dis
credttable regard. The auxiliar characters. eight
in number although two three OF them bear Bibli-
cal names are merely theatrical inventions And.
finally while the betrayal OF the Nazsrene Is IN
dicared as a principal impulse in the movement OF
the drama the motive Of Judas in repudating his
leader and delivering him into hostile HANDS Is oe-
Clares 70 be neither mercenary greed nor pre-
OBSTINATE vickedness but furious resentment
proceeding out Of the passionate conviction that
Hebrew freedom has been lost through that lead
er'g incornp etence TO lead this resentment being
intensified. and made insane. by the fanatics per
ceptou that the object Of his earthly love mas.
through spiritual change, been removed out OF
his world lifted above all mortal passions ana
separated from him forever.
As a rule. the ethical element in dramatic lit
erature is tiresome super9uity. because either IN
si-i51v commonplace or speciousy vicious. Mr..
F4eyse's play however presents the exception, FOR
its ethical value is unique and remarkable IN the
plays that commonly presented, relative TO the
particular form OF human fraity typifed by the
-rsg5s,Ar the heroine IS a sinful woman who is
distressed because either she cannot possess an
a5or=5 lover or being IN disgrace cannot reinstate
herself in social position and esteem: and further
more she is being whose risfortunes are, theo-
reticaIIy ascrbed 70 Ungovernable excess or emo
ton and II whose behalf it fs claimed that her
ioveliness % character-an attribute whlch Is
thought TO be always compatible with the immoral
tries q araiable weakness.-should commend her 10
human sympathy. and be deemed an ehectual pal
rative Il not complete justification Of her sin
The indirect influence OF those plays, accordingly
has been that Of evil communication; an influence
tending to blur the grace and blush Of modesty'
70 perplex moral perception and TO saturate the
public mind With q mushy sentmentauty, oepl4l-
Eating 10 character and detrimental 10 intellect
The afflicted sinner who is only grieved because
envtroned with uzpropitious worldly circumstances
IS not a sufferer whose agones should elicit mucn
expenditure Of public compassion. Mrs. Iris Mrs.
Tanqueray and company would readily recover
with little anatory consolation or little IasI'-
3onshle brief tie erring sister as usuaLy
depicted on the stage, is a humbug. and therefore
the IS the proper object OF satire and contempt;
and II the Nagdalen had been introduced INTO a
drama merely for the purpose Of exploiting her
vicious life bewailing her socially outlawed condi-
lion, or seeking 70 inspire a mawlIish sympathy
with her putative woes she might well be dismissed
only one more OF the wanton sophistical frauds
that have so long encountered the theatre and so
grsvously besrnirched the public taste. MIR Heyses
play entirely different purpose. since Tor
The first time Il shows the fallen woman.-incar-
nate in the most famous representative OF her
olass-nether as the courtesan Turing her lover
nor the social pariah contendiug for her for
feted rank but as the repentant sinner rescued
regenerated, and redeemed, who no longer Graves
ne forgiveness or heeds the tumultuous nothing
Tess Of man, but meekIy enduring the appointed
snd Inevitable punishment for sin reposes all her
Irre vF-r 1s,Fdi