The Washington times., 1903-11-17
GUIHERA'S NEW PLAY
SEEN At THE LAFAYETTE
First Production Here of
Marta Of the LOWlands."
ADMIRABLE PERFORMANCE
Play Full Of Dramatic Interest, Pre-
sented by an Excellent Company.
Large Audience Delighted.

spanish playwright, was produced for
the first time in Washington last night
on the stage of the Lafayette Square
Opera House. and was thoroughly ap-
preciated by a large audience, which in
cluded many elements prominent in the
intellectual life of the Capital Diplo-
matists, CongressLaeE, high government
officials and a liberal contingent of other
persons whose approval of a dramatic
| production furnishes fair standard of
its merits We're present and repeatedly
signified their aDpl>e< iation of play ana
players by hearty md prolonged ap-
plause.
These concentrations were eminently
| deserved. Marta of the Lowlands' is
to be accounted one of the very best
dramatic writings that have been placed
before the American public in many a
| day In the dignity and strength of its
action and the beatty and force of its
diction 1t Is well nigh classic From
beginning to end there is not situation
| that Is not the natural development
either of that which precedes ii, or OF
the consistent progrcss OF the story
There is no grasping for elap-trap ef-
fects. no appeal to maudlin sentimental
ity, no attempt to raise a laugh at
the expense of consistency Just as the
more tragic situation of the play devel-
| op themselves from the elemental char
acteristlcs Of the men and women in if
Just so the comedy proceeds from the
simple but perfectly natural conditions
under which these persons move and
/ nave their being 1t may be cited as the
best proof Of the authors consummate
art that even the comedy Of his play has
touch OF the pathetic. and thus re-
/ mains essentially true to the spirit and
the purpose of the action.
Story of the Play.
This Is the sto-y: Marta is a child
OF the streets. whose whole life. as far
back as she can remember, has been
passed in assisting her mother in so
netting aims. In one Of the scenes she
tells how her mothers hand was al
ways outstretched In begging posture,
how even in the rigor of death il re-
tanned that form. With the man who
had consorted with her mother she
wanders about after her mothers death.
still begging, until they chance TO come
| 10 an estate owned by Sebastian. who
offers them shelter He becomes en-
amOred Of Marta's beauty, and, by the
TACT that under Catalonian tradition
and conditions the master is practi-
caliy lord of life and death in his do
mains. accomplishes her ruin and re-
tains her as his mistress. Dissipation
OF his fortune makes il necessary for
him to marry an heiress, but vet he is
unwilling to give up Marta. He CON
ceives the idea 10 marry her TO a shep-
herd Of the mountains, Manelich. whom
he attracts by the offer Of making him
the miller. He compels Marta to agree
to this scheme, and in order to guard
against her falling in love with Man
elich he persuades her that the shepherd
Is fully cognizant of the shameful bar
gain and has consented for money TO
play the part of complaisant husband
| Manelch Is the pure child of nature.
His philosophy Of life Is as simple as
II IS touching; its very simplicity raises
him to the sublimeZt heights Of heroism
IN his conduct towards Marta, OF
whose relations to the master" the
gcssips OF the village have lost no time
70 inform him. Even under the ad-
verse conditions Of their marriage.
Manelich's love for Marta increases
and her feelings toward him change
from contempt to affection. Sebastian
stil persecutes her with his unholy
passion. and, exasperated by her con
fession OF her love for ManeIich. at
tempts TO force her % submit. when the
shepherd enters, kills the master" and
returns with Marta TO the mountains.
Plot of Great Intensity.
It will be readily understood that suct
a plot would furnish situations Of over,
powering intensity. To an author les.
strongly imbued with the dignity of hi.
theme and the lessons he desires to teach
or 10 a playwright less skilled In pre-
serving the equipoise OF the action anC
holding the mirror up TO nature" ths
temptation would have been strong q
weave into the naturally somber tex
ture Of the action some contrasting
flashes Of lurid color. Not 50 Guimera
He does not sacrifice naturaIness to &c
centricity. nor rational sequences tC
abrupt climaXes. His story unfolds IL
self before the auditor like some ex
quisite painting IN which no color OBJ
trudes itself unpleaaantly upon the view
i And just as the st..y Is told consistent
ly. 50 the dramatic unities are conscien-
tously observed and the result is a har.
monious entity.
OF the company presenting the play
nothing can be said but in praise. Ever
the smallest part is performed satisfac
torily. Fernando Ejiscu gives a power
ful impersonation of Marta. She pre-
serves throughout the gloom in which
the consciousness Of the situation forced
upon her by Sebastian envelops her. ant
this Is lightened only when the light o1
her awakening love for Manelich pene-
4 trates It, Hobart Bosworth is admirable
in the role OF Manelich. From his frs
entrance as the joyous child of the
mountains to the final tragic climax OF
his killing the master" his pOrtraiturC
does not fail for a moment to enchair
the intelligent interest Of the audience
| Ethel Browning gave a delightful per-
/ fornance as Nulf an unsophisticated
loving child. and Hardee Kirkland as
/ Sebastian succeeded in depicting the vii
| lain without descending to melodramatiC
! effects Alexander Vincent made a de-
I cided hit as Tomas. especially In his sar-
castle rebuke TO the women gossips.
| The play was adequately staged and
! costumed. and the local cOloring was
/ heightened by the clever dancing OF Do
| lores Tavara and Harold Hendee, who
! performed the jota -SrragOnnesa, as well
as by the clever mandolin playing OF
| Messrs. Panarello. Serena, and Teramo.