New-York tribune., 1903-01-27
THE DRAMA.
Mss Sh0r at the Manhattan.
"GHOSTS."

According to Aubrey. the antiquary whom Old
buck mentions as an experienced ghoSt-seer the
spectral custom is TO vanish with "a curious per
fuue and q relodious twang" In the lugubrious
appearance and disappearance Of the Ibsen ghosts
which occurred yesterday afternoon, at the Man
haitian Theatre. before a small and sad assem-
hlsge, chiefly female the rnslodious twang was
duly furnished by Miss Mary Shaw, and the
curious perfume.--as Of 6eoaying rat in dark
Cellar.-was nberaly provided by Father Ibsen's
play Miss Nary Shaw. who has long been known
an actress OF some talent and much vigor. takes
p more serious view OF herself than anybody else
IS likely ever 70 take and in the presence OF a
theme so tremendous the merely mortal observer
psuses with natural The purpose OF this
disciple OF Ibsen according her published proc
lsrnatiol- is Ito educate the public palate up 10
appreciation Of mankinds real Inconsistency
sRd TO make the drama IAN engrossing form OF
instruction in the vital truths Of fe.-those vital
truths being that the world is sordid. narrow
minced. pinchbeck little world' society
"a eT4uninE mask TO state of seethng
corruption; that the weakness OF humanity has
never. I'll the arrival OF Miss Shaw, been fully
cornprehended: that under the surface Of things
there awful facts: and that truth" when
naked" (Rs. OF course. II is, and never was,
except II the plays OF Ibsen) is "a horrible, dis
fortea Hyde, which reflects perfectly the i'm
rnutsble course of nature Such a purpose Of in
structtre be1evolence.-so fresh. original and
likely, when prosperous TO diTuse much com
fort.-can only be viewed with the homage of
h0u1teoEE
Charles Mathews. 70 the English humoTist Arthur
Sketchiey.-who blessed with the inveterate
habit OF universal condernstion.-''daInn every
thing ana everybody; have done with 1t; and lei
20 70 breakfast
Upon Miss shaw's refcrmatory crusade.-which.
probably. viii occupy at least two three weeks
of her Observation-Disclosures remark might only dis
surb appropriate mood OF sympathetic and SUD-
rnissive concurrence. With Miss Shaw as the
vlfely woman" laboring ito educate The public
palate" and Mrs. Patrick Campbell, as the false
wife striving after q harmonious whole ORA
matte results likely ensue. IN the course OF
tine Meanwhile, since this world, with all IFS
faults. the best world that the human race
ossesses and the only one OF which il feels mod
erately well assured. humble hope might be
whispered that these moral iconocasts viii advance
with rnercIfuI moderation in their great task OF
smashing Il TO set il right. Even Father Iosen
right object 10 the precipitate arrival Of that
heaven upon earth II which everybody would see
everybody else foul contamination, and the
Office Of the censor be destroyed For the thlng
in which this Norwegian bard revels is disease
The ghosts about which he has tried TO make
7lsv sre the tafrts physical and moral. ot hered-
starry scrofgla Cor something worse) and the de-
sign he has harbored, in portrayirS them IS one
OF adnouition as 10 marriage Almost al OF this
writer's productions indeed. are clinical; aTo IL IS
not difficult 10 see that when the whole human
race takes the business Of searching for microbes
the bard Of bacteria Will find his occupation gone
The great comedian Joseph jefferson said that
running particularly fast. distributor Of tracts
approached him and presented pamphlet bearing,
q title. the alluring question, Are you aware
that you al going to haile" This is the STOCK
idea Of Ibsen- and his rotten play Of Ghosts, -
II rfav II can be called, which is laboriOus, pom
dcrous proix medical treatise, cast in the form OF
dialogue.-t takes the shape not only OF inquiry
but Of affirmation Moral obiiCuity. sequent on in
herited physical disease is the subject, and plau-
t1dj-o1lg EabhlA is the form = rickety youth, who
has inherited g taiut OF blood from his proHiga1e
father and whose condition is verging toward
raresis is shown IS the suitor OF his half
sister the offspring Of his blackguard sire and a
female servant: and this youths devoted mother
now 2 widow, is shown the long suffering VIC
tin OF the circumstances thus indicated. and, incl
dentsIIy. as the rsnounCed idol OF clerical ass
The climax Is simply bestal with putrid horror. All
ans Is supposed 10 be freighted with a lesson"
chat conemporsnecus indigestion results from pre-
historic pickles. and strangely enough ali this is
thought 10 be new-though centuries before the
prophet Of corruption emerged in Christiana II was
written that the sins Of the father visited on
the children and that the human heart is deceiful
and desperately wicked.
The Ibsen Drama requires acting. Anybody
accustomed 10 The stage readily present T.
The !r+erloctIrors walk in and talk Till they are
1ired. telling each other Wat. for the most part
they already know. and then walk out; and pres
emily they come back and talk again Miss Mary
Shaw has the repose and proficiency Of an old
actress and she can murnlur softly. and make q
good stimulation Of riddIe-aGed maternal tender
ness ana deity employ the stare Of abject misery
and speak scorn with nice infection, and do more
with such a word as 'ptiful" than ever the So
r,arofs parson did with .Mesopotauia'': but with
all this her presentnnent OF Mrs Alv1ng is de-
-fo-abl1- ike pumpkin gone 10 seed: and no ad-
rnirer of her earlier successes could fail 70 grieve
AZ seeing a woman 50 clever engaged in work so
s1oxious so absurd and surely doomed 70 cls-
graceful failure. Sr. Ibseu's Ghosts is dis
honor 10 literature and the production Of II Is a
deflenent Of the stage and an offence 70 the public
morals and 10 hes lthfuI mind could mistake
s- ror s1vraiag else It is all very drea-y, very
dismal very pretentious, ana productive OF moth
Ing but detection and disgust There may be a
v-srp IN human nature and there may be illness
iu human society. but pictures OF idiocy and vice
E-d dana BE iteration" Of platitudes about hered-
TRY disease viii never straighten the nor heal
me other This sin VIII be repeated at the Manhat-
tn Of three successive afternoons.
CAST OF GHOSTS"
1ba