Year: 1873

Broadway Theatre-soThe Woman In


Whftc.''


Mr.. wilkie Collins dramatization OF his novel,
ssThe Woman in White,n was produced last night
at the Broadway Theatre and met with unequivo-
cal success. Some dramatst--for aught we know
1t may have been the master spirit OF the English
stage-once said that whenever he wished his
characters to transact anything OF Importance
upon the stage he told the audience what he was
going to do, told the audience while ne was doing
it and told the audience what he had done after he
had got through. This saved time and prevented
mistakes Upon this principle the drama produced
at the Broadway last evening Is constructed. 1t
is one OF those machine plays, made OF
joists and dovetais, where everything happens
pat at the moment to the amazement or no one
but that OF the characters simulated. Every sa-
gacious reader is aware OF the chief merits OF the
romance OF "The Woman in White.n They con-
sist OF an exceedingly ingenious and interesting
plot felicitousy unravelled and OF the unusual
art and strength with which the unique character
OF Count Fosco is built. Perhaps it would be too
exacting to claim that these excellences should
be as forcibly presented in the play. The COM
preston necessary in dramatic composition rem
ders tt impossible that all the ins and OF very
complicated plot should be unwound, retaining
breathess Interest from first TO last. But we think
absorbing creation in the book should



particularly when good deal OF nowery rhetoric
has been spent IN preparing the New York public
that Character. The actor in the present case is
Mr.. Wybcrt Reeve, who was announced months
sgo; and for whom i Is claimed, IN the play bin
and dramatist OF great repute The simple truth
is tnat Mr.. Reeve is not comedian and
ability never viii viii be- II We are 70 M Judge Of
him BY his Count Fosco land since that has been
thrust forward as his specialize, we think we have
right toy, he is simply careful and
. not nnintellgent actor, who makes as good
Of aStes Hs q Of the ooan
was mediocre and respectable, and mediocrity and
% Ss @ Is no as chaf
acter painter. His forte lies in another and less
elevated sphere But his Count Fosco stands alone
ably OF a vast number OF touches which close OBJ
servaton OF many models enabled him to give 1t
is q character which such an actor as Fechter
might not disdain, and which such an actor could
deineate with that lurid magnetism Of look, tone,
the Count possessed. These attributes are alto
getner beyond Mr.. wybert Reeve, and.
cannot be blamed for not possessing
them But every reader OF the novel would have
OF the man task quite within the grasp OF stage
art and not only legitimate but essential We do
not mean that Mr. Reeve is a failure because he
does not make the Count corpulent. FalStan
would probably have been just as witty had he
weighed a few pounds less Mr Reeve is failure
because ne is not in intellectual and artistic corre-
spOndence to the reports which parties Interested
in his American debut spread In regard to him,
and the least he ought to have done under the cir
cumstances after acting the role to the best
OF his ability T. merit which we are will
facsimile OF the physical exterior Mr.. Collins
has so well described. The rest OF the cast with
two exceptions, was extremely poor. These ex-
ceptions were Miss Vernon as Marion Hal
combe and Miss Helen Tracy as Anne Catherick
and Laura Fairhe. Miss vernon's performance
was the best OF the evening, because 1t was the
most evenly sustained and selfconsistent. The
dual part OF Miss Tracy entailed task OF some
severity and a great deal OF Miss Tracys effort
had the prettiness OF mere conventonality un-
strengthened by original thought Still the dif-
ferences between Anne and Laura were at times
clearly Defined and the actress deserves credit for
piece of conscientious work. The remainder Of
the cast is beneath serious mention The piece
was iairy placed on the stage and will be played
every evening this week.