The Express.
London, England, 1862-04-21 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 21, iFt2.

DRAMA.

PRINCIZOWL

The aolde• Daggers, an entirely, original drama,
by Mr. Marks Pechter and Mr. &based Yates, was played
for the Ina time oa Saturday night. Mr. Pechter himself
took the place* part ; this algae would have been
enough, eller the remark de position that Mr. Pechter Ina
stirred en the leglieh einne,and we might ry in the English
ems, to aehe the went ene of very great interest. What-
ear dilemma, of opiates alight here existed as to the pro-
: piety and the poi taste of the naturalistic treatment of
the Shakespeare dimes which Mr. Fechter ventured upon,
the succor of his impersocatsoaa was as complete sa the
arlgieslity, the istelligeoce, and the genuine dramatic genius
whist' meshed his assumption of the Hamlet, the Othello.
sad the Ina But there could be no critical reserve in the
eeivereel testimony which had given to Mr. Feebler the
highs* plane in the picturesque and sentimental drae,r of
the Finish school. This was felt to be his aatier from the
Ink awl it was this which enabled him to create the part
of Ireia in the Corsica. Brothers, amt to extend his
ashierearte in the Roy Mai. When, therefore, it was
knows that the eminent dramatic artist was occupied in
deigning • part for his own spertalia, and, moreover, that
be was associate' in this with Mr. &droned Yates,
himself • ace of the dam, so to speak, a des.
Natio critic of peat experience sad laterateur of position
the public' expectatioe was Meld to a higher pitch—indeed,
the Princess's has rarely been fWed with such a gathering
ef the clans literary, dramatic, sad artistic, as on this
eseetioe.

The duo= is made up of incidents, which In them-
settee, as affording opportunities for acting, are effec-
tive, but they do not tell a story that excites the sympathies.
Throughout we feel that the actor has absorbed the drama-
tist, that the story has been sacrificed for the take of obtain-
ing striking situations, which have comparatively little to
do with it. Indeed one great principle of the drama has
been lost sight of that of putting the audience in the
secret of the author. When so many incident' have to
be woven together, the silver thread of interest in
the story requires to stand out clearly throughout.
In • moral the work may be elaborately rrpoetal
in every part, but in a drama it seems to us the
forms slut be boldly modelled, and carved with a more de-
cisive touch. It is bard to say round which of the charac-
ters the interest cadres ; certainly it is not in George
Lester, though this is the acting ohmmeter of the piece, sad
most elaborately and artfully it is performed by M. Pechter,
who is scarcely ever off the stage. Perhaps some would
may it was in Sir Percival, who may repent, who insists he
only 6,.rrorred the elders gold, who declare* he loves Ellen,
and who beam himself barely in some trying situations,
though he does try to ran away In his last extremity. The
piece has the elements of a good melodrama, and it is so ad-
mirably well mounted, that with compression in some parts,
' as in Irackett's revolting situation with the Indian, sod dr
?eloping more clearly the interest between Lester and Ellen
Mansfield, it may be made more easily appreciable than it
appeared to be on its first reptementation. As to the trifling
impro liabilities of a wild lathes prowling about Hamptoo-
orthe-Thamee, au authors is the mood for a rich melo-
drama will not hesitate to assist this, but they must in a
drama et live acts have scoesiblies sot tee bud for their is-
tellies., to pierce. M. Feats: sane ea at the end of
each set I. resolve the pissilts et the bees