The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-12 00:00:00

THE "TIMES" ON THE NEW YORK STAGE.

The Times continues its interesting articles on the stage
of New York by an English playgoer. No. IV. opens
with an account of the New York Theatre, which stands
on the east side of the Broadway, a little below Wallack's.
Formerly a church, it retains its original ecclesiastical
aspect, the old square Kentish steeple, and shocks Eng-
lish feeling by the showy letters around the parapet,
announcing the New York Theatre. It chiefly depends on
pieces called " Transpontine." Tho melo-drama, at pre-
sent attracting a large audience, is entitled " Under the
Gas-light." The "Sensation" is a horrible villain, who binds
a poor wretch across the rails, and the noise of the coming
train excites the greatest anguish, when a woman appears as
the deliverer. The house in which Madame Ris OH performed
is the French Theatre, in a fashionable district out of the
Broadway line. Madame Ristori created a furore in Now
York, and her return is eagerly awaited. Mr. J. Jefferson,
whose Rip Van Winkle, at the Adelphi, was considered
one of the finest delineations ever seen in London, is now
at the Now York Olympic, where he draws crowded
houses. A like good fortune attends Mr. Forrest at the
Broadway Theatre. In New York his best parts are con-
sidered to be Virginius, Richelieu, and Damon. Long-for-
gotten in England, "Damon and Pythias" remains an ever-
green in America. The Astor Place Opera House, now
converted into the mercantile library, is still pointed out
as the scene of the Maenad), riot, said to have emanated
from the cool reception the American star met at the
Princess's in Oxford-street. The writer doubts whether,
with the exception of Mr. Charles Kean, there
is now upon the English stage a tragedian
worthy to hold a candle to Mr. Forrest. "He is not over-
refined, and he rather makes points than grasps entire
characters. But his power is great, ho is a conscientious
artist, and in the New World ho stands as almost the last
representative of that old English school which was re-
garded as perfect before the ago of ultra-realism began,
and miniature accuracy on a miniature scale was regarded
as the ultima thule of histrionic art." Although little of the
antique enters into the American element the writer ob-
serves :—" But English history is more loved hero than it
is among the most patriotic Britishers, especially that por-
tion which precedes the quarrel between the mother coun-
try and the colonies. To the American Queen Elizabeth
and Mary Stuart are classical figures, representatives
of his own ancestry ; and when the former brandishes
the sword of Enrico Ottavo' to confront Philip 11.,
the claptrap is more tolling in New York than it would be
in London. It is the cause of the Anglo-Saxon against the
Spaniard, contested before the time when the Anglo-Saxon
split up into two factions. "Richard III.," once so popular
in England, has altogether dropped there, and it is pleasant
to observe the zeal with which New Yorkers flock to wit-
ness and applaud Mr. Edwin Forrest's impersonation of
the crook-backed tyrant at the Broadway Theatre. " There
is all the old traditional business, executed with unfading
energy and power, and the accessories are all in that old-
fashioned style in which every illusion, save that produced
by the principal actors, is eschewed altogether. Those
devices by which Mr. Charles Kean contrived to make
the boards look as if they wore trodden by real armies
are wholly unknown, and half a dozen men-at-
arms, intended to represent hundreds, appeal to the
imagination only, without any attempt to appear more
numerous to the physical eye. As far as decorations are
concerned, things are in that 'palmy' state of which so
much is talked by veteran legitimists, but which always
fails miserably when its restoration is effected."
According to the writer, the adequate performance of
subordinate parts is not to be found on the New York
stage where the " star" system prevails. "People go to
see one principal actor, and nothing more. That the
Americans love good acting there is no doubt, but they
aro content to find it in the ono particular artist who holds
the highest place. I am told, however, that my opinion
on this subject would be modified if I witnessed the per-
formance of a legitimate comedy by the regular company
at Wallack's, whose activity will not commence till
towards the end of this month. I deem it but fair to state
this fact, as I fear I shall not stay long enough to ascertain
whether my present impression is correct or not."
" Gorgeous decorations, though not found necessary for
the enjoyment of the poetical drama, are, nevertheless,
highly relished by the Americans; and I have already men-
tioned the instance of the fantastic drama " Black Crook,"
which, on the strength of scenery and dancing alone, has
attracted crowds to Niblo's for more than 100 nights, and
oven now gives no signs of mortality. But the best scenes
of " Black Crook" came from England, and generally the
scenic artists of America are not even remotely comparable
to those of London. The drop scenes for the most part
are very crude specimens of art, nor do I anywhere find a
trace of thetalent which is so conspicuous in our Beverley,
Telbin, Calcott, and Fenton."
The houses in New York look large to the Londoner
accustomed to those pretty little band-boxes which afford
such delight in the old country, and whet no longer takes
for his standard the dimensions of Drury-lane. Notwith-
standing the success of Mr. Robertson's " Caste," the
writer considers that Americans do not like the represen-
tations of the short comedies prevailing in the smaller
London theatres ; the habits of the people even present a
serious impediment to the formation of a programme com-
posed of several small pieces. None of the theatres open
before 8 o'clock, and they all close at 11, which would not
give time for three pieces to come within the proscribed
limits unless too short to be of value. At almost all the
theatres on Saturday morning, performances called Ma-
tindes, commence at half-past two, and in Barnum's Museum
there. are two performances every day. " 1 may
here mention," concludes the writer, in allusion to
the liquor laws of the United States, a droll instance
of a dramatic joke answering a purpose which the author
neverintended. In Mr. Robertson's "Caste" the drunken old
plebeian is advised to retire to Jersey, and there drink
himself to death, reference being, of course, to the absence
of Customs laws in the Channel Islands. As the privileges
of those islands do not greatly occupy the mind of the
Britishers, the wholesome counsel did not produce much
effect at the Prince of Wales's ; but when the piece was
brought out at the Broadway the smart American instantly
applied the passage to New Jersey, and the roar was louder
than at any other line of the comedy.

Messrs. Sampson Low and Marston, Ludgate-
hill, have published "A Guide to the Great West" for
travellers, miners, and emigrants. An excellent map ac-
companies the work, made up as the "Guide," is to the pre-
sent date. Edward H. Hall, the author, observes in the
preface that "the book is a compilation of facts, gleaned
not only from actual observation and experience,
but from the latest and most reliable sources. 'lt has
been carefully revised up to the latest date, and contains
information not to be found in any other book." After
giving the fullest information on the routes to the Great
West. and a condensed summary of what is there to be
found, it concludes with the Act passed by Congress to
secure homesteads to settlers on the public domain. So
rapid is the change taking place in these quickly-growing
States and territories that it is necessary to revise such
a work at short intervals, which can readily be done, as
the cost 0# the iNOk is put a §hilliiis.