The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-12 00:00:00

"THE 77.11E5" ON THE NEW YORK STAGE.

Tho "London Playgoer" continues his notices " On the
Stage of New York." He informs us that the old Park
Theatre, taking its name from the City Park, was once the
national theatre of New York. This has ceased to exist'
and the chief now open are the Broadway, Barnum's NOV
Museum, Niblo's Gardens, the Olympic, the New York,
and Wallack's ; the Winter Garden was burnt down a
short time ago. At the Broadway the production of
" Caste " has caused litigation. Mr. Lester Wallack bad
purchased the right of acting it from the author,
Robertson, but found himself anticipated by Mr. Florence.
He therefore moved for an injunction to stop him. After
much discussion the case was decided in favour of the Broad-
way, Mr. Florence deposing that he did not surreptitiouslY
obtain a copy of the work but that during a visit t°
London he had attended the Prince of Wales' Theatre 00
several successive occasions, and Lad taken notes with
sufficient accuracy to enable him to bring out the comedy
at his own house; but the decision of the Court was based
less on this deposition than on the difficulty of so it.tet•
prating the international law of copyright as to confer ea
exclusive privilege on Mr. Wallack. Tho piece is highly
praised by the "playgoer" as a perfect reproduction of the
performance at the Prince of Wales' Theatre in London.
He remarks that the decision of the law courts, nullifying
the copyright, as between England and America, of an
English drama, which, though not printed, has been
acted on a public English stage, must be mortifying
enough to Mr. Robertson and the British dramatists'
whose interests are identical with his own ; but if artisti:
cal pleasure can be accepted as a compensation for material
loss, such an exhibition as the ono referred to might afford
comfort even to Mr. Robertson.
Mr. Ira Aldridge, the negro tragedian, who recently
died in Poland, was to have appeared next month in one
of the principal theatres. Barnum's New Museum is de-
scribed as conspicuous from an enormous picture of all
alligator, extending from one side of the road to another.
This is not only a museum, but a comic theatre for the per"
formance of pantomimes. Niblo's Gardens is not devotel,
to any particular class of drama, but is the "starring
theatre of New York, where actors of every school ensconce
themselves for a while before a tour through other great
cities. It is compared to the Adelphi in London,
which completely changed the character of itsperformances
as Mr. and Mrs. Dion Bouicault, Miss Bateman, and Mr.
Jefferson successively became the ruling stars. At pre-
sent dancing reigns supremo ut Niblo's, with no other in'
tervals than that which separates the acts of the " Black
Crook." He gives the following amusing answer to his
own question, What is "Black Crook ?" " Some half"
dozen words are uttered before a picture placed in the
front grooves, an'' when this is drawn aside the serious
work of dancing begins, to be interrupted by similar infint"
tesimal gaps. All this the New Yorkers consider not only
delightful, but astounding, as, indeed, it is. They have never
seen a big ballet before, and now they have begun looking
t
at one they seem determined not to leave off. The me
extensive memory declines to recall the date when "Black
Crook " first began, and the most far-seeing prophet ven-
tures not to foretell when it will leave off." Another great
attraction, in addition to the dancing, is a " transformation
tableau from ono of the Londo.n theatres, and a picturf;
rendered marvellous by a real cascade, purchased from tu„
Alhambra." The third notice of the "London Playgnerr
is chiefly devoted to "Lotta," who is described as " ei
young lady, diminutive for her age," whose averr
od
peculiarity is her versatility, there being scarcely
limit to her range of characters. The principal attraction
of the favourite piece, the " Pet in Petticoats," is said to
bo the unhesitating manner in which Miss Lotta swear:
and of "Family Jars"—the elaborate performance of thatbe
lady on the banjo. It is surmised that after a tour on '
American continent she will probably visit London. A t
present the principal actor at the Olympic, New Yorklb_
Mr. John Brougham, who represented O'Grady in " ArT.roaa.
na-Pogus" during the successful run of that piece in -L" tor
don. Mr. E. Coleman is described as an excellent aciah
lately lately arrived from Liverpool, and now acting " Uri
Heap" at the Olympic. The remarks in this paper -
elude with the following words:—
" There is one fact with respect to which the English
dOO
public ought to be thoroughly disabused. When a L'auee
actor visits America, and after a sojourn of two or tb r
years, comes back to the old country, and is not se tunas
liked liked as he was before it is commonly assorted that h 0 is
been vulgarised' in the United States. Now, thereto
nothing vulgarising' in an American audience; 01 if
contrary, its fault lies in the opposite direction, and if
were an actor just from London, I should feel that t,_i
was not enough `go' in my patrons, and that if they
far
showed rather less decorum their plaudits would be
more inspiriting."