Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-04-18
Dramatic Observatory.
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THE AMERICAN DRAMATIC FUND SoCI- |
ETY's DINNER.-This pleasant little privata
utual-admiration affair came off as per an
nouncement on Saturday evening last, and re
allied all-that we expected of it. The report
circulated for the public ear, by those most In
terested, states that near l,lOO dollars were
received in the way of contributions; how
much of this sum the treasurers books Will
positively show in the end, remains to be seen
One great contributor of last year, the inettable
Barnlsnl, (who then contributed $500 and
temperance letter. kept silent; another, Mr..
James Gordon Bennett, whose donation then
was blank check, to be filled up lit was given
to understand at the discretion or modesty OF
the directors) was also missing so was NaPo
leon Maretzek, who gave them $40 and the
Opera House for two benefits, and so was our
bashful self, who used to give them time and
labor for arranging Opera performances at rs
tor Place. and sums at Dinner which mOdesty
forbds us now to name. But in stead of tAese
great men and great humbugs of last year, we
find others, such as Genin the halter with his
$50, and Phalon the barber and hairdresser
with his $3.50, and a distinguished naval Off
Ger, whose requests and $50, made him an hon
OrarY member (by accamatlon) OF this great |
" National Institution, the Annual Dinner OF |
| which, strictly confined to the smaller dining |
| room of the Astor House, and to the limited I
number of one hundred covers, at the low rate |
of seven dollars each is expected to be OF vast |
benefit to the entire profession, especially the
mtddltng, the lower, the working classes there |
| of. Many of the latter, in the present receipt |
| of salaries, even of low and small ones, would
have strained point or two, to have attended
| the dinner, and contributed their mite to So
| ciety OF which they are members and upon
| which they may some day themselves become
| pensioners many a respectable lover of the
| Drama from the middle classes of society
would have been on hand to pay tribute of
| gratitude to profession which often enlivened
| his leisure hours, and has aided in his educa.
ton, but that a narrow policy, the sycophancy
| of individuals and despicable ticklem me and
I'll-tickle.you system prevented them. We
are sorry for the Society, for we had always
hoped for much good from it, but after the last
annual benefit representation at Niblo's (Which
| consisted OF so little that was worthy OF such
| a cause, that the managers wisely kept 1t Sc
cret until the last day, and had it, like this
| dinner all strictly priVate,) and after the Ban
quet of Saturday last, our hopes are gone for
the present It is now false to its very name
: | of "American :" it is as little " American" as
it is " republican" as little" Republican" as it
/ is " National" and no hope remains but IN
: another more LIBERAL more open, more Ameri-
, can and Republican Board Of Managers. Let
! them take example from the American Musi-
! cal Fund Society,"" where the humblest men,
Der works heartily and with will. and where
all rely upon their own exertions for the com
t | mon welfare, not upon sycophancy or the
smiles of SUPPOSED patrons. Let them even
Q look towards their much boasted English
3 | Dramatic Funds, which they so often profess
g | to compare with this, and compare the man-
r agement of benefits and dinners to the speci-
BROADWAY THEATRE.-We have in reality
! nothing new or strange to communicate to our
readers respecting this establishment The
, | wonderful, unparalleled engagement of Mr..
Forrest, still continues; nor have the crowds
that nightly throng to witness the great Trage-
dams efforts In the least abated. During the
week, he has appeared in Hamlet, Virginius,
King Lear, Broker Of Bogota, &C., all of which
were received with the usual enthusiasm. As
general rule, Mr.. Forrest is admirably sup
ported, and we are pleased to observe how
often, how generously and candidly he insists
that some OF his fellow performers should re-
awe their due need of applause. We are es-
peclally referring to that excellent actress
r Madame Ponisi, who, it seems to u.s. is scarcely
as well appreciated by the general audience as
she ought to be. Mr.. Forrest however, with
due appreciation of her merits and industry
frequently insists upon bringing her before the
curtain 10 divide the applause with him. We
may here remark, that the performances of
Madame Ponisi are always distinguished bv
correct adherence to the text, a generally Judi
clous taste In costume, and thorough know
ledge Of the stage, but that at the same time,
sameness runs throughout her acting, which
not unfrequently mars its best effects. Indi-
vlduailty Is great essential in the dramatic
art, and without which no performer can ever
hope to attain great eminence yet we are well
aware that an actor or actress who has to SUD-
port the whole range of the principal parts In
theatre, is very apt, in the severity of study
and multiplicity of presentations, to forget his
or her identity. Hence we are willing to con-
gratulate and give praise to those performers
who evlnce correct knowledge, if not great
one, of their art, as is the case with Madame
Ponisi. She is sound, industrious, reliable
and most useful actress, one who never otfends
but invariably gives satisfaction. For the com
| uVoh haUn Onlv 10
alton of Mr.. Forests popular engagement.
BowERY.-A great attraction at this pop
ular theatre during the past week, has been the
production of Lucia di Lammermoor, oh,
we mean, the Bride of Lammermoor," Mrs.
Potter by her excellent impersonation of " Lu-
cia," we should say "Lucy," fully confirmed
| the very high opinions we had formed of her
abilities when first we saw her She is stead
lily. but surely and deservedly, becoming one of
the greatest tavorites of the patrons of that
theatre. Mr. Eddy plays the part of " Edgar
| do" (pshaw there we are again, but we have
hadto write these names so often in that way
| for some years past, that our pen can scarcely
shape them in the Engish,) Edgar then, in a
most effective and emphatic manner. By the
way, we must compliment the management on
the aery admirable way in which the piece is
| got up. Among the additions lately made to
the Bowery company we notice Mss Mitch
elt de6utante, young, goOd-looklng, and giving |
much promise Of Iuture excellence. A new
danseuse, Miss Gertrude Daoes, has also ap- |
peared there and has been well received.
BURToN's.-The "Twelfth Night" "West |
End,.' and the never failing "Serious Family" |
have been the comedies of the week. Bourci- |
cault's comedy of the "West End" which on |
| Thursday evening we witnessed for the first
time, was, with only one exception, admirably |
cast, and well performed. 1t is a fine, dashy, |
| fashionable comedy, possessing freshness with |
out originality, witticisms more than real wit, |
but upon the whole is an entertaining and bril- |
| liant effort though far inferior to the same an
thor's "London Assurance" upon which in re-
ality, he seems to have exhausted his small
| stock of talent Dramatist Mr. PLacide,
as "Sir William Daventry" was admirable, and
so was Mr.. Lester as "Percy Ardent" Anoth-
er part, that of the earl of Stanmore" was
most satisfactorily played by Mr. Dvott, but we
regret that so really fine part, as that of "Ma-
jor Foss" seemed to be, should not have been
more adequately filled. The "making up" and
dressing of Mr. Russell for that character was
in wrong taste, and his acting was worse. We
may be mistaken, but 1t strikes us, that the
management did not fully appreciate the beau
ty and importance of this part. Mss Weston
we are pleased to say pers0nated "Miss Norah
OConnor" most charmingy A very slight bit
more brogue, would probably have given the
part more marked and distinct character, but
really we had no right to complain, for we were
delighted with the charming naivety of the
nubial Bliss Associations, does not amount to
much. Its sarcasm may hit somewhat at the
present rage for Building, Homestead, Loan
and other similar associations. but if it have
anymerit, that is all. Mr. Lester has a very
fair part 10 it, that of "Filigree," and contrved
to make it telling one with the audience.
Mr.. Bland, who is very clever and reliable
actor in his proper line of characters lis entire
ly out of his line in playing such parts as that
Of Mr.. Clapperclaw Old men, or semi.old
men are certainly " not at all, in Mr.. BANDS
way" Goggles" maid of all work, was cap
italy personated by Mss J. Hill. The last new
comedy called "The Man flaw" which has
been highly successful in London, is the next
attraction, and will be produced tomorrow
evening.
AtNIBLos, the charming and accomplished
ReUssET sisters, aided by one or two clever
male dancers, and Corps de Ballet, with prettier
faces and straighter legs than Corps de Ballet
usually present, have succeeded in drawing full
1aliohfe audieucoe oIo ,,7ool-