New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-07
THE SUMNER GARDEN.

lu5 eWoulsturus vPVHcs "" s~N"y ~'~hi'S W
last wetk, crowded and very brilliant sudieocs being
IN stx ndsnce on thst and Every succeeding evening
Of performance.
A month ago, II q denizen of this goodly city bad
hem asked the location of q place Of Amusement
known as "Tbe Summer Garden" he would have
teep saoly puzzled to give the information Ia truth,
our "Summer Garden is but an old favori'e reoap
,ized and crowned with flowers, and claiming, III der
ia new Aoral colors, the admiration which we have
been won. to bs,tow upon "aI'ack's Theatre aud is
band of "player people" This establishment IS, Tor
the present, urder the management OF Mr. Wm STUART,
VITO has tfected very pleasant transformation 10 the
internal appearance of the building; and has, among
other provisions for the comfort OF the audsors, AZ
tempted ato, ell experiment in the ineT oil Vehtiaf
ing the house which. il successful, Is worthy Of al
Nnmendation, and -hould be speedily adopted during
this tropical weather in all those place. where the
public most DO oongregate As to the pew decorat'ns
OF the place, is only necessary TO say that they are
confined to the vestibue, that the leading idea IL
flowers, and that the whole effect is "blossomy.'
The roses who, by their queeny prerogative, should
be pre- dominant in the graceful hrong unsccount.
ably absent but their many hued sisers of the gar.
den are pre- sebt in great pumbers-no, we would have
it understood in paper receptions, or wax limitations,
but in pr6pria persona, fresh from he greenhouse,
ard iedolent of odors.
The music. which naturally comes next in order, is
capital The oiches ra is under the charge VI Herr
Sioepe, assisted by Sgnor La Manns, ard small but
SD c company Of performers, selected rather with
view to a msxinum ability as musicians than to the
nipmum price for which their services could be re
cured The necessary result is, that the music n
excele,t the selections are in good taste, and the
eors Of the listeners not aggravated by any pre-
medi,ated discords tortured beyond endurance oy
apy furious pb, seal demonstrations upon the big drum
and cymbsls.
The dramatic company is effective, well chosen and
admirably calculated TO represent in satisfactory
manner these short, sparkling brilliant pieces which
are better ca'cul4t.d to amuse an overheated aud
lapsuid audience through Summers evening than
PLAYS of heavier caiber. First upon the st is Miss
Agnes Robertson, "The Fairy Star, as she has been
recbrstened by some superromantic admirers. She is
no fairy but something much more substantial, being
r. yeii,abe woman With just as much flesh and blood
q. usually certain to ladies o: her oimensicns and
great many more smiles than the msjoriiy OF them can
boast. When We say that she plays admirably the
peculiar characters she attempts, we only relterate
what we have heretofore expressed. Mr. Dion Bour'
ClCault Is AFRO wei huVWu W PuoiiS IA
capacity of author ond actor Mr. l. b. Johnston,
formerly Of Laura keenes Varieties mas aso h'A"y
friends.
The novelty with which this new theater was ipaug-
urated is a peculiar, romantic supernatural drama
written BY Mr. BOurcicault entitled the PHANTOM
1t is founded on the old German superstition OF
the "Vaupre" ard is so handled as to make most
thrilling al effective drsm. From the nature of the
subject the horrible element greatly predomlnates,
ahd those who have q taste for the supernatural aud
unearthy, cabnot fail to be wonderfully deectated.
Terror is the maip.pr.Dg Of the pIot-terfor lnten-
sfsd more deeply than even Ia the Corsicen Bro he~
The PhoLtom is Sir Alan Rsby, Puritan Chief one OF
Comw. lis ai aics who his extermina'ed his roy'll.t
brothers, and in turn is san by the royast forces by
whom bis castle is reduced to ruos Inc peasau'ry
Of the neiehboIhood declare that his body was never
four d. aid certain it is that whatever travellers seek
shelter 10 the ruins OF Raby Castle, they fuad the
1t 1t day lying Murdered on the Threshold The play
begins with a thund. rstorm that drive. party Of
cavaliers to ttsse ruins and they resolve to pass the
n lit there spte Of the terror Of their peas ant guide
Ii The midst Of their supper stranger appears aIno
them but although Puritan Chief, his address 's 80
II bic that he is invited to join their party. When
oil have retired for the plight and the rains are buried
in Iepose, cry is heard no n the room occupied by
one of the parry, who rushes in wounded in the throa
and falls dead random shot is fired aud the stran
ger killed As he dies he processes hs Innocence,
ard requests to be buried according to tie mes OF the
reiie GUS sect 10 which be belongs. This ceremony
consists in exposing the body to tie first rays Of the
r-ipe moon. Accordingly bis corpse is conveyed to
the top of Snowcon and placed upon m'untain peak
The moon rles and It's beams revive him into terri
20 thA tAnn
The second appearance Of this spectsr is one hun
dr., years afterward-he IL now ply scian, who has
recovered he heress Of Raby from mortal malady,
csused by heerirg Of The death of h.r lover, Edgar
Pey.r,l. bo fell 10 the battle OF Blenheim. Eds.r
returns end finds that Ada is in the power of her
stranger ph, sician who exercises over her terrible
fat ci sii, n. Believing hun to be an impostor. the
lover challenges The Phsntom who selects the peaks
OF Snow don for the place u their combat. This he
dses to enOve Edgar from the preseLce OF his vicn
Ada in scene with her physi,anoyer, discovers his
upr atursl exietsIce and escapes from his Influence
On the mour tain top the TWO rivals meet. struggle
ensuea, in which the phantom draws ponard and
|. about to sacrifice Edgar when timely shot is fired
and the specter is killed by Edgars revant, who has
followed them unfeen. The body Of the Phantom is
cast in % sn abyss of the mountain and exterminaed
FL, ctually.
TIE situations Of the plsy are all exceedingly rec-
tive; there are trap doors, DO blue fire, no wich
craft no demons zone Of the ordinary Ingredient
gepune meo.drams but the incidents and the charac
ttrs are, with tie sipge exception OF the Phantom,
50 natural, that the play might well belong to less
romantic school.
Miss Robertson, Mr.. Bourcicault and Mr. j. b. Howe
play the serious pats in truly admirable manner,
and Mr.. Johpst and Mr.. Burnett represent the
lighter characters IF, ctivey. This latter gentleman,