New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-10-28
LAURA KEENE'S TIfEATLR.
BIRDS OF PREY.


This is the fierce ornithological title of play frs,
written for one of the Royal The sters, l. ndon, by
yourg man of great PROMISE the play bill sin
ie,estedly informs us Promise is thug perform
ance another.
The plot Of this piece is muggy and when the fog
is cleared of finally there is nothing worth seeing
Poor as The play IT, we have shrewd suspicion tina.
it may possibly be but translation of French drama,
stolen and dshed up as origiaal-s time dishonored
habit 18th miserable liters who do up pieces for the
London theates and one which, we regret to say, has
lately shown seD in this country. Indeed, latest
experiences is that play bills lielie most shamefSy--
in presenting pieces as originally American when they
are moderate TRANSACTIONS beggarly rehashes and
d.tortions with vamped familiar OSCILLATIONS aud n
mediate hits to give them the color Of being Matched
on the spot 1t is the duty of critics to crush at once
this herary swndling. If ian have only the faculty
TO translate let him sell The translation to the manager
if he cap and say nothing about it, 10 future we shall
state distinctly whs. is and what is not original in new
plays-belieyiDg spuu cngue to DO not only justice TO
foreign authers in tbs particular, bat essential to
American authorship-for long as sspirsnts to au
thorship are permitted 10 STEAL they will be le's hkey
70 produce from the sweat Of their Own laoors
But 70 return to our muttons, which, however, ara
birds In the first scere. the vrtuous youth Jordao)
fetctes in dead bird of prey which ne has ja't shot,
ard delivers moral buzzard sort of lecture on beak
ard claws, applied to set Of fashionable loaers one
Of whom is his brother a French Niicount-scehe
being in Frsnce-and another Stoddar)-bent on forc-
ing marriages for Themselves with the acknowledged
ard the upaekrowledged daughters Miss Taylor ana
Miss Keene) Of q Duchess Miss Wells-ior nard'
money and broadacre reasons. The Duchess IL 10
their power as they have secret resp cnng certain
lspse If her own in former years. The vnuous youth
knows Of the rsscsty Of the pair, and Georsna NUS
Thon psoI who was in their col hcence, turns against
them. not however, before the head Villain l>todaait
has married his victim. The denouemenE Is that DO
Layoette (Bernier), lover OF one OF me grn, n
forced into duel with the |scount, VINO expecs GER
taip, TO kill bimhim being the inhertor OF ooo
t.pcs which he wanted to secure through his new
wife. The Viscou.t ia wounded simply because his
brother VITO appears in the scene, and, yainy impor
ire him TO desist from hs numerous purpose, deer
ures TO stare him out of h, svordsmanship while the
6eht is going on. After that the brother shoots toe
other rascal who Sill not give up certa pap'rs relat
ir to the 5000 coo francs, aud the curtain falls
Everything from first to last is dull except scene
where Mis- Keepe defss her husbsnd-her battery
being the 100000 francs.
Miss Keene was dressed and acted well Mr.. Jor-
DAT the sane, though bis part is not much. Dir Stod
Oar, did nicely what he he'd TO do. Mr.. Whestleigh
had nothing 10 perform bu! to look gum or savage,
ard Gid IT, This gentleman mas the perfection of the
French actor Of the French school in Fever acting a.
or looking at the audience and in sl-sys sinking him.
self in the character. This he exhibited as the VS.
@ mt, but unlike tee French wssdresssd very osa'y
Certain actor.-ssy FIVE per cen. Of The Whole nuoe,
-dres. iL.uitively well the other. shoad be insPee
BY the prcmpter a. in France, who viii not nIs ~
vter tie c. stume IL bad. Bat If thepromP'ef
rtthpg Ct Costume, what Their There 'n0N-N '-
DO arc.her " b,:zede-n,pecsor.'