The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-24

sAw COMEDY By TON TAYLOR.


q name for Mr. Tom Tay lor's new piece the Uvcriand
Route which Was brought out last night 1t the Hay
market shpwrcck has its hu well a. lis hor-
rors and on the minute OF these thst
Mr. Tay has staked his chance OF His charac-
ters are slightly skeched though experienced eyes may
perhaps, detect In come Of them silhouette kenesseZ OF
actual individuals his incidents hang loosely together hs
has not even attempted to excite an ordinary dramatic
interest but has almost shown disregard
for the srtinces that belong well constructed play
With all the naiue OF some prologizng deity In play OF
pdes, bis personages record In soo0uy tho facts that
the audience have right TO know and individual
whom the main plot chiefly depends, Is shown an instant
before The fall Of the CURTAIN without being allowed TO
utter syllable.
The above remarks may look IKE q long oensure; but
they intended for nothing OF the kind. Is no blame
81 Mr. Albert Smiths China &c saythAt II not an epic
poem; neither is Mr.. Tom Taylor 10 be reprehended be-
cause he has written work in dialogue without = sus
tanned dramatic interest, when decidedly non dramatic
interest wss hs aim The s-yerlAnd Route is perhaps,
the most genial and original work that ever proceeded
from his PEN and would De unfair to test by stand
ara which, followed would have rendered the authors
intention impossible. We care more for the fate OF
any OF hs characters, than do for the future
Of the persons who figure ia Mr. Friths Derby
Day. Sm We sreor ought 70 Sswosnens 70 conse item
Situations here and there may be farcicsl aud i'm
probable, but the circumstances amid which they arise
definitely reject soDe striking pecaarites OF the present
day, and arcb@ologists years might with
PROFIT 70 the "0verhnd Route" existing Oljoucks
peruse the Bartholomew Fai' of Ben Jobuson-an au-
thor with whom Mr. Taylor has qualities in common,
especially the tendency To select humors rather than
humapties as subjects for comic treatment.
The first two acts took place fon board tbs Simeon
steamer, bound on her homewsrd voyage with number
OF passengers from the East indies. Prominent among
them Is Mrs Sebright Mrs Charles MAhews), dashng
married lady, who allows herself 10 be mistaken for
widow, that she may have more attention from the gen
emen and consequently receives offers OF marriage and
valuable presents from Sir Solomon Fraser, B. (Mr
Compton), PRESIDENT at several native courts, and
from Mr. Coepepper (Mr- Chippendsle), commissioner
Ign and bicker with each other Each OF these gentle
men, should be observed, character. Sir solomon
nj VII n nj artif
dspensabe TO bis articalaon Mr. Coleprpper, on the
other band, is bale and robust, with rough
personases belong to what we may call the comedy
portion of the play The group Of which the fArccal
bond (hr. Blackstone and Mrs wlkins), MAJOR Mcrurk
Mr. Rogers), and Moeskin (Mr Clark), detective po-
bceman Mrs. LovboDd, believing that sne IL widow
account Of letter In which her husband announced
hia intention OF committing suicide listens TO the atten
items Of the gallant Major Of whom she aters herseshs
alive but on board the Simeon, where he assumes the
name OF Downy that he may avoid recognition by his
dreaded better half from whose temper he sought
refuge IN foreign parts. Unfortunately the real Downy
whose place and name Ivibond has tsken forger OF
whom the detective s search, and the timd husband
ignoby banccuAed reveals himself to his wife, that she
may identify him, thus gyovng hmself in q quarrel With
the fire eating Sir HecoT The situation OF Lnvibond IL
rendered particularly Amusing BY his handcuTed oond
cuffs prevent his arms from openlng he weeps but tn
lady must wipe his eyes it only by exercise Of nge
nuty that he can accept prosred card Mr. Backstone
in this situation s inimably droll.
All flirting and chickering's suddenly cut short by ths
striking the vessel on rock aud in the third ac we
nd the whole Of the daat.s persoe estsbshed on ths
hazzaha reef in the RED Sea- and condemned subsist
on such provisions as have been saved from the wreck
Everybody wears fantastic drees, composed OF articles
picked up at haphazard and everybody's character 10
completely changed Flirting Mrs. Sebreh emulates the
fame or Florence Nightingale by her attendance the
SICK Mr. and MIS- Lovibopd are veritable oa OF turtle
doves the fire eating Major is potroon. kicked or the
bis sh has p;s S w ii.
altogether II is Every Man In hs H1mor followed by
Every Man out Of his Humor.
AS kind OF guardian genius TO the whole party
throughout the entire course Of the piece Tom Dexter
(hr. Charles Anhews), IN sdventurer, who has boon
originally bred surgeon md perfect master Of every
useful accomplishment He jumps into the water to saye
who has umbed overbosrd he guards the honor Of
Mrs sebraht when she likely to forget her absent
husband jack, who u his particular friend he is the
most active OF Ill hands when ship ssrkee he is the
absolute auocrat Of the colony The reef This person
rather serve the purpose Of holding the pecs together
than that OF Individual display 10 the unity OF the
piece suca as r. he is absolutely indispensabs That
10 Valuable gentleman may meet his deserts NJ Cole
pepper rs provided with pretty daughter, miss Ter
Dan whom he eestows upon him the end Of the
from the wrecked vessel The whole concludas Win the
arrival Of ship that viii take the characters home md
u commanded BY no less parsonage than the previously
By the above description have stated the plan on
which the several parts or this curious picture
duced but OF the merit OF the work have conveyed
very slight notion This consists the local color which
pervades the whole, and gives it air Of thorough 70.
Hf.
have few opportunities Of coming with great force
but they are all well employed for the general eject
while the dialogue and The details Of tho action belong 70
the sort OF life that 10 depicted, and to other. Nor
would the piece have been nearly 10 effective II produced
At theatre where decorative art neglected The
we'll furnished eaoop ventilated by tqusstng natives the
quarter deck fairly built upon stage ths visible tar.
ros consequent on the ships laundering storehouse
on me reei win an hundred little details that give life
70 every scene may be regarded invaluable adjuncs
10 the action OF The play.
continued round OF applause followed the descent OF
In ain cnAa &c.
Mr. Blackstone comcay responded by confessing that he
bad been requested by Mr. Taylor to he was not
In the house.
NEW t OPERA c AT TIE THEATRE LYRIQuE. PARIS.
The novelty OF the week has been NJ Gounod'e opera
comique Philemon ct Baucs,' composed, as a one &C.
Parissn ampihcato which will not add to the reputa
lion acquired for n Gounod by hh " Medecin Msge6
AID especially By his last opera Faust" Thsn
bretto OF" Philemon ct Baucis avestie by M.ssrs
Barber and Cara Of the Ovidian story and Is worthy
OF their other efforts We are introduced the old
couple whose counubs felicity has yeldei neither u
age or poverty, and who apparently spending the
evening Of stormy xard Grds before scauty Ore
snd sua S disguise =.
That the gratined Deity resolves TO grant any
favor which The ola people most deere, but is
erauned-they are perfectly contenied with their
happy poverty. AT last Nine Baucss avows, 10 very
pretty "coupes that she wouif object 70 be- re-
atored with her husband 10 youth and IBIS git Jupiter
resolves TO besow. Vulcan who has assumed the per
ect nmiuce OF Partisan charbonnier expresses his
diapproval OF the whole proceeding 10 language de-
cdedy not ympian, ana illusions TO Venus both
by himself ano Jupiter form the con,;q Of the piece
rioous bacchanaian tee in temple OF JUPITER the
destruction OF the profaoers by the offended deity who
afterwards converts the temple into dwelling for the re-
uvenated par) and nlesmcri; scene between Jupiter
and Bascss occupy the second act after which the cur
ain rises On pretty duet between thc-now youthful
Philemon and his spouse, whose felicity Is trou-
bled by Jupiter, who becomes enamored OF the
charming Bsucis; but the passion OF the amo
Ious god finally vanqashed by her ioaexlble
n the uDdatubed enjoy Of their recovered youth
The mu.ic like most OF VI. Gounods, has antique re-
cness Of sly which, though sometimes verxnR on tue
100000, gives vigor and originality u xSiri that
would be tame less skilfay handled Tho overture Il
humg page OF INSTRUMENTATION and The opening duet
Hst between Philemon and Baucss 10 also very pIsss
ng, aud followed by chorus behind the scenes IN
hioh curious and piquant eject ID produced BY the
5ever employ ment of the pancforte Indeed the entire
yet sooupds In elective Instrumentation, with many
Gming themes but the second third acts are not
well sustained and excite the bearers regre, that the
opera should have been extended beyond two AT