New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-23
TuEATERs.


The openipe nights of the season at the WHITES
Garden have been thoroughly successful. In msny
respects the performances have sensbly improved
since the first evening" and the satisfaction OF the
audiences has increased accordingly. The most
pressing need Of the acknowledgements
scene setting and stage appointment-has been met
BY the introduction of now furniture, decorations.
etc. More remains TO be done in this regard, bat
the promptness with which the obvious deficiencies
Of tho first night have been romeded, indicates On
terprising purpose on the part Of the new manage
ent The object of scenesetting is one that's never
duly considered in New York. Not one Of our OWE
theatcrs apprecatesits celmportance. Mr. Juignes,
the French director has, for one or two years past
offered examples at Nbos Saloon which every other
manager in the city might study with profit. HE
salons and boudors are not only habitable, but q"
actually comfortable, and in case Of need Luxurious
Drawing rooms ut other theateD are apt TO sugge"
family apartments in tenement houses, and IN
ordinary boudor or chamber scene usually calls 70
mind tho descriptions of galleries in the Mezcaercs
palaces which have a dozen doors, no windows, aid
no furniturc that can bodecately spoken Of It's lot
always want of berality that stands in the way Of
proper scenic arrangement; there is often evidehos
of abundant expense In decoration; but theatrIfal
judgment upon this point appears to 10 entirely 81
fault English and American theaters have fan.
ciful extravagant, unnatural notion Of the propn.
cites of ise en- scene, which nobody yet has had the
good sense to entirely abandon. As general RUE,
whenever the curtain rises upon domestic Interior,
we at once feel that no such domestic interior ever
did, or probably ever could, exist. Asensitse Insa
or woman would go mad in a week, if subjected
IN real life, TO such tormentng and irritating dis
tortions of upholstery rs are held up as quite me
elegant and dashing thing upon the stage. We
venture to say that there is not a manager IN NV
York with nerves strong enough to endure for ally
limited period an arrangement of furniture in biz
own home, similar to those which he puts forward
at his theater, as pre-Raphaelte illustrations Of
modern tastes, comfort and refinement. How DIFF
fcrent at the little French establishment OF "h'ea
We have spoken. Take, for example, tic scene q
the "Feu au Convent" This is II wrli-te-Ge
bachelors parlor. In tho center stands
handsome table, upon which bronze {. lamp
is burning, surrounded by pretty arnciss Of
vir,u, books, and q newspaper or two; Il
supports a large clock, numerous vases, etc. Al
the left is a piano forte, open and with unioideJ
sheets of music upon the stand. Upon tahv Il
tho rear are grouped statuettes and Artificial ho"
ers. large portfolio OF engravings ICES near i1'
piano-forte. Pictures and mirrors nan upon tat
walls The furniture is abundant. and not sr
ranged upon the conventional right ang llaT system
that strikes terror to evey mind not seon.ttr a. !
framed. Footstools, too, are visible, aid ra cL''
tan.hangings are not forgotten. Altogether ,her,
is nothing revolving to those IDEAS OF oefalii! aLc
luxury which the text of the play .usscs's ca@
any one mention another Ncw-YorS ma1nsrf, "-
sides Mr.. Juignet, who bus shown himself capable
of tho same fidelity At present ~ can f"''O
only one or two partially successful eaor's ~ o.
lacks and the Olympic, and single scene ~ 'h'
Winter Gsrden--that prepared, year Of -"
for " The Chimney Corner"
The cordial reception of Everybody's Fnerd
warrants its repetition for the present MI ''n'
S. Clarkc's personaton Of the part of Majorde hs"t
is the most artistic, possibly excepting mat OF loo
dies, that he has ever given in this ei'y. IL If :"
necessarily and Overwhelmingly funny that we
critical SPECTATOR forgets, on first ~i'hes''nSh N
examine the methods by which tho effect, rs
whole, is produced. wehavc hoari it declared IN"
Mr.. Clarke's methods are not leSitinaie--thnt -
gives less consideration to the large AMI conf I"'
embodiment of bis character than 10 sni'iy miE'r'
details which, while their match!essdTolley 9xoiie'
perpetual mirth bear little relation to ,ho part "s
may DO representing, aud sometimes ia,. L" H.'''f