New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-17
Winicr dsnr.!en.

4 new drama entitled "The Grey Lady of
Penaryon" on Monday evening produced at this
hcacr with that sort Of success which is sufficient TO
give modeaie eclat to first night but which promises
permanent prosperity 1t is translation or adapta.
on from IN extremely effective French play by DIN.
merry, which attracted much attention about year ago
at the Aubigu ComQue Theater in Paris. If the
English version be Tealy1he work Of Mr. Tom Taylor
as we are given TO understand, it must have been ac
eolarlished by that aee playwright in week of
temporary alteration, since it affords proof either Of
literary sill or of that Of dramatic effect which
we should naturally expect flom Mr.. Tayor's ripe
experience The technically strong points Of the orig
nal peco are preserved; but the fine gradations oflig
ana shade the delicate contrasts of character and the
pleasant touches Of humor by which the sternncs OF the
principal subject is properly relieved have totally dis
appeared. 1t is true tlat "LAioule" is itself some
what serious in tone tLan the average Of modern
French dramas bu it written expressly for certain
powerful artists whose superior abilities relied
upon 10 carry it successfully through without regard
its unusually dismal influences. The adaptation pro
dnccd at the Winter Garden instead of aiming bright
en- The sonber effect OF tie whole appears to have been
arranged with the view Of plunging the story into still
darker and more irredcenablc gloom. The result with
the audience last Monday evening that Of first pro-
duciug WEAKNESS. and sui seQuenlly compelling irreve.
rent mth at periods when the action of the scene Was
expected TO inspire universal detection and IT is
dangerous theatrical experiment, TO appeal to tragic
or melodramatc interest unnteruptedly through four
long acts. No audience ever did, and probably no
audience can. endureit with becoming gravity.
The piece was handsomely put upon the siage-much
more handsomely than it deserved to be- 1t is pity
that the expenditures for scenery &C. could not have
been applied to better purpose. The error of the
Winter Garden management is that it always wastes
its resources in the wrong direction, and instead OF
exhibiting sufficient liberaiy and enterprise In all its
departments, rushes into detached and incidental
travagances while neglcctng the important con
sideraiion of largo and broad general effect Thus it
was with Hamlet the scenery Of which was superb
and the acting OF which with one two notable ex
captions. was dismaly bad To the judieous spccta
tor tolerable cast Of characters would have been
heartily welcome at the expense Of little Of the
scenic eew-gaw. Thus also, IL was with Corporal
Cartouche some Of the pictorial views of which
really exquisite but which failed 70 please, partly be
cause of the weakness Of the play ITSELF which
warranted such outlay, and partly because OF the in
different manner in which important roles were sus-
tanned Thus has been with almost every production
Of the season. and thus il is especially with Tho Grey
Lady OF Penaryon." whch-a failure III London-is
more than sure TO prove failure here.
Misplaced as IT IT, however. the scenery Is in most
respects truly crcdtabe 10 the theatcr and its artists
Much Of it IL new and all Of il is picturesque and
Characteristic. We particularly commend the effort
which We believe has yet been made ia no other
theaier-to abolish the ncongruous and inartsiic
torrncrtors which usually offend the eye Of places
of public amusement. In The Grey Lady" all the
are brought directly down 20 the line Of the cur
tain and the ridiculous interposion Of gidcd modern
architecture between the audience and the mimic view
completely dispensed with. In all respects we can cor
diav approve tie scenic effects aud can speak quite
as heartily Of the incidental music prepared by Mr.
Stoerel which had ell the temper and spirit Of ancient
Welsh song.
The various characters were carefully represented
but call for little remark. Mr.. Barton Hill appeared
as Madoc Coch old shepherd and nd all that could
lie done with the part. which is little better than
nothing Mrs j. w. waIlack played the vndictve
grandmother with great force, energy and decision.
Miss Efe Gcrmon performed an interesting little part
with brisk determination. which partly succeeded.
70 win the applause Of the audience but made the
mistake Of TOO ambously venturing song requiring
musical skin and TASTE ard which, having begun she
could not or did not complete The other characters were
copscientously sustained by Mrs.. Walcot Miss Clifton
Mrs Chester Messrs. Hanley, Walcot, Burroughs ana
Cline. The costumes Of these ladies and gentlemen
werc not in all cases accurate. IL wonld be wen 10
keen 10 the dresses of play within reasonable limit
around aud about the period and locality which IT
represents.
.Thc Grey Lady of Penaryon' will be repeated every
evening until further notice. .r