The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-13

also the fact that he is candidate for election
to the State Senate next fall
Niblo's Garden-Arrah-nn-Po
New dramas like new books and men, obtain
noorley and excite curiosity if they do not always So
success by their fame being heradcd in advance OF
their appearance The drama 'Arrah-naPogue by
Dion Bouccau which produced for the first time in
America at Nibo's theatre last night introduce 10
with all the advantages OF foreign criticism the most
favorable and the most unprecedented which
perhaps any drama of modern times has enjoyed.
Its production in London called out unqualified praise
from the critics there, and have opportunity
of pronouncng upon the validity of their judgment Let
us premise by saying that the task Of constructing
drama which appears to depend materially for
its upon sensational effects and yet in which
the story well told that these Elusive accessories
may be dispensed with, and still leave the plot and Incl
dents invested with absorbing interest no easy
This task think has been mainly accomplished in the
present instance No doubt the effective scenery the
constant of incidents which touch the synpa
thes and captivate the heart Of the audience calc
lated TO carry this piece through with atterng ec'a
but apart from all these outside Influences which often
prevail in works OF inferior merit there Is force in this
drama which, although il ID undoubtedly immensely n
creased by the auxilar OF stage effects Is not wholly
dependent upon them. The title Of the play is strange
to many ears The custom of fosteraec, which Is
common in many countries of Europe, Is regarded
in Ireland alone, perhaps, as sacred The
children who are nurscd Mt the breast,
though not related by blood, are esteemed almost as
much brothers and sisters, as If one mother bore
them; and the love which foster children cher. for
each other is often enduring and faithful, whatever
be the difference in rank il they The offspring
of the sam0parcns The heroine of this play, Arrah
Mces is the foster sister OF one OF the principal char
acters Beamish MacCou leader in the Irish rebel on
of 1898, in which so many OF tho dominant spns oil
Ireland became martyrs and which viii be always mem
orabe for the savage cruelty with which the
prosecuted all who participated in 1t, from the peer to
the peasant The foster brother OF Arrah was cast INTO
prison rebel, and his friends conceived a
plan to him; but how to convey their
plans TO the captive was difficulty whio,
unteciing to visit him in prison. carrying In her
mouth piece OF paper containing the plans for escape
VIII CHI pom kissing him, she passed from her mouth to
his. Hence the nama attached to her of ''Arral
Pog !ethe latter word IA the Irish language meaning
a kiss This incident, however, forms part of the
present DRAMA except that IL is related there SO much
for the origin of the The story can be told in
brief 1t is composed Of OF the many episodes Of which
the period in which IL 10 laid was fruitful us leading
characters an Irish refugee seeking dangerous
shelter in his country previous to his fight to
France; county WcklOy car driver, known as 'haan
the Post in whom combined all the characteristics
Of the Irish pcasant-love courage and devotion 10
friend even unto death; Arra Mees .ne ona ana
or, what still dearer, her reputation. to save
her foster brother Deamish McCoui, who is hunted
down by the s0diery and the spies OF the government
Shaun Post IL her accepted lover, yet even TO II IN
shc does not reveal the that her roster brother is
concealed her cottage. TIE fugitive is betroh ID to
Miss Fanny Power young lady under the guardianship
of Colonel Bagena OGrady vino Is sutton for her hand
The concealmcnt OF Beainsh in the cottage of Arra
excl the jealousy of Miss Power and she consents to
become the wife OF her guardian. Fceny British spy
and process server names abhorrcd in Ireland Is
an unsuccessful sutton Of Arrah, and consequently bit
tor hacr shaun whom through vengeance he accuses
of robbing him Of sum o! money which he itrgaily
collected the conscaed estates OF Beamlsh hcCou
AM, which tho latter made him dsg0rge by tho per
suasvc eoquence Of half dozen ugly looking weapons
in the hands of many brave followers portion Of
tho money thus recovered from the scoundrel Fceny
Bcanish places In the hands of Arrah his foster sister,
which Feeny by an adroH scheme Ee's possession s,n o.
Shaun rather than expose the fact that Bcamsh IL in
the country, and concealed in Arabs cottage declares
that he has stolen the money and accepts his late Ia
order to the fugitive chcfain and preserve the
name of his betrothed bride from suspicion II the rebel
hero did give himself up TO the authorities
to save the life Of his faithful follower and obtain
pardon for his Offences and II Miss Power wcrc not re-
eved Of her suspicious and at the same time sha nss
were not pardcned and reunited to his faithful
Arrah, the story would have an unhappy
ending which stories told upon the stage except through
ought to have. But all these things do happen, and
incdent-which is perhaps the pieasanest a-the ira
gc end the rascal Fccny, who Is pitched over pre-
cpce by shaun while he Is endeayorng 70 oossrac, .e
before Shaun heard the good news OF his pardon This
plot worked out, of course with numerous Incidents
less striking not necessary to BIO detailed here
The Judgment with which they have been introduced by
the author and developed by the actors can best be
precated by seeing the play and we do not desire 10
spoil the enjoyment of our readers by anticipating
effects excelonces which would only detcroratc by
| descrption.
The drama is represented in three acts Of which the
first decidedly bostthe finale being especially ec
NATURAL indeed the best scene the piece The
first scenes of second act have strength more
fine points, and admit OF better acting than the closing
scene in the which Is too long, and becomes
somc apart altogether from It's disnilary 10 any
thing of the kind ever witnessed In real life. The th I'd
act Is we think the weakest OF ALL probably because the
incidents depend much upon machinery for the scenic
effects and neither ropes nor pueys worked well last
night The scenery OF the tower ana sea- ana the general
effect of the escape Of Shaun by climbing the face OF
| the tower will be very good when everything works
well in the carpenters gallery The scenery throughout
is exceedingly nc the valley lake and round tower OF
| The groupings too, In the tableaux were skfully
managed. The costumes might be improved little,
inasmuch as Irish peasants do not wear ambercolored
cloak SO like that Of Pilgrim or the gray domino OF a
masquerader Mr. Glenney wore In the first act. The
cast was very acceptable Mr. Glenney's Shaun was
well sustained His voice is good and his acting not
exaggerated. But there may have been somo who had
seen the Colleen Bawn who might ask themselves why II
was necessary to import actor for this part Miss
orion in some was excellent az Arrah, although
at times her utternnces were indstinct However her
pathos I'm those passages where the tenderness Of the
irish peasant girls nature displays itself In the hour Of
trial FOR those she loves-as In the prison scenecoud
hardly be cxcelled The success Of Arrah ma Pogue,
we think may be regarded the whole as established;
but Il requires some pairing down and good deal moro
rapdity In the representation Its reception last night
was enthusiastic by house crowded TO it, utmost
capacity. II will be repeated for many nights 70 come.
Tho expense OF bringing out the play must have been
| munerstcd BY continuance Of full houses
THx FAKm on vrSNu-This extraordinary conjurcr Is
drawing large houses the stadt theatre every night