Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-08-06

HistOry and Character Of
the Play.


Fall Dsscripsls. or the Plss asa
the Scenery.
1t has been advertised for some few days
pas, that che Black Crook will b. presented
to the citizens Of Davenport on Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday evenings,
and on Saturday afternoon. TIE matt. :
has been sufficiently canvassed throughout
the city to have i. well understood The
agent Of the company. Mr.. NJ. Wright, has
been in our city and has made all necessary
arrangements FOR its production. A scenic
artist has been engaged and work is going
on to get The German Theatre in readiness
for il. New scenery has been added, and
machinery erected for the production OF the
fine tablsaux With which the play abounds.
Mr.. Davey and Mr.. Curran together pur-
chased the right for presenting she play in
thirteen States. Mr.. Curran is in St. Paul
where il has had most successful run du.
ring tho past three weeks, while Mr.. Davey
i, here experimenting the preparations for
bringing out the piece at the German Thea.
tire Tomorrow evening.
THE PLAY.
The play Of the Black Crook was written
and published ip the year 1868, bv Charles
N. Barras, Of New YORK, but was not pros
duced until three years later. or in Septen>
Der, 1865. when It Was put upon the stage
at Niblo's Gar den. and has continued to be
the only bill presented at that theatre ever
since. This "run' 10 unprecedented in the
history Of any play ever presented.
Its immense popularity is owing 10 the
magnificent scenery and the beautiful spec>
tacles which st4rtle the gaze Of the behold
er from first to last.
Il Was played in Boston one hundred and
thirty consecutive nights st the Theatre
Comioue, and over . hundred nights in
Philadelphia at the American Theatre, un>
der the supervision Of Mr. Barrss himself,
and for the past few months has been pre-
sented TO the largest audiences ever assem-
bled in the cities Of Cincinnati, St. Louis,
Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and now is
almost driving the inhabitants Of Chicago
crazy with enthusiasm and delight. In St.
Lou,s it had Q remarkable run Of three full
months, excursion parties being got up from
this and many other towns to visit st. Louis
/ on purpose to witness il.
The play has been witnessed by over a
million and half Of people, and still the
enthusiasm flags not
! THE PLOT.
The scene 10 laid out in and Around tht
Ilartz Mountains in Germany, and the tim'
is the 15ih century. Hertzog, The Blael
Crook, is . deformed soscerer, magician and
alchemist lie makes . compact with Fam
iel, the Arch Fiend, by which for every
human soul be entices int, his net, year
life shall be added to his own.
Rodolph is poor artist in love vi ant
atiianced to beautiful young lady called
Amins. Count Wolfstein, Germsn feuda
chief, is also in love with Amins, and enters
iato compact with the Black Crook to rit
him Of his hated rival. Rodolph by bssrayinf
him to the Arch Fiend.
Stalac,a is queen Of the golden realm o.
Fairy Land. While visiting she earth ir
the form of white dove she 10 set upon b
one Of the creatures Of the Arch Fisnd Il
the form Of serpent, and would have faller
. victim to him only her life 10 saved BY thu
opportune prs,ence Of Rodolpb, who dis.
patches the serpent and frees the trembling
dove F,om that time the Fairy Queen be-
comes the guide, protector, and friend o
Rodolph and his lady love. And now com
mences q warfare between the powers O
Dark ness, under the leadership Of the Blacl
Crook and the Arch Fiend, who are deter
mined to destroy Rodolph, and the power
Of Light, under the leadership OF Staiacta
who is determined to preserve him.
One Of the most beautiful scenes is tina
in which Rodolph visits the castle Of Wolf
sein in disguise. He is discovered by th
Black Crook. ~ho determines to take th
opportunity to destroy him, and is onl!
prevented by the timely arrival Of Stalact
and her fairies, in the shape Of Amazcns
who rush in and save him. This beautfu
tableau closes the third act
In the third act the retainers Of Wolf
stein, led on BY the Black Crook, still fol
low the flying Rodolph. They overtak
him, and grand combat ensues, IN which
the life Of Rodolph is again saved BY Sta
lacta, and Wolfstein 10 slain. Tn,
next scene is Pandemonium with th,
!. Arch Fiend in council. "How stands th,
record of the dvirz year p The Blscl
Crook having failed to fulfill his pledge tc
the Fiend, Zsmiel demands his bond an,
sezes the sorcerer and casts him ino th.
. flames. The closing scene is the Palace o
Dew Drops, with Stalscta uniting the hand
Of the lovers. and grand tableau.
, rnE scsNEnr.
. The scenery is one Of the features, an,
probably the lending attraction Of the play
The 6fth scene in the 6rst act 10 terrible
representing the "Serpents Glen" in tn
mountains. Il is where the Black Crool
goes to utter bis incantasions. and make hi
compact With the Arch Fiend. Surrounde,
on al sides by serpsnts and skeletons an,
grinning fiends, il 10 weird and terrible 1
look upon.
) The third scene 10 the exact opposite {
this and represents the homo Of Stalacts
6 the Fairy Queen, who 10 surrounded b.
water nympha and fairies, and welcomes I
, her home Rodolph, tho preserver Of be
life.
The other scenes are Wolfstein's castl,
illuminated BY hundreds Of lights : tn
vaults under it, where the Black Croo
tsmpts Rodolph-seene in fairy land wher
D Stalacta gives to Rodolph the charmed rim
AMI the scene in which occurs the Am,
xon march.
The closing scene 10 the grand transform
aton scene snd Castle Of Dew Drops, with
3, beautiful tableau.
1 CITY NOTICES.