New-York tribune., 1867-09-03
THE DRAMA.
CASTE AT THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY.
borrow of us.

CASTE AT THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY.
Caste was acted in Brooklyn for the first
time last night, at the Academy Of Music There was
fine housenOt crowded but comfortably full That pre-
sened very cheerful aspect need not When Brook
lyn gathers cher beauty and her chvary" the effect
always picturesque and charming Nor is there need to
saysince Brooklyn is always sympathetic with taste
and renement-that her beauty aud her chivalry
cordial welcome to the comedy OF Caste" That may
be assumed Tho applause was notdemonstativc butt
evnced real and delicate appreciation The success Of
the play was most thorough and decided That too per-
haps to be assumedonly nowadays, real merit does
sometimes go to tho wall aud Caste" hasrea merit in
remarkable degree. We have already described the
comedy at length ana tere need again to point out
how faithful and nov brilliant IL s Faithful, because 1t
literally reproduces passage from possible human
experience: brilliant, because 1t reproduces real
life in an .almOst perfectly symmetrical ar
tlstic forml We cannot omit, however 10 point out
the keen rebuke to sensaonalisn that Is furnished Oy
the success Of this drama Not to sensatonasn alone.
either but TO the low pretense-bchind which intellectual
mbecty habtualy takes rcfuge-that telling plays can
not be written without recourse TO startling sagcehecs
and all that constitutes scenic CLAP trap Here Is play
in which true dramatic effects, each exceeding
its predecessor in intensity and point are
wrought with tho greatest apparent ease, and
without employment OF the least theatrical trckery;
wrought on the contrary by brains. The introduction
of old drunken EceeS just gentleman has plIghted
faith to his daughter; the splendid tablcau OF contrast
wherewh tho second act closes The bringing Of the dead
TO life by expedent simple as the bringing in OF the
milk the reconciliation of two proud women, under the
ali subdung influence OF common love and common
gratitude to Godthesc some few OF the points that
show the hand OF the dramatic artist III tne cOnSruc
tion of this play. Here is no meIeenary
moyeno catering ,G 10 !qS mink meT great painter
because he paints with big brush But mere Is T0rk M
of true art that holds the mirror up to nature and by
dealing ntelgontly with what concerns common ex-
perience, teaches tho heart eleyates te seu%n1ns, %
| and improves the understanding. We 90 not Deneye
that any person synpsheticaly witness the perform
ance OF "Caste" without deriving from it clearer views
OF social life aud gher conceptions OF duty and wtnout
also recognizing the grasp line mind directed by an
earnest motive TO the treatment Of very serious
play Let US pass 70 the acting where
With it was last evening interpreted at Brooklyn
| Mr. Ringgod. Mrs Jennings and Miss Cannon. Mr..
Rnggold played Captain Haytree The character Il easy
10 understand, but very hard TO portray. Happee rs
gentleman whose manners are made apparently ar'hca,
6y the long and continual pressure OF arstocrac soea
man might have led the charge Of the Light Brigade at
| BalRklaya, and would have done 1t as simply as he
would have lii his cigar az the club room Mr. Rnggod
embodied tie character with genteneSs an ease naive
oTace and an innate refinement that delightful 10
| Witness and that denoted the sterling worth OK
mont Mr. Jennings played Es,ker The character
j. simply true woman. To man that phrase IL
everything Mrs Jennings was al that cOuld De imagined
of sweetness and goodness who soon forget
about not being lonely that Esther says 10 her hSband
M n cnss SSGs 1 OF S6r @ ad 81 widow whic Sic cyinced
ia the closing scenes. Miss Cannon played f9ty hcctes-
| the hearty somewhat loud" Polly, who Is 50 shock
| mg TO the preprictcs. and at the same time so
good, kind. so natural; Inc part anorued et
| she frequently set the audience In roar. These
We say tie chief successes But tho other persona.
tions also Pine. Nr j. B Polk. who made MS nrst
appearance ts occasion. III this part o. ie country
sn,ss snsetss we So We're CAD to see Dean swift soe
| where points ont tie significant ,iact tnal
Steel is ant to stray from the right track Fneness oi
nature, however. never d.d au actor any harm II MI
Polk did Not mot 'TsS the rSsOS tongue S' and OU the
lisp he was neyerthSlc T9n ana ,Se aSS a ah aR.
| drama Nature has given him a winning perSonan1ty,
and the real feeling and careful art that he I laS,
night eyiuccd WARRANT Us n ,I teSardas nm Sn Mrs
vv.rg vsr6on PLAYED tic Mrrclioress de 81 Ma'g;
The part Is & psI,ua5 ., ta5 npy Mrl vernon Gns G as Il
she had been born precisely that station Mr stoddars
was Eccles idnnitr piece OF acting We c0ud ot tsy
eaI 10 mind But it seemed TO that hr stoddar ex-
,ution was at times eXtryagat, ana tnat Nnat Was
flreical But Mr. Soddart carried the house with him.
from the start There Is no hsa ~ .0' one
~ the best OF American actors will easily remedy mo
defect to which have alluded Mr CharIes hais
tradesman He was simple. natural and affecting, anu
more than that could not be desired We have ON the
yS Tce 80 Tecae IN tone and so generally excellent
| was that OF "Casto" at the Brooklyn Academy we
Ry RaS Of @SI pay could scarcely be found Dir EobrO
comedy essentially needs, in order that no part OF s
eny eIfS he S0 Obtained S IN small theater Mr. waack has
caused the piece TO be mounted IN very taseIHi m
the second set being particularly Iine. His eomPaIy
Will repeat the performance tonight ana on Wednesday
| MR.. FORREST.
Mr.. Forrest made his first appearance last
night at the Broadway Theater The house was densey
crowded We shall review the performance tomorrow
Az the moment We can but speak a word OF welcome "a
the veteran who sets critics by The ears and takes captive
| the multitude.