The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-20

From the World.
Certain callow critics continue to cry over
and declaim against the decadence and degene-
racy of the drama in this city. They evidently
take their tone from a city journal which is
notoriously so poor authority in matters
theatrical that not one ofthe leading places of
amusement considers the paper worth adver-
tising in, which was obliged itself to adver-
tise for critics to 'do' Ristori in its columns;
which ignores the season in the Academy
of Music, and prints panegyrics upon the per-
formances at "Tony PASTORS Opera House,"
and which never knows when Edwin Booth
plays "Hamlet" or "Richelieu," but keeps its
readers fully informed about the doings of
Messrs. Griffin & Christy's Minstrels. With
regard to the critics. who are captious about
the Black Crook, and who mourn over the
decay of the legitimate drama, it is noticeable
that they all think that "Mr. Augustin Daly's
well-known version of Leah" is a most COM
mendable affair, and that Shamus O'Brien,
introducing Mr.. Dan Bryant and an Irish jig
to music composed by Mr.. John Brougham
ought to draw the best of houses.
When Booth was playing the legitimate
drama last winter, and Dawson and other
theatrical stars were doing their best to crafty
the public, we do not remember that these
critics much commended public taste in
patronizing these actors, nor that the criti-
cisms of their playing were especially elabo-
rate or profound. But the real place of the
spectacular drama has not yet been set down
by competent critics. Managers, to whom
public taste is chiefly an affair of greenbacks
as they hit it, or poverty as they do not, have
discovered that spectacles like the Black
Crook pay. Yet few competent observers will
deny that the Black Crook is q means of cul-
ture to a majority of the people who see it.
The eye as we'll as the ear is to be educated
and gratifed, and if the importers of this play
were to bring out next year Shakespeare's
Antony and Cleopatra, which is now so splen-
did a success on the boards of the Princess
Theatre in London, and is successful mainly
because it is presented solely as a superb
spectacle, it would be not less popular in this
city, and would show that Shakespeare him
self may gain new friends and admirers if the
Sensational" and Spectacular" are added to
his text. Messrs. Booth and Stuart were apt
enough when they appealed to precisely this
public taste in their magnificent revivals Of
Hamlet and the Merchant of Venice.
We take the following list of the plays pre-
sented in London June 4, to show that public
taste at present demands the same sort of per-
formances in London that are now popular in
this city,
Royal italian Opera.-Don Carlos with scenery,
costumes, and decorations"
DrtuV Idns.-That Ras al Jack. The Great City.
arheL-Perlection. wild Goose (Lester Wal
PIincess'.-Anthony and CLEOPATRA,
0iy@pic-The Best Way The Liar. Patter versus
Adeipii-Garibaldi in Sicily. Dora. Going to the
Prince Of Hdles.-A Game OF Romps, Caste
Not much of Shakespeare, and that only
spectacularly, and nothing of Sheridan, or
Colman, or Dryden, or Bulwer, and nothing
'legitimate;' only such plays as pay, and
please the public taste.