The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-08-08

mast that the Black Crook Will be presented
to the citizens of rock Island and vicinity,
on next Monday and Tuesday evenings, un-
der CANVASS. with appropriate scenery and
comfortable seats, on the ground Opposite
the National Bank. The following history
and description of the piece may, therefore,
possess some interest to our readers:
THE PAY.
The play of the Black Crook was written
and published in the year 1863, by Charles
L. Barras, of New York, but was not pro-
duced until three years later, or in Septem-
Der, 1866, when it was put upon the stage
at Niblo's Garden, and has continued to be
the only bill presented at that theatre ever
since. This 'srun" is unprecedented in the
history of any play ever presented.
Its immense popularity is owing to the
magnificent scenery and the beautiful spec
tacles which startle the gaze of the beholder
from first to last.
1t was played in Boston one hundred and
thirty consecutive nights at the Theatre
Comique, and over hundred nights in
Philadelphia at the American Theatre, un-
der the supervision of Mr.. Barras himself,
and for the past few months has been pre-
scented 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.
Louis it had remarkable run of three full
months, excursion parties being got up from
many towns to visit st. Louis on purpose
to witness it.
- The play has been witnessed by over a
million and half of people, and still the
enthusiasm flags not.
The scene is laid out in and around the
Hartz Mountains in Germany, and the time
is the 18th century. Hertzog, the Black
| Crook, is deformed sorcerer, magician and
| lei, the Arch Fiend, by which for every
human soul he en,ices into his net, a wears
life shall be added to his own.
Rodolph is poor artist in love with anG
affianced to beautiful young lady called
Amina. Count Wolfstein, a German feuda
chief, is also in love with Amina, and enter
him of his hated rival, Rodolph by betrayin,
| him to the Arch Fiend.
Stalacta is queen of the golden realm O
Fairy Land. While visiting the earth i,
the form of white dove she is set upon b,
one of the creatures of the Arch Fiend il
the form of o serpant, and would have fallel
victim to him only her life is saved by tn
opportune presence of Rodolph, who dis
patches the serpent and frees the trembling
dove. From that time the Fairy Queen be
| comes the guide, protector, and friend o
Rodolph and his lady love. And now com
mences a warfare between the powers O
Darkness, 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 Stalacta
who is determined to preserve him.
One of the most beautiful scenes is tina
in which Rodolph visits the castle of Wolf
stein in disguise. He is discovered by tn,
| Black Crook, who determines to take thi
opportunity to destroy him, and is only pre-
vented by the timely arrival of Stalacta and
her fairies, in the shape of Amazons, VIII,
rush in and save him. This beautiful tab
leau closes the third act.
In the third act the retainers of Wolfstein
led on by the Black Crook, still follow thu
flying Rodolph. They overtake him, an'
grand combat ensues, in which the life 0
Rodolph is again saved by Stalacta, an.
Wolfstein is slain. The next scene is Pan
demonium with the Arch Fiend in council
"How stands the record of the dying year !?
The Black Crook having failed to fulfill hi
pledge to the Fiend, Zamiel demands hi
bond and seizes the sorcerer and casts hin
into the flames. The closing scene is tn,
Palace of Dew Drops, with Stalacta uniting
the hands of the lovers, and a grand tableau
/ zlT THE SCENERY. @
| The scenery is one of the features, an,
probably the leading attraction Of the play
The fifth scene in the first act is terrible
representing the "Serpent's Glen" in tn
mountains. 1t is where the Black Crool
goes to utter his incantations, and make hi
compact with the Arch Fiend. Surrounde
on all sides by serpents and skeletons an
grinning fends, it is weird and terrible t
look upon. z<s SstE
/ The third scene is the exact opposite @
this and represents the home of Stalacta, tn
Fairy Queen, who is surrounded by waite
nymphs and fairies, and welcomes to he
home Rodolph, the preserver of her life.
The other scenes are Wolstein's castle
illuminated by hundreds Of ights-the vaul,
under it, where the Black Crook tempt
Rodolph-scene in fairy land where Stalact