New-York tribune., 1867-02-20
THE DRAMA
NEw-YORK TIIKNTTR.


NEw-YORK TIIRATTR.
There was "A very largo audience at the Now-fork
Thcater on Monday evening, and the good example
then set by the public will undoubtedly he followed
The burleSque of "KcniwOrtR is neither moro nor
less than q positive feast of mirth To cnumeratc
and dcscaut upon all its features OF meriment would
be TO make delight q toll No reader wants the zest
taken out of his prospective laugh. But few OF It's
merits are briefly described when we say that "
makes a sad story very funny. eXaggerates several
most amusing types of character. and aboundS WIN
witty hits of n local no less than general character
The adapter of this buTcSquo 10 the American stage
has wisely relieved it of such peculiarly
British illusions a. wcro likely to fail dead
upon the ears of Ncw-YOrkcTs, and in their place
has given strokes of satire at local follieS ana
wrongs. Then, too McSsrS Baker and Smith nave
prOduced the piece with great care. Inc stage Oh we
NewlOrk Thcatcr is small. but IT'S appointments IN
this instance prove amply sufficient. inc cast 1i
parts however, IL the strong point. MI. Maik Slllh
plays Qucea Elisabeth, Lady Don is LnoesiG' Mr'
GOmeTsal is IGrncB. Mira. GOlcTSal ~ 1mg hODsHlt'
Mr. Dunn il TreSsiieR, Mr. Baker is UdB.Wd Smith,
and all are burlcsquc actors of the best oTder 10 90
and say absurd things IN solemn manner rs fhe chlci
rcouisc for success in this diilcut branch OF art
The secret il we'll understood by the players Wa nave
mentioned Mr.. Smiths QrccR Elizabeth Is lrrcSistbiy
comic. MIR GOmcIsal, from first To last, played
perfectly well aud kept the audience IN a
roar Of laughter. IL Is notable that nearly
all the members of the company at tins
theatcr are clever at yOCalizaLlon-l necessary
talent in pieces like "KcuIlwOrth.' Lady Don. who
made her first appearance here on the OCCASION
warmly welcomed. aud merlted the kindly lco'p-
tOn thus accorded 20 her. pleasant face. grace
full presence, sweet voice, much VNacty ana zone
of refinement, always pleasant 70 observe leit =
ents actress are evident and indspuable; their
quality and especial strength can scarcely be cStn2t-
| cd from a single performance. uOticeable hJ
was made 10y Mr.. Baker and Mr.. Dunn. both
of whom manifested the rare faculty OF htinor. Dlr
Baker and Mrs. GOmcrsal were particularly
appaudcG for their duct. wherein Amy reveals
| her scheme for unmasking Leicester before the
Queen The musical portion OF tL'S buiiesquc, We
should note. Is remarkably telling All the melodies
| are good and are married TO good words Repctl0n
of the songs was called for, in many instances We
glide loosely from point to point of this performance;
| but tho truth is that after two hOus OF hearty
laughter grave critical reflection ana nlce arrange
mcnt OF ideas and phrases is matter OF much diff
! Guilty. The mind retains mass 9l pleasant inpEeS-
siOns-the clcarest being that Lady DOns dcbW here
was successful. and that ono Of the best OF bur
| esques was presented in manner to satisfy the
most eXacting taste.
wINTrE ChRpEN.
The Merchant of Venice" is pursuing It's pros
perous course at the Winter Garden. Large audi
enccs are continually in attendance There Ia much
in the representation TO afford delight. The most
critical scrutiny Of the can detect no notable
blcmish. Mr.. Lcuzcs Venetian sketches have Ger
tainly served noble purpose. More accurate or
represent the Place OF ST. Mark and the Ducal
Chamber at Venice have never been seen on thc
American Stage We repair an omission by directing
especial attention 10 the copies Of TmtorctiO which
hang upon the walls III the latter scene, and TO the
garden scene. in which LdRrc}Oi pOusly instrnct5
AeriSsG III respect to her spiritual prospects, The
latter is full OF the sweet sentiment and the dccious
langOr that characterize - summer landscape. IL
should be mentioned, though that the transpOsitiOn
of this from the end O the third to the end OF
the second act seems bicmsh notwithstanding II is
done TO time in the setting OF the great scene of
the third act the Place of st Mark II is to be
grcttcd, too, that, III Mr. Booths arrangement of the
play the third of Act third is not preserved.
.ROniO herein sheds an important light upon the per
sOnal malice of the jew toward himself, while Shy
locks terrible caTncsncss of religious purpose IN his
vengeance is suggested with remarkable force. Mr.
Booths hylOck has been somewhat toned down. III
repetition. but lns conception OF The character SIM
seems immature and incomplete, and 1T VIII continue
10 seem so until the actor dlgcStS hiS performance on
all the attributes of mclOdlama. To SbUOCk the
usureT and to Shyl0ck the yndictiye hatcr, he al
ready docs adequate Justice But TO ShgiOck the in
tcllectua and Inalcstc representative oI the Mosaic
law and 10 ShyOch the outraged and carbr0ken Old
father, he gives neither the requisite Statcness nor
the indispensable wildncss and pathOs OF anguish
aud suppressed passion Ills third act is still full of
sound and fury hs delncanOr III the COURTROOM sun
substitutes violent and excessive demonstration for
the marble dignity which here makes Shyiock 50
grand parsonage. MIR. Booths whetbhg OF the
knife in the latter scene has. by the way been es-
pecially singled out for critical question In our FIRST
notice OF his performance lIRIrUNE OF Feb. ID we
objected to il as being far too prOtIacted and prom
Incnt. Still stronger objection was subsequently
made to II. by very able critic in another daily
TO borrow the witty words of DR.. JohnsOn-make
themselves public, without making themselves
knOwn-has, hcWupOn. come to the rescue of Dir.
Booths ShyiOck, SuperluOusly pointing out after
column Of vcrbiagc that the text REQUIRES that
HglOck should whct his knife upon the sole OF his
shoe This point has not been questioned. Criticism
i, merely dissatisfied with "A SLBl0c who gives undue
prominence to point of mere subordinate detail and
insults Venetian court OF justice by conduct that Is
ont of all keeping with the character the time, and
the place The whctting of the knife should he done
furtiycly: the duel of words with Grdtidn0 should bo
an aside. This is clear as sunshine. 1t would bo
waste of words TO discuss this point; but the ex
plict explanation of our previously expressed Judg-
mont may not bc in vain
MISCELLANEOUS.
The established attractions need but word Of men
ton. A Dangerous Game keeps the stage OF Wal
lacks Theater. "The Black Crook" will be played
for the lC4th time, at Niblos Garden, tonight "The
Christian. Martyrs" is only at the ouisct Of
long career, at Banum's Museum. The Bunyan
Tableaux" are unTOcd nightly, and on the afternoons
DIM and Cinderella" and the WOIrcl Sisters have
entered upon their last week ut the Broadway
TheateT. No more is heard, by the way. about the
promised new play Of Cl0ryOyance" Mr.. aud Mrs,
Barney Williams commence an engagement az thn
theater next Monday. Miss Jennie Worrell will have
a benefit on Friday.
FOREIGN DlAATAfIC TTKMs
Mr.. BoucicaulHs drama of "The Flying Scud"
has passed its one hundreth night at Tho lioborn
tlcator.
| a late L9ulou paper says =" tLeatero ba9o uot IA