The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-24
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.
"BIov for BIOwv nt the Chestnut.

there is nothing new under the sun, OF
course We will be disappointed seriously
II we look for novelties on the stage
Our old dramatic friends. however, 1t
seems to us, might by judicious treatment be
rejuvenated o little, and so set Off with fresh
garments that we would not be able to
recognize them absolutely at first
sight, and would at least be able
to enjoy the mental excitement of trying
to guess when and where we had seen them
before. There is even certain charm absut
such productions as the Lottery Of Life and n,
or Branded for it Is not impossible to derive
entertainment from trying to guess what they
are about, and In endeavoring to estimate
whether we or the author are particularly
insane. Most modern pleywrights
however, follow in a well.beaten track,
and the vagarious excursions into by.
paths are SO infrequent that
they are worthy of particular notice. The
modern dramas of the sensation school-have
we any othei9-might have been written by the
yard and cut by machinery TO order into the
required lengths of a prologue and one, two
three or four acts. The prologue, by the way
is indispensable. Tho same pattern, very
slightly variegated, runs through them all, and,
taking all things into confederation. it Is rather
remal kable that the actors are able to bear up
so well under the monotony. Esls, however,
they say get used TO being skluned aud the
human animal possesses In O remarkable de-
gree the faculty of adapting himself to clreum-
stances.
We remember Mr.. II. ]. Byron's ne sme In con-
nection with one ortwo pleasant little domestic
dramas, which. If not altogether new In style
form, and substance. we're clever perform auces
in their way, and moreover promised we'll 10
his efforts In the future in the same line. But
MIR. Byron has given himself over to the demon
of sensationalism; he has caught the trick OF
the trade, and he is apparently capable of fur
nishing the managers with plays by the square
yard or cubic foot, according TO order, and set
forth with bran new titles of the most taking
description. The LancGshtre Lass was redeemed
from nothingness by one character a little
out of the usual line; but Blow for
Blow, which has followed hard after 1t,
has not even this one redeeming
quality. To do Mr.. Byron justice, be does not
nutilate the English language to the same ex-
tent as some Of his contemporaries, and he un-
derstands the art OF arranging tolersbly inte'
resting situations for the curtain to descend
upon at the conclusion of each act, and his
plays are 80 far moral that there is nothing
offensive to decency in them, and ample jus
tice Is meted out to his villains when the end OF
the performance is reached. But Of what avail
Is this If the audience becomes so wearled
before the villain meets his doom that they are
not wide awake enough to know exactly
whether 1t is the virtuous hero or the rascal OF
the piece that finally comes to grief?
In Blow for Blow we have the wealthy mer-
chant. who commits a forgery, who refuses to
give his daughter to the villain, and who Is
eonvicted on the evidence OF the villain In re-
taliation for a blow In the face with the butt.
end Of q horsewhip inflicted by the young lady's
lover. The villain follows up the lover. and
gives him blow for blow by harasslng him
whenever an opportunity offers, until he finally
gets pitched out of the fourth story window by
the forging father, who returns from penal
servitude just in the nick OF time TO Illustrate
his schemes and TO inflict upon him punsh-
ment that anywhere outside OF sensation
play or novel would have the effect of placing
his hoary head In the hangman's halter. Tnere
are some attempts at humor IN BLoWJ for BLOW,
but the jokes are mostly old joes Lhat have
somewhat lost their piquancy from frequent
repetition.
Sonora di Carfano is not equal TO the task of
sustaining leading roIeS like Mildred Grad
dock" and her twin sister Alice" This lady's
foreign accent would not initiate against ner
success If she understood the art OF developing
the strong points of the characters entrusted to
her: but her acting is to great extent mech !.
nical and in the latter scenes of the play espe-
cially where vigor ana expression are required
she fails entirely.
Mr.. Studley's John Drummond'i is in almost
precisely the same style as his personation OF
"the party by the name of Johnson" only la
this drama he represents tue villain and in
the Lancashire Lass ne had the role OF the vic
tim, Mr.. Studley appears TO have ability, aud
we think that with little study he might
make a wider distinction between:hls style OF
representing these two parts. Mr.. 4. +. Tncrne
as "Lieutenalt Linden" did very fairly in the
first scene. but In the last two acts
where he had violent emotions to ex.
press, he failed entirely. The best act
ing in the drama to our mind, Is tha
Of Mr.. Jennings in the small part of "Mr. Boil
der" Mr.. Jennings is not always a pleasant
actor, and defect in his utterance sometimes
interferes materially with the success OF his
presentations. But he is O genuine actor. and
when he chooses to take pains he can make a
good deal out OF a very small part. We also
liked Mr.. ]. I. Wards representation of "Char-
ley Spriggs," albeit IL bore considerable re.
semblance TO his "Spot;y.' in the drama per-
formed last week. Mr.. Ward has considerable
dry humor. which tells on the audience with
fully as much effect as more extravagant fun
would do. Miss Bessie Sudlow, who a very fair
sOubTette but apparently without many ideas
above or beyond the conventional style OF
soubrete business, did not play the part OF
"Kitty Wobler" as she might have done, 30 as
to make 1t a feature OF the play. The other
characters were fairly represented, but the
members OF the company have not yet learned
how to pull together 80 as 10 represent drama
as whole win the greatest effect. In conclu-
sion we would say TO The hddleTs, do not hIdIe
while the people on the stage are talking, as IL
has q tendency 10 promote drowsiness in the
audience, and consequently TO render them
less enthusiastic at the most critical points in
the drama,