New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-10-03
THE DRAMA.
NO THOROUGpFARE.

pe'eo 81 Momus and they seldom fail TO bring WIN
ve',rth and good cheer; and mFth MI" k
Ixsye welcome. This time, however my 80
~~ht with them sable meiaheno''
s., 10 TOO mild phrase az
pa mursy gloom. The name OF No
peh nt,ra - This burden was deposited on
4, the Broadway Theater, last Monday night
pe :, ren,ains there now. II Is a melodrama' ID sA
t"" ,r.nslated from the French version OF
ss~ rn.lish piece, entitled "bApime' CINE
Wv now being played at the 'ande'll'e
A"s IN Pans IL retens. after fashion, the
nebt. wnisted Christmas story that-aecordiDg to
,sibie sgns-wilkie Collins wrote aud Charles
uS blessed ast year. We may fairly presume mat
,,ority of readers acquainted with the iDeidents
AT story To rehearse them here, therefore wouid
.4d,ulms excess" Enough 10 say that the cher OF
.,reappear in the drama-for the most part aitere~
- salfed-aud that they are welded together III rap ~,
.,rsv way. In act fret the walled lady" seee nea
ssa at the Founding Hospital, and nnds tDr unf
9saey EiId,ng In act second Obenreizer CONF ~
..ss Wine House. and wIdina engages nc" w,,s,,
,sper In act third Verdale makes love "nu -" ,S,,
makes his will, after WHICH be kindly ~
DIS ont Of the piece; and then the ~ V 80 %, ,,o
angus drops ON Vendale's waistcoe' io" en- e.,
,ne-vault IN act fourth Ocefr'" 49,, ,,o1 .,ay,
a., his forged receipt from TrD"', "-u - ~,
Ogether that direful lP'", ~, o,,h O,s.r,;.tr
noroafrih and Joey maze III "o' nv" 80
luz" 80, 80 -. -, plum, and tries 20 rob him,
- ~ CO.. ia. Lastly, In act sixth, ooS"-
- ,..eb ., Pe,sdaie IN the snowy HiPhe
n. -, ,sey have a fierce wrestling bcnt, whicn 10
- by the arrival of Marguerite and Joey
,.na VeadaIe is rescued AorgRert Informs Obe''-
,se- that lie is assassin, and that she ha'es NM
"a o5f,rei-er gives howl and bolts" over the brink
a, Tie Abyss SO the play ends, in snowy tablean The
,,eeeding thnDess OF substance in all this tedionsy
,aent Here We have men, one good and the other
Rad and both IN love with the same woman; ana one
,rys 70 rob and murder the other-and gets discom
sed This told IN six acts, which, by thoroughly dill
cent art could much better have been told in three ana
beb was scarcely worth the telling at all II is need
l 10 indicate that the great point Of the bOok-NU0Uc
,i, rescne OF Veaaie, which, painted IN words IS
.any thrilling and pathetiois missed IN the DRAMA
which indeed pretty eectualy spolls not over strong
story The spectator viii observe also, that the
character of O1enre,-tr is greatly changed lie
loves Narguerte He is almost noble I'm his devotion To
her for her he forges for her he sns for her he would
stain l hands innocent blood and when at last she
calls him assassin. and utters her hatred OF hin DIS
brain SCENE be- crazed by the blow, aud be bursts our
Of life with wildDess OF passion that is alDcst lnaghh
cent This j. not the complex and much pettef ua"h
character in the stOry-the smooth tongued, serpent
r,o seoundrel yoe, Ladle Bkewis3 is TO spTout
into as,on;shins prominence as kind OF ancient
mariner who knows the man that he must bore, AMI
never falls to bore him Even in the presence of his
s,,ne master when ammoned 20 witness that masters
will this IRE presse gsbber permitted 70 offend sens
,ntv nv a torment Of coarse lovemakiug toward the
.-sr Dnt there is greater gabbler than
he. who turns mp, most Unexpectedly in the last act
Ia the person OF a fiiar OF orders gray, at the
HOspice OF ST.. Bernard. This reverend gentleman
bottled mp during five acts, makes the best Of his
chance the sixth, ard talks enough tolt him month
Moreover. he swarms with papers bearing on the
Walter Wildiag mystery; aud the action OF the piece IS
made to halt while no explains expounds, and enarees
NV
all about seeing that the sole question ofinteFes re-
hates 10 the chance disposinE of his travel
ne compauior Here, indeed u the pVVt OF inc l"e0e
After four aets preparation, moInentay eenhe "a
saspense aroused by the scene IN the SWISS h VIZ
o,.sr,i.ey succeed in r0bbng has friend! " Ihought7
,look hands ant drugs it, aud time agreeing IL IS
n.s midnight The unconscious Ieldah sleeps Ia his
,har family umued by the red glare Of the 1re over
him stands the dark villain, cleaning knne III M manu-
and CLEAN OF murderous hate in his eyes there =
iaeathess pause-and those who have eapac'S
tr cold ohnls may prepare TO feel them now.
RAT zee the sleeper stirs; there is souhd %
footsteps outsde the door the guides are cone; the'
hurst into the roo-and ObsrCi1er is calmly seated Oh
the table lighting his pipe. the curtain comes down
That scene may chance 70 give the piece hoa upon we
romanc side OF pubic taste. But there IS not enough o.
/, 70 make the hold strong one. kindred ieehhs o.
suspense is aroused BY the preparations iof lhe ""i
tsbeau al the Alpine Abyss But THAI is weak mol 20
,iye when rolling over each other upon the
soor Surely the climax could be effected without tha'
most nndruifed t,issle Surely too the piece would DC
maze more pointed ny the taking on OF the oqaaeous
preate and by little economy in tie use OF J"ey L9de
Time Is well TO De eetng and arr ought not 10 be
too long. Carefully enrtaued, mo IhorouGhfare
nav take its place among the ephemeral melo-
aramas of the day, that everybody sees once,
and never wishes 10 see again. 1t has been well
proauced at the Broadway TesteT IN point Of scenery
The Pounding Hospital, Cripple Corner the Vine Vault
Oh. interior az the Swiss Inn and the gallery IN tie Alps
sse the chief upon which the care and ingenuity
Of the artists have been expended. Mr. @ w Dayonit
De scene painter here and he merits due credit Tor ""k
veil Done The principal characters are cast As foows
6s.ureizer Mr. Florence; Ves,daie, Mr Garden; MGs-
vserie, Miss Kate Newton; Wahg W,ld.a0, Mr. Han
A.ty Mr. Jaek; JoeD Ladle, Mr. Williamson; sally
Gosdsfrao MTs. skerrett AadH Dor IA dehghtial char
se,er who never speaks daring the whole performance
end only once shows her face, Mrs. H. Chapman and
Yaer Paneis the ecclesiastical champion OF chin muse
Mr. Costello. Mira Florence is not in the east-Nlsely
sesfvbe her bright and cheerful presence for something
more congenal than this darn picture ofabortye sin Mr.
florence appears to have been Studying Fechter who
Played Otenrse IN London AT any rate his manner and
snaDcs tion remind Of those limitations whereby
DR.. George vandenhof made Fechter known
here, some time ago DIR. FlOrence,-whose make
w 10 admirabe.-adopts the foreign accent the
rsaug infection, the rapid utterAnee aud the
asnepstrave grjmace and, considering that Sll this is
to him. be carries 1t of very well indeed But he
dees wear these foreign robes easily as yet and his
otsnrstr s far too obviously william Greater reti
tehee more iebberaton much more grace, ease, polish
and snus,ng tact needful TO make this impersona
ZION sound But II will doubtless, improve; and mean
unc. II credtable TO Mr. Florence that lie has thus
struck ont into new neid Of art Would that the
Effort had been made in better play! mo
ghS Hon ia nf
heforeigh stage. later we must have had IT.
Like The sweet potatoes In season and perhaps We