Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-26
THE WHITE FAWN.


They say that Thackeray, on being en-
countered at the ballet, in an out Of the
way London theater, and asked what had
brought him thither, replied, briefly and
expressively, legs" That is what brings
people to Niblo's Garden. In that little
word is expressed the prime motive and
prise. Thousands Of dollars have been ex-
pended, hundreds of people have been at
work for months, the note of preparation
has been sounded in every way and in
every quarter; and the grand result is
with every accessory Of light and color, and
music and painting sort of apotheosis of
the female leg. Really the subject is too
trivial for serious reflection. One can
readily sympathize with toll and endu-
rance that aim 10 serve even a moderately
worthy purpose in art but talent and en-
ergy that devote themselves to scenic gew>
gaws and dancing girls, must expect TO be
viewed with comparative apathy. In one
word, we end nothing in The White
Fawn to prompt enthusiasm. 1t is four
act play, translated and adapted from the
French spectacle of La Biche au Bois,"
and, so far as the language is concerned,
translated very badly. It's plot, when
found, ia extremely childish, and its rep
resentation is marked by occasi onal but
positive indelicacy. The acting that in
terprets it is, for the most part, only toll
cradle. Mr.. Mark Smith and Mr.. Vining
Bowers are the chief actors who appear,
and, Of course, they are far more than adj
equate to the characters that they FIJI. 1t
il, however, melancholy to see artists of 90
much talent condescending to positions so
far beneath them. The music incidental
to the piece is mainly executed by Mr..
Smith, Miss Stockton, and Miss Willmore,
the latter of whom sings a song called, 81
love the military" in singular imitation
of the ehaste and delicate style of
Mile. Tostee Another gem from the
Grand Duchess or rather, from the
Jardin Mabille--is introduced, at later
period, when NJ Van Hamme and Miss
Sohlke perform cancan dance. This ex-
traordinary exhibition has been received
with a blatant delight, which is strongly
significant of the vitiated state of public
taste. The main credit of 1.-THE White
Fawn" belongs TO the scenic painters
Sachetti Marsion, Strong and Thorne.
The best scene, because the most beautiful
in color and the most poetic in sentiment,
il Sachetti's Enchanted Lake" which is
made loyelier still by Signor Costa's
"Fire fly Ballet" one of the purest
and most graceful dances that has
ever been seen on the local stage.
The comic element in the piece Is
supplied by procession of iishes-which
evinces great skill on the part of the costn-
mers-and by a pantomime exhibition, by
the Hemming Brothers and Amy Bennett,
from London. The pantomime troupe,
however, has, AZ yet, given no evidence Of
particular cleverness. Better performers
Of this class have been seen at the Circus,
at Barnum's, ana in the BOwery. The
clown is not to be mentioned in the same
day with Mr.. Fox. OF the transforms
ton Scene" we must, of course, reserve des
scriptiOn-as the alright Realms Of the
Dragon Fly" have not vet burst upon the
public gaze. As to the ballet, il appears
TO be very good one. The legs are very
numerous, and some of them are beautiful ;
and most of the young ladies are scant OF
apparel lack, however, which does not
seem TO occasion poignant regret, either in
| their own gentle bosoms or in the more
rugged breasts of their manly admirers.
Bonfanti, Sohlke and Billion are the reign
ing stars. Most Of the other lovely inno-
cents remain nameless, but blaze in groups
Of sixteen, divided according to nationali-
| ty. Thus the cOnnoisseur of dancing and
| of feminine beauty may delight his mighty
| mind by subtle discrimination betwixi
the German, the English, the Italian, the
Spanish and the American. France
we believe, is sternly ruled out Of
| the miscellaneous ballet in order tc
make its descriptive epithet of Par,
isian" more distinctively appropriate. We
have no art to reckon the several outb1rst;
ofioy wherewith the various efforts of the
dancing girls have been greeted by an ap
preciatiye public. Enough TO say that the
dance went on till il seemed as though it
would never stop and that JOY was uncon.
fined. The ballet is the main thing and
as already intimated, the spectacle of az
enlightened populace worshipping at this
gentle shrine is the most edifying thing il
the world, and calculated greatly to exal
ones ideals of the periectibility of human
nature Once, and once only, in the course
of the representation, The White Fawn
borne in on shutter, distracted public re
gard, for brief moment from the may
dance A slight clue TO the plot was seer
in this incident. A Princess is changed
into a white fswn, by day, but becomes I
woman again by night. Good and evi
fairies contend over the fate of this dam
sci, and, of course, the good fairies triumph
in the long run-or. rather, in the lonl
dance-and all is made right in the Realm
of the Dragon.Fly. No spectator is likely
though, to make any strenuous endeavor Il
follow out the plot Of the " White Fawn.
1t is but pretext for the dancers, VIII
are all in all, and whose reign is likely Il
be long in the land land broad tool Will
grass grows and rivers run and beaut,
maintains its magic spell DER hearts-ani