New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-10-14
THE DRAMA.
pURLEsouE AT WOODS MUSEUM.


Mr.. Emerson philosophically tells us that
all men love a lover" 1t may be added. a like spirit
OF zson that they all love Laughter love be
the fascinating OF all the influences that abroad
In the world mirth Is next H. power Of fascination,
and but little way behind. Set up tho May Pole and
let the ddes begin 10 squeak and them VIII shortly be
no lack Of dancers The sound Of hearty honest aue al
ways carries delightful contagon along whit Even the
written laugh iDtectiousas every sympathetic reader
the humorsts wen he takes any ~ them
from his bookshelf and, with sigh OF relief turns
his back upon care, and drifts into the kingdom OF tho
merry monarch There Is much In the wurd 60 'addcn
the heart and darken the oouncnance, that everybody
lnstincuvely warns toward the merry maker. the
goddess fair and free" the universal bencfactor
and friend When therefore, the buresquers made their
appearance at Mr.. Woods noY -. Museum.
that pleasant place Of public resort Immediately ac-
quired a interest. II thronged on the occasion
first performance. and IL has been more than
thronged ever since. They pleased 81 the start, gd they
have continued To please. This is not the kind % enter
tanment that invites the amused spectator 90 La ndous
Of flaws. so that he laughs, and made happy for
while he Is we'll content and thus he Il well content az
Woods Museum. He there gayy lighted stage,
broad clean, and fair and upon II he beautiful and
merry creatures who 10 be al Joy. and olse. and
almost sylvan grace Doubtless they have their troubles
what Dickens called our native American catarrh for
instance has made itself known I'm their midst But they
put all troubles aside and do their best TO charm MS aud
their bestas been said before In these cOlumnsser
ceedngy good Not 10 recognize the success OF nch com
mendable effort indeed. would be rank ingratitude. 10
ia very innocent ambition surely, that seeks 10 amuse
this over-worked over laden and mostly tired OF
citizens and glad to see that Is being prosper
ously filed. The very sight OF such merr laughing,
bounteously yyacious creatures as Miss Lydia Ihomp
SON. Miss Lisa Weber Mr. Harry Beckett aud the st,
an immediate balm Of comfort. They at once put the
observer into good humOr. He forgets the avarciOus
landlord the that mu, De paid tomorrow, the ught
boot the cold OF Mary Jane. the cold shoulder Of
Bullion the wealthy banker. the printers devil who is
waiting copy, and the envous carpng and snarng
OF the whole grand army " backbters, gossip- and
chattering idiots which iDfests his path. This IL
new world while II lasts and IL is canoped with silver
clouds, and with cclored lamps and rcdolent Of fra
grant odors aud resonant with the tnkle 0f ryulets
aud the ripple of dulcet laughter. That N, the
seer fancy well eyes-whch some people have
not dwell upon tho notion OF the subterra
neous carpenter and the aral gas-mani We may know
that they are there, IL will but think about IT, and
may conjecture that the fairies themselves will home
by and by to their evening beer and become like other
mortas That "seamy side" of things as Mrs Iago calls
It, though is precisely what all desire and then
TO forget 1t the felicity Of tho buresquers that they
make do It, They plunge large multitude into this
sort OF pleasant oblivion. every night The antique myth
OF Iron in heaven Sparkling Juno ad Venus and
rousing the ire OF Jupiter works up into capital bur
lesque. Its six scenes are fully spiced with clever puns
and with song aud dance. IL IA true burlesque, more
over, for 1t is, so to speak, grin framed In
sanctlmony; and the players know how TO pre-
sent 1t that comical effect shall De
lost Mr. Beckett leads them thinkas seemed 20 be
at the beginning. He plays hD>rra HIS gravity hts
that sober goddess His keen perception OF fun his quiet
method his apparent uncOnsciOusness OF his own conf
cay his downright in the perpretau0n Of all
that absurd his discreet exaggeratiOn that does just
a,,A Ton Far hes aria ara
qualities that cvince the real burlesque artist Mas Lisa
Weber too. becomes and promnentb by reason
her art. Nature has endowed her with seemingly end
less OF cOmica deyltry. She can be IN
ndescrbably funny manner; and she is excellent at
comic song. But the singer Of the troupe Miss Mark
ham, who gives melodious voice TO almost perfect
beauty. The dancer meanwhile is Miss Harland,
and In that speciality she takes tho palm. It may DO
imagined-if any there who do not see-that
these bright jewellers work very well together in their
cheerful business OF making fun. Beauty and mrth
are well conjoined. The incidental display OF female
charms is LIBERAL yet there 10 no indelcacy about this
entertainment To our mind the scene came home as
very much like that Of group OF happy-and unusually
ciever-peope. sporting In some pleasant meadow, with
woods near ut hand, and the silver CLEAN Of sylvan
lake visible through the foliage. Other eyes may
see Il differently for aught we know. But to us the
establishment here OF o frstcass burlesque troupe,
uniting and foreign talent, and presenting mrh
full traveses which there Is neither coarsenoss nor
guile. Ia source OF unalloyed pleasure; and such We
dare say 1t will prove to the majority OF the public IL
will hurt nobody laugh. Let the shine while ID 10
day. There will be darkness soon enough
OLD PLAYS AT wALLACKs THEATER.
A week of old plays isn progress at Waacks
Tbeater The bill comprises "Masks and Faces The
Rivals" "Loyes Sacrifice" and "Tho Stranger" The
first OF these one OF the best comedies IN English Liter
ature 1t was presented with good scenery and good
cast OF parts, Monday and II VIII be repeated on
Thursday The chief performance, IN point OF import
ance and OF merit, is Mr. Fishers T1pot This
work OF art Is well aud widely known. and
~ destined TO have an abiding place IN dramatic