New-York tribune., 1868-08-11
THE DRAMA.
TRODDEN DOWN.
for himself.

IHE UhIMA.
TRODDEN DOWN.
Az the Broadway Theater the Irish drama
Of "Trodtlen Down or, Under Two Flags" tnrst pro
duced here ON the sd Of August has entered upon its
socond week There is no particular merit in either the
drama or the acting which nterpres it and hence the
subject need not long detan critical attention But IN
Justice TO ireland omething. by the way which seems
to be continually asked for and almost never Brahted
we must distinctly state that neither IRISH character NOT
irish life is any ruthfuy or adequately portrayed
in this DRAMA than hitherto IN the hundreds OF black
bottle and back-thorn plays which, for so long time'
have jsrepresented ibernia and bored the American
publie Built upon the oldestabshed model OF Celtic
drama, "Trodden Down pitches into the Saxon glorl'
fes the spirit OF rebellion and revolution ana smoous
down tile feathers of the great American bird It's points
OF attraction and repulson therefore, may readily pe
imagined The heroic rebel the faithful wife, the sinister
villain the uproarious peasantry the British army oil SIX
or eight dcoats the mudcabn the prison. the hair
breadth escape whisky potatoes, music, treachery, gun
powder and ultimate happiness-they all here com
mingled in four acts and exhibited with all that clumsy
tedousness OF deal Which is the dreadful characteristic
OF this order OF play. The result Is an Emerald lsahd
broth that cannot possibly be paatabe except TO con-
1rmed appetite for silly romance ana the stage DOmDass
Of fictitious patriotism Is authorship Is ascrlOeu 10
Mr. Harry watkins who acknowledges. however, his In
supplied a basis for the Florence drama Of " "Insha-
vogue" We do not yet know what Mr Wat
kins's strong points as an author may happen
10 be; but cOncseness Is certainly hOt ono
Of them. The first act OF this play Is entrey
supernuous and the other three acts, comprising the
story OF the piece stand in great need OF condensation
The facts 70 be Illustrated are these scoundrel wishes
10 marry the adopted daughter OF wealthy nobeman
But she betrOthed another. Thereupon the scoun
re threatens betray To the gaows an Old irish repel
and patroto g9and so forces the patriot to present
himself az the grs father, and drag her from the pro-
lection OF her guardians This done tho coundre essays
to seize tho girl in her unprotected condition. and to
mako her his wife. But herein he is thwarted oy the
old rebel who proves to be really the girls father and
who is thereupon "giyen up to justice" In the end,
though he escapes and the scOundrel is killed. and the
girl reunited her friends and her faithful lover
This will do well enough for story, and 1t might De
ersely told In a dramatic form Even then. however II
would be Improbable aud frivolous. Told in Mr.. Wat
kinss prox play it grossly presumes ON public ereduty
IL makes an humble devoted adherent OF the heroic
rebel betray him. without any motive aud contrary 10
reason TO the villain Of the peee-who IS everybodys
enemy. 1t makes hlgh-minded and brave man tine
ideal patriot OF all Irish dramas weakly and basey yield
himself 10 participation In cowardly lnhuman crime
an act impossible under the given circumstances IL
makes noble family yield up an adopted and dearly
cherished member OF its householdwthout delay, with
out sensible investigation OF pretended claim, without
process Of law and almost without remonstrance-to the
custody OF strong vagabOnd, poor ragged, dirty and
drunk Ia brief il claims TO tell sound and coherent
story and it rectes rgmaroe Of nonsense it claims to
present rational persons, aud it makes them act
without reference to reason This Is not art-it is
bathos No mind with sense OF art could possibly
have put such stuff together. No mind with sense
OF art can possibly endure It, In two fundamental
points then, 4" Trodden Down" is an entire failure
1t does not fulfil the promise Of Irish play, since it
fails TO depict Irish character and IL does
not fulfill the promise OF any other kind OF play since it
errs from and probability alike in character and
incident Upon its style comment Is possbe-for that
"a m the we'll known condition OF the Iceland snakes it
has no existence Nor need dwell upon the acting
that gives II interpretation Mr. Watkins who personates
the hero Is manlfesy old stager There no lack in
his stage business lie shows sense OF comicaty too In
his intoxicated Irish buoonery in act second and his
personaton OF Fergus devoid Of sensibity and oc
casona ardor But he far too frequently uses the false
medium OF noise for the expression of feelings and such
art as he employs Is extremely laborious Actors OF this
order may be useful but they only become proml-
ncut i'm the absence OF real artsswhO are at present
very few in number the cotenlporary stage. Mrs
Watkins plays heroine and sings four songs with tnat
sweetness OF and that carefuness OF execution for
which she has long been distinguished. These perform
ers monopolze the acting The part OF the villain is
represented by gentleman whose voice appears TO pro-
ceed out OF his boots and who accordingly very aw-
fu and impressive The cast also includes In subsidiary
parts Mrs Gilbert, Mr. Jack, Mr. S. +. Browne, and Mr..
williamson. There many fair melod dramas. Irish and
other which would afford abundant for the talents
of Mr. and Mrs Watkins and, but that Mr. Watkins has
INDUCED IN amateur authorship, IL would be surprising
that they have appeared I'm such CHASTITY piece as
"TrOdden Down" There still time to repair this error
OF Judgment Mr.. and Mrs Watkins have been kindly
greeted by portion of the public and doubt not they
would sail far smoothly under more cheerful colors
than they now display.
...i-f 81. DRAMATIC NOTES. L.
This is the last week of "Barbe Bleu,' at
Nlblo's the musical sensation OF the season.
Concert tonight as usual, in the Central
Park Garden Tuesdays and Saturdays are the Gala
Nightsn and on occasions TWO orchestras partc
pate In the performances. An excellent programme,
varied and tasteful. Is arranged for this evening.
Mr.. w. II. Lingard, the well-known comic
performer who lately at the Theater
Comique in this city, appears at the Brooklyn Academy
will be assisted by select company including Miss Alice
Dunnng, London performer Miss Lizzie Willmore Miss
Lucy Edgert0n and Mr. +. B. Holmes, late OF Nibl0's
Garden, Mr. f. Ward Sgnor LogreDla and Prof Hilton
Mr. David Brahams orchestra will also take part In the
entertainment when Mr.. Lingard appeared In this city
he attracted good deal OF attention. ana greatly pleased
the yotaries of mrth. His performance seems 10 be
lust suited 10 the mood inspired by this dreamy Summer
weather Doubtless he will draw good houses IN Brook
lyn. TOD