New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-04
THE DIANA.

FOUL PLAY AT THE NETWORK THEATER.
Foul Play as a story, is one of those books
that will blow over Its merits that It ts orammed
full of incident and written with sustained vyacity Of
manner that pease the fancy and keeps the mind OF the
reader In an agreeable state OF sensuous excitement
These merits naturally render the story interesting on
frat pernsal Of IT, But defectsits false showing oil
human nature in some portions OF It's eharacterpainting
M. violation OF probability IN portions OF It's plot
and the frequent tekery OF its anguageare so grave
that no person. possessed OF genuine taste for literature
can particularly care read second time Tho part
relative what rAnsprcs IN Austria Is wen uOhe, anu
rs the best part The death OF the sailor whose friend Is
hove to- outside" waiting for ham, should also be men
trash About the best scenes on the Pacific there Is
odor OF the buekbasket Inc .'os1nu VIII,
as 10 the great point OF all nothing COud Wen De more
unnatural and offensive than Helen Rcllcsons unwonan-
L. aud thurman abandonment of her lover on the lone
Pacific Island Helen RoleslOn viii DO very wei Tor
book heroine but she will never do for loyeable and
loving woman To the method In which tho denouemen
brOu ght need only refer TO say that IT'S essen
TALLY commonplace In brief-aud 10 make our meaning
enifely definite this graphic hctiOn-"T Vicar OF
Wakefield Dir. Charles Reados own novel ~ Christie
/ J0hnstOne," ~ worth hundred ttousLhu oI On'
Play and will live in literature at least hundred thou
sand times az long Inc reason Is taat "A ~
/ utterance N the honest words OF simplicity True
artists deal with the natural aud the ZANZIBAR ana
the exceptional. Tie aeihor Of Foul Play wrote for
efec-and attained MS object Inc Story II u oe remen
bered all, will only be remembered among those very
numerous stories that people read through once only 10
| SEQ how they turn out.
And il reads better than playsh TO take the
/ sx-aot drama, which was presented last night
AT the NeW-l orK Theater adequate exposition OF
/ ITS dramatic capabilities. TINS piece, which u
/ understood TO be a cOuglOmeratiOn Of the Lon
/ doI MAY by BOucicaut and the Leeds play,
liz ReaIe, follows, indeed, the main thread OF the
story except that Il introduces some e1traneos matter
toward the last relative 10 the god but does no SORT
of ustce 20 the strong sensation OF the written mar
ratve The sinking of the Proserpne was ridiculous and
was very properly laughed al by most OF large audience
nv whom il was witnessed This shaking of lot OF green
CLOTHS 10 represent the rolling OF the waves OF ocean has
Reen long enough tolerated 10 Is nuisance aud ought
10 be set de The greater pity OF course Is tuat pays
have 10 depend at all upon such trumpeIy accessories
The hover scene brightly painted and pleasant enoug
10 see had nothing else IN IL but paint In the original
there e ground swell OF emotion Paint cannot atone for
The OF this -Four acts OF the piece were received WIN
gooduatured liberation, bat without enthusiasm In the
fb MIR studley as Wyiie. who all along did the best
acg that was done aroused roa feryor by his earnest
meas OF feeling aud his iervd fuhfulness In the delnea
ti60 az bad nature overwhelmed by fear. In reference
10 fhe general acting however. " would not be just 10
speak at the outset No performer seemed entirely al
ease Mr Harkns and Miss Hawthorne acted with SEN
sibity and at times with vgOr. Mics Fisher. debu
| tante here manifested aptness and grace, but was
moi distinctly heard Mr. Burnett ned the character OF
! Gen RoestOn with fine dignity. The scenery
| was approprate SO much minimizing excitement has
Ieen aroused by the story OF Foul Play" that THIS
theatrical version OF IL may fairly enough be expected t.
have a run. At present. however, we cannot see tha'
dramatic art has been materially benefited by the acqu
sition Of this piece 10 the stage literature OF the day
Ample credit though is due 10 those workers VINO, III
file midst OF sahara OF dulness have given the town
theatrical novelty discuss. We shall recur to Fou
| Play" hereafter. - cief-