The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-25

render the representations perfect. My en-.
terpriso was supported checrfully by the
pit and gallery, but my boxes and stalls were
sadly deserted. lost money. Had not the
pantomime and Christmas come 10 my res.
cue could not have stood my ground at
all. was stubborn and pursued this policy |
for pride's sake during six years. But, sir,
| am neither q literary missionary nor
martyr, l am simply the manager of
theatre, vcnd, Of Intellectual ent ,rtain-
ment to the Lon on public, and I found that
Shakespeare spelt ruin and Byron bankruptcy.
In this extremity, In which was led by my
faith In the fine taste Of the upper classes
for the poetic drama, turned to the drama.
fist who haA made the fortunes of moro than
one manager In London. ] need not say
with what result. By his advice opened
the theatre In August, when London is sup
posed TO be empty, at period when no man
ager ever dared to open y until now. To
my objections he replied that the city was
only cleared Of those who never patronizcd
the drama they talked SO much about; that
| London always had three millions of people
In Il when town was said 10 DO empty; that
he wrote for the middle classes and the
working classes, who alone could be relied
on to support any Intellectual entertainment;
and that where they led their betters would
follow. He proved to be right. The amount
taken daily at my box office before the doors
open for securing stalls and private boxes
alone to see "Formosa" exceeds the gross
contents OF my theatre TO witness "Macbeth.'
Five years ago produced "Comus" In the
most splendid manner. The public would
not come to sec 1t. They praised II and kept
away. AT the same tine Mr.. Bouclcaults
drama, "Thc Streets Of London" was pro-
hundred nights that theatre was crammcd
nightly with those who deserted Milton.
Now we have changed hands. "Acis and
| Galatea," the classic work Of Handel, was
produced at the Princess q fortnight ago In
the most magnificent style, and with what
result The manager closes his door next
week, and awaits the production Of new
drama. l, on the contrary, produced "For.
mosa," by the author OF "The Streets Of
London" and obtain that public patronage
which my rival enjoyed ave years ago. The
public have been a good deal abused, man
ayers have been mercenary, and we have
been led TO understand that there Is an intel
lectual and refined class somewhere, who
only want the opportunity to come out and
support the higher class of dramatic enter
tainment. Where are they Mr.. Macready,
my predecessor In management here, tried
10 discover their existence, but retreated
from the search with sore pockets, just as |
did. No such customers exist. There Is
however, class Of literary men and dilet- |
tamil that profess TO deplore the degradation
Of our times. 1 have remarked, however,
that when produce Shakespeare these gen.
tlemen, who are entitled by courtesy to ad-
mission to the theatre, rarely ask for orders,
but since l have produced "Formosa," |
have been overwhelmed with applications
from this quarter for private boxes for their |
wives and families. ! state facts. allow |
others to comment upon them.
Yours obedently.
+. B. CHATTERToS,
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Monday evening, September Z, Formosa
made her first apI arancc In America, on the |
boards Of Nlblo's Theatre, New York. How
1t was received In the Empire City can be
understood from the following notices OF the |
New York press.
The Herald says:
"Mr. Bouclcaults new drama, Fornosa, !
or the Railroad to RUM was played here |
last night, for the first time, to full house,
with unequivocal success. This was the vcr-
diet of the audience at large-the liberal
mass TINT does the loud applause; a tribunal
whose dramatic perceptions are In an Amer
lean audience quite as accurate and whose
taste and judgment as correct as those things
arc apt to be with the critical few.
at is nonsense to talk Of the sensational
drama in view Of this piece. Its effects are
| lcgitlinntely due to art. II Is the legitimate
drama Of this day as much as the School
for Scandal was the Legitimate drama OF the
day In which II was written. II is II picture
I that people will find more or less accurate
according to their taste, but drawn always
with the definite dramatic purpose OF giving
| the very age and body of the time its form
and pressure We may doubt the intention
OF the author In the Introduction of certain
Of his elements. lie says that he has brought
in the dcmi-monde to scourgc vice, but the
scourging does not appear. Vice Is not scored
very severely when our sympathies arc ex-
cited for II by sacing II In situations aptly
contrived to male 1t look as much as may be
like good article of virtue. We think the
error of all the playwrights who have put
the queens OF the dcd,i-Dionae on the stage Is
the Same. These women are presented as
having dellcacy OF thought utterly incon-
sistent with the lives they lead. Women who
could lead the lives that these fictitious crca-
lures lead In one phase could not think the
thoughts given them In another phase. Thus
our sympathies arc excited by falsity
"But they are excited nevertheless, as was
abundantly shown last night in the case OF
/ 'Formosa.'
The Tribune says cts representation was
| witnessed by great multitude OF persons,
and was greeted with frequent applause. In
the trudesman's sense of the word, there
fore, 1t was successful; and, since II was
ayowcdly conceived aud executed in the
]
gardcd as cmlnently appropriate and har
monious. We dare say that the plo'e will,
for several weeks, maintain It's place upon
the stage. Many persons will wish to sec 1t
partly impellcd BY curiosity TO witness n
drama, the morality of which has been
called in question, and partly impcled by
interest In the reputation which Mr.. Bouci-
cault enjoys rs superlativcly skillful liter.
AIRY mechanic. Thousands Of persons like
| to see at the theatre copies Of what they sec
| In the streets. On every subject there Is an
obvious public opinion to be caught up and
echoed. Mr.. Boucicault says that word aud
echoes that opinion. Hence, as a play
wright, he is man OF his tlmci aud hence
his success"
The World says, after describing the I'm.
mense number Of people present; "Fhe play
was. regarded with the greatest interest
I throughout, and elected rather more than
the usual amount of hearty commentator
from the gallery, which was in such an NJ
parallel state Of Jam that. it seemed i'm
possible for the patrons there TO testify with
their eXtrcmltles to the triumph Of their
fuvoritc.
'sWhatevor may be tho pccuniary success
Of this piece 1t is impossible for the con
sclentious critic to award 1t any high praise.
Mr.. Boucicault's works have OF late been
distinguished by his rcpugnance to the
noblcr difficulties of the art, which to
writers OF taste no less than Of genius are
always incentives. The merit Of the play
consists in the freshness with which 1t pho
tographs contemporancous scenes and
events. Its spirit and action make 1t inter
csting, but not artistic"
The Times says people who 60 TO see
'Formosa' will ondcT rather at the sQucam-
ishness Of the London critics than at the
improperly of the play. It Is not worse
than la Traylata' and not SO bad as Ga
mile Mr.. Boucicault introduces us to some
characters who are generally kept In the
back ground by less courageous dramatlsts,
but he cannot be accused OF pandCrng to
vicious tastes. We may fairly presume that
he aimed at nothing more than to present
lively drama of modern life, and If We meas
urc his work by this standard 1t must be pro-
nounced q success. Mr.. Boucicaults fellow
dramatlsts may cry out that he Is immoral,
but they cannot accuse him of being dull.
'Formosa' is play which interests the pub
lie from first to last.
"Whether his present work is worthy the
author of the Colleen Bawn' and the 'Oc-
toroon' is q matter which We are contented
to leave him to decide. lie is not to blame
for studying the tastes Of the public, and
writing what he knows will satisfy these
! In tIia r,rtipnlor ambition bo Il