The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-06
WSchool,, nj the Arch.

Mr.. Il. w. ROBERTSON Is the Anthony Tr0HOpe or
the drama, and with subjects which in no instance
rise above the commonplace and which under ordi-
nary circumstances would appear even mean and
trivial he has contrived TO make some OF the fresh
est, brightest and most charming plays Of the day.
His characters are never strongly marked, and yet
they are life-like and clearly outlined sketches,
which the actors have no trouble in filing up. COM
monplace as are Mr.. Robertson's themes there is
always vein Of genuine poetry in his plays which
the audience is quick to appreciate, and fund of
quiet, graceful humor which never sinks to coarse
ness, and which never fails to awaken pleasant
smiles and laughter.
The comedy of School, one Of Mr.. Robertson's
latest productions was performed at the Arch last
evening to a fair audience, and it achieved more
than fair amount OF success. The plot is very
slender and indeed, there scarcely be said to be
o plot The old fairy story OF "Cinderella" modern
ized is all that there is in it, and, If to mark this
fact, the more distinctly the curtain rises upon the
heroine OF the play, relating the story Of the fairy
godmother and the prince who wooed the little
cinder wench to her school companions as they are
weaving wreaths of flowers in the grove; and as
the drama progresses, the analogy Is even more
pointedly insisted upon. 1t has been charged that
Mr.. Robertson plagiarized this idea from recent
German play but whether this be the case or not,
School is distinctly impressed with the same style
and characteristics Ours and Caste that is impossi
Bile to believe it is not essentially Mr.. Robertsons
own work.
strict sense OF the word, and many OF them would
appear absolutely weak, trivial and silly, it not
that Mr. Robertson Is artist and poet who knows
how to dignity the trivial, and to make commonplace
not merely endurable but in high degree entertain
ing. Such plays Ours, Caste, and School crafty the
modern taste for realism on the stage, but they
CRAFTY it in a legitimate manner: the people who
figure in the real men and women, and not
caricatures or copies OF old dramatic hgure-heads
that have done duty ever since play-houses were
invented; the dialogue Is clear, crisp and
often brilliant and in spite OF the sightness OF the
plots and the rivaity of the Incidents these works
are so evidently the production Of a man of taste
culture, and poetic feeling, that they be looked
at and enjoyed by sensible people with a certain
amount of satisfaction. School is better work than
Ours but il is scarcely equal TO Caste which de-
cidedy the freshest most original and most attrac
tive comedy that has been produced by any English
or American playwright for many day. Those who
have enjoyed the other works by the same author
viii enjoy school, and if the usual luck of the Robert
sons plays holds in this instance, 1t will have good
run.
school is very nicely placed upon the stage, and all
the appointments are elegant and in the best taste.
rhe characters all require TO be well acted, but none
OF them afford much opportunity for very vigorous
acting. The most striking performance IS that OF
Mr.a Everly in the very unpleasant part OF "Mr.
Krux," the usher. This parsonage reminds us some
what OF 'sUriah Heep "sand Mr.. Eyerlys excellent
W NNN
effect of the personatlon Miss Price as "Bella
Marks" the heroine of the piece, acts WELL but she
Is not giriish enough and her smpering manner and
mncing gait, which would be appropriate enough III
some cases when q boardjng-school miss Is to be
represented are not in character in this instance
Mrs Drew's personation OF "Naomi Tlghe" the
West Indian heress, is open to the same oo-
lection; besides her dress is not sunlcienty
eirsh, and is entirely too gorgeous even for an
beiress and ''parlor boarder" Mr.. Mackay gives a
capital representation OF "Beau Farntosh' VINO
turns out to he Belas" grandfather and who in the
last act Is seen restored TO grey hairs and common
sense having abandoned his hair-dye and his othei
foies at the same time. The other parts are wei
sustained 90 follows :--"Lord Beaufoy" Mr. James
s,Jack Poyntz" Mr.. Barton Hill; "Dr. sutchne' mas
ter OF the Cedar Grove Academy, Mr.. Hemple; "Mrs
sutclife Mrs Thayer, and the pupils OF the schoo
NV Mrs Creese and other members OF the company
The scenery by MI. Hawthorne, representing
grove near the school, the school-room ana th'
grounds il very good Last evening the orchestrs
attempted to give some selections from hossinl'
CsnsrentoIa, which were appropriate enough II wei
rendered: but as they were not well rendered i
you'd be, perhaps advisable Tor Mr. D0d'"0r'a I"