The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-12

critical age arrives the very atmosphere OF the |
theatre has . marvellous charm, and the |
theatre. goer enters into the spirit of the mimic
scene with q heartiness and enthusiasm that |
cool of considerably when the Judgment is |
more sober. the taste more cultivated, and the |
critical faculties more active. II is un.
doubtedly the fact that more real pleasure |
can be derived from critical taste for art |
wbit h ia capable OF anslyzlng and comparing |
and discovering the secrets by which effects |
are produced and governed; but this taste +
also more intolsrsnt OF inferiority, and. with |
regard TO the drama at least 1t is apt to deplore
the fact that merit OF the highest order is so
rare. poet whose perceptions Of beauty were
keen and sensitive, has declared that
"a thing OF beauty is a JOY forever"
and it is remarkable as we'll gratifying
fact that, so far as works Of art are concerned
the best and greatest take the most perma-
nent hold upon the imagination and memory
A person who has been In the habit OF at
tending dramatic entertainments for number
OF years has o vivid recollection of the oom-
psratively few fine plays, fine performances.
and really great actors he may have seen In
the course Of his playgoipg experience The
vast amount of dulneBs stupidity, and medi.
ocrty that he has sat out night after nj zht for
the purpose of obtaining these pleasant recol-
lectiOns, fade from his memo ry, and for the
purpose of Judging the dramas of to-day he has
cellence gained from a really small number or
performances. A very little reflection. COM
bined with the inspection OF a file of play
bills will convince any unprejudiced person OF
the truth Of this assertion; and in forming
crit cal estimate of the state of dramatic art at
the present day 1t is necessary TO take the facts
stated into consideration.
II is also necessary to bear in mind that great
plays and great actors, like great pictures and
nj Inf
We inherit the wealth of the ages, bat the in
tervals between such actors as Garrick, Kem-
BILE, Kean, Booth, Forrest, and others were not
short In their day and generation these artists
we're much above their fellows as they
appear to be above those who tread the stage
in our day. 1t is true that sometimes galaxy
Of stars appears at one time in the theatrical
armament. but such occasions are exceedingly
rare. The fact Is that the theatres are more
numerous and more prosperous. and the state
of dramatic art Is more promising. at present
than ii has been for a long time; and those who
have witnessed the performances OF sucn
artists as Ristori, Janauschek. Forrest Muir.
docb. Edwin Booth, and many others that
might be named, cannot complain that they
have enjoyed less advantages in the way of
fine acting than their grsndfar hers. The
last impression of Ristori In the minds
of many plsygoers in this city Is the
hsggard figure OF "Msrie Antoinette"
staggering towards the prison door on her
way to the guillOtine. This is an image to be
cherished in the memory for a lifetime, and tue
shadows cast upon 1t by succeeding years Will
only mellow the tones without obllterating
anything of It's grandeur or beauty. Jsnaus-
chek's "Medea" or deborah" FORESTS "Leer"
or "Richelieu" Murdochs Benedict" or
"Youpg Mirabel," and Edwin Booths "Ham-
,et.n will be the standard by which many per-
sons will measure the deficiencies of actors
twenty years hence, and with as much Justice
as we refer to the era of Kemble and Kean as
the climRcteric of dramatic art.
In reality, the theatres are better constructed
and the scenic and mechanical appliances are
far super ior now to what thjy were a few
years ago. Greater attention Is paid to Co.'S
tune and the mounting of dramas, and on the
whole 1t Is safe to say that plays. as general
rule are as well, If not better. presented now
as they ever were. Some ten or twelve years
ago. when the Arch Street Theatre was under
the management OF William Wheatley, very
superior stock company made that establish.
ment the favorite resort Of theatre goers who
appreciated good acting, and yet any person
who will take the trouble to reflect will be
able to remember q good many very Indifferent
plays. and great deal OF very Indifferent act
ing, at the Arch in its "palmy days." No COM
pspy equal to Wheatley's has been collected In
this city since, the one now at the Arch being
the nearest approach to 1t, and every candid
person competent to form an opinion on the
subject will admit that, in the way of scenery,
costumes, and Effects plays are better pro-
duced under Mrs. Drew's administration than
they ever were before. The worst that play
goers can omplain of when comparing the
drama of to-day with that of their earlier re-
collections, 10 In the deterioration of the COM
paDy at this one theatre. The Walnut has,
! probably, as good q company now as It ever
| hsd-except at very rare intervals-within the
memory OF the present generation. The Wal
| nut, however, was always a "star" house, and
relied more upon transient attractions
| than upon the strength OF it's company. The
| star system, however, we are happy to think. is
at It's decadence. Heretofore. actors after gain
| ing little local popularity, have considered
| themselves fitted to anuse and ediiy the public
| without the assistance of we'll trained asso-
ciates; and they have abandoned their leglti-
mate work to travel from city to city until the
| whole business OF starring has fallen into dis
| repute, and there now seems to be strong
probability that managers, who may be 80 dis
posed, will be able TO I'LL up their companies
with competent performers, The number OF
theatres all over the country and the large sums
| received by them from the public, indicate
very clearly that the taste for dram attic art is
as active as ever, and those who are inclined to
contrast unfavorably the drama OF to-day with
that OF twenty-years ago, should remember
that, five hundred years before Christ, Aristo-
phanes ridiculed the tragic poets of Athens
and considered Euripides fair game for his
satire, and instituted unfavorable comparisons
between him and his great predecessors
4Eschylus and Sophocles, and that ever since
then the decline of the drama has been sung In