The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-01
THE ENGLISH STAGE.

Farewell PerfOrmances-T0m Taylor and
His Plays" Eve o-French Plays" The
Turning of the Tide o-The French Como.
dams Gone--Opera BOu1e-Tho Success
mt the straud-Thentres to Let-The
Baby Room Scheme-Exit of an Old Actor
Gossip Of the Green RoOms-Pr0vinciai
Theatrlcals.
LONDON, June H. 1880.
The classic apothegm, "Ne sutor ultra creptdan',"
has nowhere received more ridiculous and. at the
same time, conclusive illustration than OF the Prin-
cess theatre, where Herr Carl Fornes, German
vocalist who has achieved an excellent reputation
upon the lyric stage as basso profundo with
voice as deep as well, 49, OF this present writing,
numbering Shylock In colo blood Herr Formes
appears nightly In Shylock and so he certainly
does out there is very little OF Shylock to be seen
In Herr Formes. The Teutonic artist lie playing
two characters simultaneously-Shylock, "and the
Devil with ltn as Old Harley of facerious memory.
used to say II is sad nasco andall the sadder for
the thought that Herr FOrmes, who is really man
ofaby in his peculiar province OF art Is risk
ing his laures by attempting line Of business for
which ne has no manner Of qualification. The worst
OF it Is that his failure In the Merchant OF
venicen viii be remembered against him when
his triumphs "Fdelio" and the "Huguenots"
will be consigned to ungeDerous oblivion; for, alas,
AnG welladay, "our sins are written on mar
our virtues on tne saQu" So III least, III ~ III
the estimation Of the world There is no possible
reason why man who Is good bass singer In Ger
man operas should therefore, be good representa-
tive OF the great Shakspearlan personages upon the
English stage. 1t is as though fellow should enlist
IN the Thirtysecond regiment in the hope of being
near his brother in the Thirty fret. Herr F0rmes
has no histronic power nor any qua1ifcati0n what
ever for the task he has undertaken. One feels In
cDed to greet him as the Incompatible Mr.. Whalley
is sometimes greeted in the House Of Commons.
with shouts OF "Stng sing |" He tPOrmes, not
Whaney) is O bird who can sing, but won't sing,
preferring to dance-an accomplishment for which
he is not fitted. Miss Bouverie a sister Of Miss
Marie Wilton Tor rather Mrs. Bancroft), and exc q
pupil Of Mr.. Ryder, has been playing Portia. Miss
Bouverie's performance is original but hardly
Shakspearian. She treats the part as comic cha
Tacter, which is think, o mistake. The theatre
VIII soon cIose-the sooner the better-fOr decorar
ton and repairs In August II will reopen with the
opera Of "Acs and Galatea," in which Herr Formes
VIII find more congenial occasion for the display
OF his talents.
AT the Haymarket the magnet set by Mr.. Sothern
In the pretty little play Of Home" continues to
draw the town after It, Indeed, 80 attractive does
the piece still prove that the intention entertained
some time ago OF withdrawing 1t in favor Of 'Our
American Cousln' and David Garrick.n which
were to have been performed on alternate nights
for fortnight has been abandoned, and "Homer
VIII be played without lntermission until Saturday
the 10Th inst.
On Monday the 2lst d.. Miss Bateman begins a
series Of farewell performances, in which she VIII
appear Mary Warner in a domestic drama OF that
iavOrably Of this play. 1t is to be hoped that Il VIII
prove more attractive than 1.-THE AntipOdes,n OF
which Mr.. Oxeniord handsomely observed that its
while the piece was being performed at the Holborn
theatre. The remark reminds me of the bitter old
epgram upon William Brownies dr0wsy melOdrama
called THE Stage Coach":-
fS sIow Dr eSses and pun
only ask when NEXT it runs,
To be an outside passenger.
We may also cherish generous expectation that
the new play Will be better than "Won by q Head,'
the comedy brought out few weeks ago at the
Queens theatre but lost by the head Of the author
like other men, have their disasters, and II Mr..
Thomas Taylor has written some bad plays there Is
no Denying that he has written several good ones
also. Miss Bateman, one OF the very best actresses
on either side OF the Atlantic, ought TO have drama
worthy 81 her SPLENDID a talents and as she richly
It, Talking OF Mr.. Thomas Taylor, he has got
into law about his Ticket OF Leave Man"
Immediately after he had written the play he
sold the right OF representation TO Messrs. Emden
4 Robson, who were then lessees OF the Olympic
Hail as their property though Mr.. Taylor haa only
given them the right OF representation as long as
their esseeship Of the olympic continued. An action
lie now pending between MI. webster ana Mr.. EN-
deD and motion calling on Mr. Emden to show
s sa af not be
day morning on Mr.. webster's behalf. The object
is to prevent Mr.. Emden from putting 10 the entry
as evidence during the approaching trlal. rule
A. the Adsipni they are playing q fresh adapta-
drama Of Gabrielle" TO which in its new guise
the name Of Ever is given, out OF compliment
she she hadn't En Sen
sion OF this piece was produced some eight or nine
so 81 e InSer ins @
able for II often happens that when fellow wants
to impoverish his small intellectual stock by telling
amiable intention OF revealing to you some
home truths. The piece SO entitled proved
more attractive in its present shape Eotwithstand
ing the excellent acting In the chief male character
Of Mr.. B. Webster-who, though he rambles little
In the text and Is no longer as young a. he was, s
still genuine artlst-the drama hangs ere wofaiiy
and the falling Of the curtain is the pleasantest event
of the story. Yet the piece Is charming in the orlQ
nal. But French pieces perish in the process OF
translation, and according TO the witty old say
bsbop. These Partisan plays, SO sparkling In wit
and tender IN sentiment, demand not only pecu-
ence. The British are too matter-ofiact for them
and prefer that dramas founded upon violation Of
the seventh commandment should be represented ut
the Divorce Court rather than upon the stage.
Mr. H. q. Barnard, capital writer OF burlesque,
but an Indifferent dramaist In any more dgnlaed
sense Of the word has produced a romantic play
called 1.-THE Turning OF the Tide" which is now In
course OF preparation at the Queens theatre 1t is
a tremendous piece OF business, brimul Of love
and rich also In all kinds OF moving incidents by
Hood and feid. the sensational scene par eLcel
leace represents cabin by the seaside, into which
q married man has inred spnsler for The unlawful
purpose or paying his addresses TO her. Suddenly
the sea encompasses and threatens TO engulf them
and then and there While lightnings nash and tnun
ders roll and the ocean RACES Ike an army Of wolves
tie married man asks tle apinster TO make hun
happy IN death by assuring him that II he had been
a bachelor she would have married him. The lady
says ~ es and then the curtain falls amid peals OF
applause This Is what we have come 10 in the
country a. Shakespeare
Inc bin at the Ualety has undergone welcome
change IN the substitution OF the ola play OF Lucky
FTldaYn with Mr.. Wigan In the principal character
for the very unsubstantia melodralna OF 'Dreams.n
The extravaganza OF "Coiumbps,n with the burieita
Of IAN Eligible Villa,r complete the programme,
which draws fair houses.
Mr.. Seton Parry Is doing good business at the
Globe with the bgrlesqne OF THE Corsican Botersu
and the conedieita OF Breach OF Promlser
The Strand, with Joan or Arc" and Fox vs..
Geese is nlled TO oyernowing every night
.a,tohy M catA for f,a Drtp. fnyate