The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-10-25

Under the title of the "Play of the Period"
Richard Grant White contributes an article to
the GALAXY for November in which he at
tempts to show that while culture was never
so deep or so widely diffused as now that the
taste for Shakespeare and the legitimate dra-
ma has died out and in its place the passion
for burlesque has arisen. That, according to
the London Spectator the temper of audi
ences of the present day has changed; that
they have not only learned to suppress emo
tion, but also ceased to feel it. They only de-
sire to be amused, and, if the plays describe
scenes that represent the immoralties of life,
(f we understand him aright) all the better.
Now, while there is no doubt that for some
time past burlesque, and sensation spectacles
have been all the rage, in SO far as filing the
pockets of the managers with the money of
certain class in the community is concerned, it
must be borne in mind that there is another
class in society who have Withdrawn from the
theatre altogether-after witnessing one SEN
sation or leg perfOrmance-fnding no amuse-
ment in entertainments which appeal only to
the eye and to the baser passions. JIr go rs
In New York and Boston, where there are
theatres devoted to the Legitimate" of the
old, or the modern school, some of this class
may still be seen in attendance, but not in the
numbers of decade ago. They have ceased to
take the enjoyment in dramatic perform
ance they then experienced. This is natural;
to the youth belongs the keen relish for pleas
ure that pals upon the middle-aged and old.
Then again the youth is not as critical as the
man of experience. He is more prepared to
take things as they come and be more easily
satisfied. This older class we speak Of is COM
posed of the best educated and most refined
people. But there is still greater reason why
they do not care to patronize the drama, apart
from the burlesque and sensation pieces that
hold the stage, and when, too, there are thea
tres where the Legitimate" can be found. 1t
is on account of the players of the period.
Notwithstanding the likelihood that we shall
De classed among the weeping Jeremiahs,"
we take strong ground that the actors of the
present day have, as body, deteriorated fear
fully from what they were ten: years since. 1t
is owing to the starring system. As soon as
an actor is impressed with the belief that he
or she possesses little more talent than their
fellow players, off they start on starring
tour, demanding large sums for the display of
lDtlE peculiar dululles, anu tut uldudScI, III VI
der to meet his expenses and make profit,
is compelled to give so little salary to the stock
company that it hardly sufices to keep body
and soul together. Consequently the wretched
supports of Star actors. Even in the theatres
where they have abolished the starring sys-
tenn, and which claim to employ the best ac-
tors on high salaries, as soon as you introduce
one of the old plays where the scene and man
ners of the people pertain to a foreign country
in the "long ago, the actor-whO impersonated
last night the very interesting gentleman of
modern times and versed in all the drawing
room airs and graces, or the villain who robs
the bank safe in the most approved manner
and shows great talent for assuming dis
guises in order to escape the clutches of the
detective finds himself at loss tonight to
give the old dramatst's idea at ALL There are
some of the old actors on the stage now at the
theatres, and how they tower head aid sh oul-
ders above all who have come up siace. There
are one or two theatre managers who try to
keep up the old standard better than others, in
New York and Boston, and the thanks of the
public are due them for the effort, but even
there the scene-painter has become the most
important man. Will Mr.. Selwyn admit that
his company, good and carefully selected as it
is. will take rank with the company that per-
formed at the Howard Ath@neum under Jabob
Barrows' management in 1859 1--WE think it
was) or will manager Lowell admit that the
company which supported Maggie Mitchell In
her recent engagement in this city, which ne
advertised as first Glass; will compare with tne
Combination company he brought here three or
Tour years ago, and with whom he brought out
tne school for Scandal and" Poor Gentleman.
we th'nk not And yet Burrows and Lowell
eo"iu get audiences who were not SO much
troubled about the scenery as they were de-
lighted with the acting They were not
ashamed to allow their emotions to SWAY them
and even in the one part plays brought out by
Maggie Mitchell and Joe Jefferson we have
seen people whose tears were streaming down
their cheeks when Fanchons grief cannot he
suppressed at the taunts she has experienced
at the hands of the peasants at the st. Andoche
festival, and the thought that she has brough
shame upon Landry Barbeaud, and at the
scene when Rip Van Wrinkles wife turns hin