New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-26
THE DRAMA.
OPENING NIGHT AT BRouGmAM's.

theaer The bright faces and varied attire of the audi
ence the brilliant yet quiet coors Of the auditorium ana
tho picturesque and elegant scenery and costumes that
made pageant Of the strengthening in blaze OF light
and flashing in countless reflections from the soft depths
Of lucent mrrors-blended into Of surprising
grace poetic variety and delicious excitement Music
too, lent its magical power to enhance the sweet enjoy
men of the tme till presently the silver spell Of comedy
and the hilarious spirit Of took
possession Of all minds and perfected the work of en-
chantmont which had begun In the sight of harmo-
NOUS aud delightful picture. Looking upon this pic
ture, yielding 10 these influences, and feeling
the soft contagOn Of refined and innocent pleasure
it impossible to think OF the place fountain
OF happiness for thousands Of persons in the time to
come Many minds must have had this thought, and all
that did have it must have enjoyed in the fine perform
ance that giyen fore taste of many finer perform
yet garnered up in the suspicious future. Many
gorgeous spectacle Will here be set; many tale Of ro
nance Will here be told many fancifnl and warm
hearted personaton OF character Will here iumine the
stage and lead the Imagination captive in chains Of
roses And many glitterIng speech. thcky strewn
with the gems OF humOr and Of sense win here be made
by the gifted comedian who directs the enterprse-a
whose heart all sunshine and whose mind is saturated
through and through with the sunshine OF his heart SO
surrounded and impressed also, 10 was Impossible
not TO remember with gentle pity, dismal old friends
the Dramatic Jeremahs, whose tears are perpetuauy
gushing like those of Mr. Job Trotter over the decadence
Of the stage In this theater Of Broughamson which
taste has bestowed every grace that charm and
comfort-ysions OF the oldtme theaters ntrude like
sorry, disheveed ghosts. Macaulay has bantered the
custom Of finding Engands merry" and golden" age
in far-o epoch when the mobiles had comforts,
while the farmers bread that would be tolerated
In a modern alms-house kindred error Of custom
tolls the early days Of the stage. In America this nsu
ton has existed for about hundred and forty years
NewYoTks first theater stood the east side OF Mas
saust near the corner Of Maidenane; and therefrom
the players accustomed to about to the wealthy
inhabitants, praying them, hat In hand to buy seat or
box and in the state OF genee mendcancy thus typdcd
tho stage struggled for nearly half century existing
by suferance and despised by social rank After the
Revolution, though, IL began 20 rise-feeling, no
doubt the lifeblood Of liberty which then vital
izing tho whole framework Of American existence.
In 1927 the old ParksEwas built and from
that day TO this the theater has steadily progressed.
There have been times, indeed, when the mecoric light
Of genius bazed upon tho stage blazes now,
and when single stock companies TO be seen such
nowhere exist al present But the theater, as an nsu
ton, never stood higher than IL stands tOday-never
enlisted IN It's service such power OF wealth. such power
Of mind, such general public sympathy as II now COM
mands Never was theTart Of acting enshrined In
lovelier theater than Broughams or a more imposing
temple than Booths Such structures tho uumis-
taxable signs OF passionate dramatic vitality Nor is
possible consider them without considering also the
vast influence which exercised by the drama, and the
vast responsibility which, obvious incident, rests
upon all persons concerned in it-ournallss less
than managers and actors-to sustain that inhu-
ence in purity well as power This RESPONSE
billty, we believe, Is widely recognized. That 10
WIN be fulfilled at Brougham's Thoate. there
distinct evidence and promise well IN the character Of
the opening performance IN the manner That marked
its reception. Under all the boundess leviy OF the fair
occasion a Of thoughtfuness trembled and
passed. like the sad vibration Of minor chord In some
mn In
opening blwhch while II aims TO kinde the mind by
rays Of romance and starbeams OF humor, aims also
to stimulate and satisfy the moral sense By flashing the
errors OF the stage and the focs Of the time-this
thoughtfuness clearly manifest. Equally so was il
manifest in the quick sympathy with which the plays
were received Seldom, indeod-h eyer-have we OBJ
served an audience quick OF apprehension so sensitive
TO merit and so cordial in It's manifestations Of approval
as that which greeted Mt BrOugham's comedy and bur
esque And the pieces deserved their The com
edy which entitled Better Late Than Never contains
two acts introduces nine characters and tells little
story about the osruc love it ran among few
people old and young, in old English country man.
SION as long ago rs the days OF the Second Charles one
OF tho personagcs, Sir Malachi WeerR played By NJ.
Charles Hale Is crafty cOyetous hypOcrite aud mser
who ntrgues FOR wealth. and hnders the happiness OF
all around him, TIL at last no IS outwitted by the young
lovers and decoyed DIETER late than neyer into keeping
his promise OF marriage TO an old servant and doing jus
tco IN general No reader, especially If he remembers
Woodstock" need 10 DO told how picturesque the time
was Of Cromwell and Of Charles Mr. Broughams imag
nation has roycd with evident pleasure that epoch
OF stirring events and finely contrasted manners and his
little comedy simple and unpretentiOus though IL be- Is
colored With the hues OF that period sombeness
Cavalier gayety. picturesque hospitality romance,
adventure, and quantness Of manners and OF
speech. II is a pretty piece, and 1t was
prettily played. Mr.. Brougham appeared in
il himself, as Major Fergus OShaUgneSSy. kind
awkward. dashng, essentially Irish soldier who, as
matter OF course, CRAFTS the rosebud OF love upon the
brar Of rough but honest manhood The process is one
with which, as theatergoers testify, Mr. Brougham
is thoroughly familiar lie went through 1t on this occa
sion with all the old ease so graceful and so winning
Sir Malachi however Is the chief part and this character
Mr. Hale interpreted with intense feeling and many me
touches OF color He is unique actor and as such he
fully sustained his reputation The feminine clements OF
the performance supplied by Miss Eliza Newton AS
Apipia5ei Wyndhom Mrs. Winter as Lazy Nell Wycherle
Miss Mary Carr as Wido,0 Grinn and Miss L. Andrews
as old TaJha These performers all known to the
local public and each has had her upon the
stagesuccesses that ratified IN this representation
Mr.. George Stoddard played the nghtcomedlan part
Reginald Wgidham in his usual quiet and pleasing way
Mr. Lambs humor found expression in his porraure OF
a country squire II is dry humor, and almost always
tells Finally. the little part Of Jacob Mellet was played
by Mr.. c. Edwards. Reviewing the whole performance
we recall nothing for which 1t was needful 10 make
allowance The piece suited the time, and It's characters
suited the persons who played them The scenery which
of course was new, in all respects good Greater
particularly Of detail is scarcely necessary now even
it were practicable The most that do Is TO touch
briefly upon salient points Mr. Broughams speech was
one OF these. lie followed the comedy. We trust 'h''
the reader can imagine what IL lfn0t he must oe
left in darkness. Tho wings OF lcarus ".'o .''u VI
when he few too the aud wings OF "oluS ser
Ike duton when they essay follow the hight OF this
Comedians restless Giraffe aud witty loquacy which
Hoo. o,1 so,rs ond stumbes over the accidental