The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-22
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.
The Opening Of the walnut.

The walnut opened on Saturday nlght Win
Boucicaults drama of The Flying Sc,,d, for a
short preliminary season previous to the COM
mencement of the regular fall and winter cum
ptgn, which will be inaugurated two weeks
from now by Mr.. Edwin Forrest. The house
was well filled on Saturday by an enthusiastic
audience which was bent on being pleased, aud
which applauded the play and the performers in
most vocferous manner. The leading mem
bers of the company are the same as last season,
and they were greeted on their appearance
with cordiality that must have been in the
highest degree gratifying. The favorite--if it is
possible to discriminate where hearty well
come was extended to all--appeared to be the
; harmonious Hasser, whose dulcet notes have
apparently touched the public heart more deeply
than the rage of the heavy villains, the sighs of
the lorn lovers, the vivavty of the soubrettes,
the sentimentalisms of the walking ladies, the
pondtrosity of the traditional dramatic parents,
the comicalities of the low comedian, or the
irreproachable calves of the supernumeraries.
Aud the public is quite right in its preference
for Mr.. Hasslers violin is never out of tune, and
when he plays "Sweet Spirit,
Hear My PRAYER" he invariably
moves the audience to tears. All last season
the dramatic representative of THE EVENING
TELEGRAPH in company with many thousands
# the citizens of Philadelphia, wept oceans
if we may use the expression-of tears over the
| touching strains of 'Sweet Spirit" as evolved
J by Mr.. II assler from the catgut of his violin,
and we did fear that in his desire to vary the
musical programme he might turn over his
portfolio and select some other air, as the
always TO be expected feature of his musical
programme for the present season. We did Mr..
Haseler injustice by the fear, and when between
the fret and second acts we knew what was
fIn, lior ftxyict tnfth oil fhaf
''our Simon as he is pleasantly called in the
profession-gives whenever he is about to strike
up ''Sweet Spirit" we sought the manager in
his private Office, and congratulated him on the
certainty of a successful season.
While Mr.. Hassler appeared to be the favorite,
Mr.. Walcot, Mr.. Chapman, Mr.. Bailey, Mr..
Morrison, Mr.. Bradshaw, Mr.. Taylor, Mr.. Reilly,
Mr.. Jones, Miss Annie Graham, Mrs. Walcot,
Miss Rose Wood, and the other members of the
company had every reason to be satisfied with
the heartness of the applause that greeted them
when they stepped upon lthe stage and if we
except a few lapses of memory and other little
Irregularities that are nearly always incidental
to the first performance of piece, they acted in
a style to deserve the marks of appreciation be-
slowed upon them.
The Flying Scud is an eminently characteristic
effort of the great modern dramatist who claims
to have driven Shakespeare from the stage. 1t
is q highly moral play, after the Boucicaultian
standard of morality; that is, three acts of
cheating, lying, swindling, and all manner of
villainy are concluded by the punishment of
vice and the triumph of virtue, and a moral tag
to the effect that virtue is its own reward. Apart
from any moral consideration, however The
Flying Send is an interesting popular play.
The plot is constructed with BOucicault's accus-
toned skill, and series of good acting charac-
tiers are introduced which are sufficiently near
to Ehuman nature for stage purposes at least.
The main interest of the play turns upon the
fortunes OF horse, "The Flying Scud," who is
made to win the Derby race and de-
feat a clique of scoundrels who have at
tempted to 'hobble" him and so ruin his master,
who has ycntured all his fortune on the success
OF the horse. The elimination of the interest
is at the cnd of the second act, when "Flying
Scud' rusbes upon the stage, winner of the race,
and the old Jockey who has ridden him to vic
tory falls exhausted from his back as the win
ing post is reached. This scene is one of the
realistic effects upon which Bouccault prides
himself; and managed in good style, as it GER
tainly is at the Walnut it thrills the audience
with some of the excitement of genuine con-
test upon the race-course. A love-story is in
geniously combined with the main features of
the drama, and the three acts make au excellent
evenings entertainment for those who are not
fastdous ab ut the intellectual quality of the
dramatic fare set before them.
Tie III. Jag Scud was produced few seasons
ago at the Chestnut, but failed to make a hit,
and the success which it achieved on Saturday
evening at the Walnut was due in very large
measure to the complete manner in which it
was placed upon the stage. Several new scenes
were painted by Mr.. Heilge, together with a
very spirited panorama of the road to the races.
This panorama is quite creditable perform
ance, but the artist has committed the curious
mistake of making the motley crowd of eques-
trians and pedestrians going from instead OF to
the races. The panorama ought TO commence
at the other end.
During the summer recess a new stage ha:
been laid down, which is fitted with all the
latest improvements, so that scenic effects tina
were impossible before can now be produced
without difficulty. The proscenium is hung
with new drapery and q handsome new drop
curtain, painted by Mr.. Heilge, adds greatly tC
the attractive appearance of the house. Thi
curtain represents 'The Town and Lake o
Lugano" aud it has considerable merit as
work of art. AS a very decided improvement
over the Did drop" it will be appreciated by
the hdbitues of the Walnut. In order to rende
4 the improvements complete new green cur
tain is needed, but it was found impossible K
get one ready in time for the opening night
owing to the pressure of work with which Mr.
Heilge has been laboring during the entir'
summer.
The Walnut this season will be under th
management OF Mr.. John s. Clarke, who ha