The New York herald., 1870-06-04
TIE ENGLISH STAGE.
American Actors and Bogus" Americans ON the
L ndon Boards-How They are Manuiao-
tursd from Foreign walking Gentle
men"-A New Drama and Scenes or
the stage-Who and What
LONDON, May 81, 1870.


the Stage-Who and What
LONDON. May 81. 1870.
Mr.. Willis homely little play, called 'The Man
o. Aire." Is being performed at the Globe thea
tire with success far from proportionate to tho
merit OF the representation, the house being but
very thlny attended, whereas the acting In some OF
the parts, at all events is exceptionally good. This
drama, though not particularly well written, H SYM
metrcaly constructed, and displays more than
common skill In the delineaton and contrast Of
character. The story, which is OF the simplest illus
trates the sad career OF James Harbell, Scottish
bard, whose. fine intellect gives way beneath the
pressure OF undeserved misfortune. He Ia
cruelty betrayed in friendship, and, though
par excellence the poet OF the people. he ia
neglected and doomed to want by the tickle multi
tude who delight In his songs He disappears from
the busy haunts Of men and for twenty years keeps
wandering among the mountains. living there ls no
Knowing how-probably on gorse blossoms and Wild
ferns. sYou cannot feed capons so." When he Ia
believed to be dead everybody discovers tnat he was
the finest fellow that ever lived. One bright sum-
mer's day. when statue erected in his honor In his
native village Is on point OF being unveiled, the
poet appears upon the scene-wan. haggard ana
spectre lke-and is recognized by some Of the older
Inhabitants who overwhelm him with adulation.
The revulsion Of feeling caused by this manifesto
ton is too much for the uckless bard, who sinks
llfeess at the base Of the stone figure reared in
homage of his genius.
II Is due to Mr.. Herntnn Vein, who impersonates
the hero to say that he surmounts this and all other
difficulties with credltable Skill and that his per-
formance OF the downstrlcken bard Is original In
conception and most artistic in all particulars Of
execution. Mr.. Vein Is on American by birth, and
though he cannot be said to have reached the high
est rank in his profession he has nevertheless
acquired position which does honor to himself ana
his country. Similar praise may be awarded to Mr..
Chippendale, OF the Haymarket, who also halls from
the other side OF the Atlantic, and who Is admitted
the very best representative Of the Fine Old English
Gentleman upon the London stage. But OF the so.
called american" actors established In this country,
or in the habit OF visiting it, how few there are
to whom any measure OF commendation can be con-
scientousy conceded No country In the world mas
more brilliant galaxy OF actors than the United
States, nor Is there Of Englshspeaking nations any
other in which the drama nourishes more prosper
ously. These facts OF which the English people.
with the exception of those among them who have
visited the United States have no conception. Form
ing their estimate or American actors from the
specimens who appear from time to time In London,
they COnclude-nO unjust inference from such pre-.
mlses-that they are sorry set.'
or the performers--whether tragic, comic or melo-
as such upon the London stage, not one In twenty
has legitimate claim to be 30 described. The re.
naming nineteen are English, Scotch or Irish wh0
having failed In their own countries, take trip to
the United States, where, perhaps, they
obtain employment on IT., the .. stage I e. either % as
Ing "sIick ~ or as mere supernumerarles. After
an absence OF some years they assume q new ma
.'stars.h' Disregardmg the classic MAXIM, "Cgiuns
non a1stnenn msutant Qut trans mare curruyt,"
to know their way from Charing Cross to Fenchurch
street, and speak vauntingly Of their triumphs In
tner native iana neyond .ne brlny4 Iaat taese
matter Of very small consequences; but that they
SHOULD bring American actors into disrepute is an
other and a far more serious question. It'll time
that the London public should understand the true
state Of the case which is simply This. that the vast
fret and fume their hour upon this stage British
ers who, having broken down upon the British
come home With the prestige Of foreign reputation
purely imaginary, even as South African sherry Is
sometimes sent on voyage TO come back Madeira.
The remainder are, generally speaking genuine
Yankees, who wonld be thought nothing OF In New
YORK or Philadelphia, but whom circumstance,
that unspiritual god and miscreator," has flung
upon the London STAGE where being strangers, they
receive welcome Now and then, at very remote
intervals, we do ind on The banks OF the Thames
true American artist worthy Of the name, such for
example as Mr. Jefferson, Mr.. Clarke Mr.. VeQn and
Miss Baeman, but these phenomena are Of very
rare occurrence and only serve exceptions to the
all but universal rule that socaled 'Americann ac-
tors are counterfets. They are shams and for this
q
visit to England. In their own country they com.
maAd salaries such as the most successful OF actors
upon the London stage could not hope to enjoy:
therefore they stay at home, ana Ii so doing show
their wisdom.
new drama, in four acts, by Mr. Charles Reade,
illustrative OF the life struggles OF skilled workman
In the North OF England. and founded upon MIR.
Reade's story bearing the unmusical title or ''Put
Yourself IN his Place." is to be produced at the
Adeiphl next week. Nj. Reade's dramas are for the
most part very heavy and indlgesab.e. After wit
Messing one OF them, such, for example, as "Never
TOO Late to Mend," you feel as if you had dlnsd on
underdone pork and supped on soap aud sawdust.
with slices OF corkw0od as intermediate refreshment
The very title OF the new play is enough to terrfy
one. 'Put Yourself in his Place p' Why should
put myself Ia the place of north country workman
'cordsp' I am bad enough as / am. object to
put myself in the place OF any man unless one who
has E1O, 900 year in cOnsos, house in GfOSvenOr
square, an estate In Kent and shooting box in the
highlands.
MISS Bateman after tour in the States occupying
nearly eight months, has returned to London, and
to appear ut the olympic ON Monday next In her
| celebrated character OF Mary Warner. Sir John
played In an emasculated form, under the title
OF "The Man of Quality" at the Gaety theatre. Tna
piece has been compressed from five into three acts
and In the attempt to clear the text from the weeds
OF improprtety not few OF the flowers OF Wit have
been pulled up The present version Is as viruous
but 1t is beyond endurance tame. Mr.. Alfred WIgan
plays what is left OF Lord Foppington, with fasid
SHY '0f O Sd Bal 20 Of a%asg %ag s RHFsra .e
bat the other parts arc wretchedly performed the
actors OF the Gaety company Deng quite at sea IN
Old English comedy.
At the Alhanbra sensational gymnastics have
reached the very acme of horror. boy member
or the marvellous HanlOn family, flngs himself or
trapeze on level with the topmost gallery of one OF
the loftiest buildings In London, anu would ineyl.
tably be smashed to pieces 1t not that In h.S
headlong descent lie is caught by brother OF his
who happens to be swinging, head downWards, upon
horizontal bar IN mld-air.
performance at Drury Lane on the 14th inst,
under the patronage of the Prince and Princess OF
Wales, passed on with ecldt. Mr.. Buekstone'S
comedy OF married Lie" and The School Ior Scan
dal" were the plays performed.
The entertainment, which was under the manage
menr Of Mr. Sothern, resulted In improving the eX-
cnequer OF the College TO the amount OF 9352 los. 'Jt
never rains but it pours." ''FrouFr Frou has already
possession OF three stages-the Princess the olympic
and the st. James, AG tile last named theatre, ON
Wednesday evening" tile American edition viii be
produced as translated and dranlatized by Mr.. DAILY,
OF New York. In this new version Miss HaZlewoOd
| Will play Gilbert, and Miss Sarah Thorne Louisa.