New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-08
THE DRAMA.
CoQUErrEs AT wALLAcK's.


| COquettes have been attractive ever since
beauty was beauty and was The idea OF writ
ing play in Illustration Of their charms and foies was,
! therefore, a happy one Mr.. James Alberry-whOse
comedy OF "COquetes" was, last evening presented az
Waacks Theater in the presence of very large crowd
| Of fashionable peope-has, however, been happier in
his design than his execution That design waste Gull
a sprghty and eff, Give picture Of experience from
,ua Od life, and set it in dramatic frame Of action
and dialogue. As Mr. AbeUy has wrought, though, the
frame is good while the picture is worthless. Judc
Iueuts this point will, Of course differ differing
tastes may prompt To us "COquettcs" IS somewhat
tane and in some particulars unpIoasantly unrefcd.
Nj Aberry may he very skfu in Lls OF materials.
/ His previous comedy, "Tbe Two Roses" certainly
showed remarkable apness in construction, and in the
use OF suggestion as appliance Of dramatic effect But
il is thing 20 combine and another thing to select
Comedy means something than photography OF
commonplace ombclishod with the small talk Of every
day life Not every is worth reproducing simply
because il happens to exist fact Such an artist
as Sheridan, and in our own day. such artist Mr.
Roberton-of whom Mr. Alberry seems disposed to play
the part of a clever but unsuccessful imitaOr-teach
very valuable Lesson to the literary artist by decaely
idcazng life, and making fact poetic and significant
with moral truth and tender human sentiment. Co
quotes IL 10 comedy what dry map is a living
landscape. We have said that IL r. tame. That truth
apparent last night In the fact that very few lines
in itsmulaed attention by their meaning thought,
aroused laughter, 10y their pungency wit We have
said that IL Is mrehued, and that was
eyidence-Or ought 10 have been-in the vile dramatic
situation toward the close of act second which Offers the
preposterOus spectacle OF truthful husband and an
honorable gentleman asking man 10 dcsist from the
intention TO compromise his wife. II may as well be
added also that there is something unpleasant In tho
general topic itself Married ladies may be accustomed
TO frbut to dlsint rested spectators they never
interesting delicate objects Of observation thus
empoycd and there ought 20 De very good reason
for introducing pcrsOnages thus employed into work
OF art. We fail TO the in "Coquettes."
There comic situations I'm the comedy, produced
by tangng up people in perpleXed interviews. And
there 10 equivoQue it, And these popular Gle
mcnts. Now and then the spectator remembers "st
Waters "-sometling dstaHy akin to the plan OF
piece being The story Of this Sometimes "London
Assurance" is brought 10 mind. We do not propose
here Offer The details OF the plot They would make
tedious reading Besides COquettes IT, TO u.s. farce
and farce hardly calls for analysis The third act last
night went of very brsly Il in this that the intention
ri seducer keeps appointment made with him by the
vrtuous cOquete and all the dramatic persona hud
died into ludcrou relations-the whole ending with sad
nbcau What CoqLettes may possibly suegestis that
eoqnetry is nschieyOu and that also there may be co
qaettcs who are good women. We dare say But the |
iess'n - not very valuable very much uecdcdsC
as " Know and this piece does teach il brilliantly
MI aidlack Las done every thing for the play. Tho
s''"'' Were deuciOusy handsome And the acting
""h ehS'"ht, ID many particulars. We gave the eaft
yescru-!. mr. broufham carried the part of Minfoa
t"' "" -AS0s. written Mad0dU exceedingly well Miss
I'hIll.'. aou Hiss NermOn tho cOducttrS. and
''I9 tf''P AAi plfAug they weIe MI. Fisher mr.
az 80 a, Il.c Hhd hunt rOus p'.Ttrnt "A
sort Oh SUBJ lAtd t'ceies COstigdH. Mi MarloWe |
agreGaS rp9anCe ed thc vyacious man OF the world 90
$500 Nlneetos" VIII have "a rrmunor-
alive run on - cht Il iis'tO c the manner i'm wic
II has been bTOugi forward. " "-''A