New-York tribune., 1871-04-22
THE DRAMA.
NEwCoMB AND ARLINGTON's MINsTRELs.

NEWCOMB AND ARLINGTON'S MINsTRELs.
This new company of Ethiopian performers
has made most auspicous beginning at the new Opera
House. corner Of Broadway and Twenyeighthst. Their
first performance in the hall took place last Monday
and the same programme has been repeated every night
since then There need to tell the reader that this
enterprise starts with the advantage OF good location
The neighborhood OF the Fifth Avenue Hotel is now the
theatrical district Of the city, and 1t Is therein that
Messrs Newcomb and Arlington have set up their stand
ard 1t is the Black Flag OF revelry, and 1t denotes
headquarters Of mirth This operahouse is Of the
neatest little places OF the kind that city affords to
the seeker after pleasure. 1t used to be apollo Hail.;
but 1t has been entirely retted and 1t Is now much
handsomer and cosier place. 1t contains parquette
and parquette- circle and one gallery and ~ sup
piled with comfortable seats and is brilliantly
lighted. The decorative painting on its walls
and ceiling and proscenum-arch especially pleases
the eye by its delicacy OF hue. Tinted white
and soft dove-color prevail; but blue ana red are
not wanting to give zest to the general effect And an
atmosphere OF waXike cleanliness and neatness per-
vades the stage and the auditorium. Refinement seems
everywhere to preva-and this was marked merit OF
the Inaugural Performance. Messrs Newc0mb ana Ar.
jington have organized quito numerous company, and
it includes several persons Of more than orhary 'aen @
tunae In animal spirits in real humor, In SKILL and In
ripe professional experience The bones are ratted by
be turn and largely contributes to the mrthfuness OF
the entertainment. The middleman Is MI; j; H.
surrdge. The prima donna, whose stage-Duslness
and management of voice manifest originality, is
Mr.. w. Henry Rce-and his exploits very naturally WIN
her a great deal of applause. Upward OF twenty
tne stage this week, and which will be offered at
tOday's matinee and again this evening The only du
incident is The West Point Cadet, and possibly there
a. n LITTLE too much of the water Nymph," by Mr.
Charles Walters. In the minstrel performances the
weak point san indisposon 70 stop when the required
effect has been attained. Players should remember
this should reflect that they never so popular
when they leave their audiences clamorous Tor more
Hers q Boy Another capital feature was the double
clog dance The general performance, on the night we
saw 1t, was carried through with spirit, and was vgor
esta6ljshment minstrel hall In this convenient
quarter OF the town will bring comfort to many weary
workers, who would fain laugh of their cares and TO
whom the pretenous entertainments oered al the
regular theaters in some sense burden
ACROSS TIE CONTINENT VS.. ACROSS THE PLAINS
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR In your issue of the 18th inst, is an ar
tiele headed Case OF Plagiarism, In which Ii lncor-
porated a letter. signed Edward Spencer" who claims
10 be the author of drama entitled Across the Plains
which, ho says has been praed In the construction OF
another piece think IL necessary, as an hobest man 10
Dlace nv self right before the public and 10 deny wholly
s now do the charge Of piracy inmy play the
Continent" which Mr.. Spencer In effect prefers an an
inter stranger TO Mr. Spencer, am 10 MS pay III ne
ever wrote one never heard his name until TINS pubil
cation by you, and never knew or heard that ne bad
written piece bearing the tue ne mentions, OF any
other title. heard that such piece was IN Mr.
Freilghs hands at the Bowery, or In the hhhus vi any
other individual did hear single scene or Incl
in such play, nor any of Its elects read' neh-
The title OF my play suggested by yicePresident
Cofax's lecture under that name. MI b CaLke 9rlR
i9ay named SG t after Gn having s"en
the title of the Vice-Presidents lecture "heh pleased
me better. a., .,---,,- -, 4. ,o-o.. a..
Contucut" that IL Is wholly and exclusively my own
i'm confirmation Of which talthough, among those VINO
know me- my word needs no connIDatoA Ielsg W w