The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-05
THE ENGLISH STAGE.
The Newest Predictions and Latest Failures
In ths London Theatres.
swat and Hope as the Gaiety-"Thc Two
Tncrns'' as the ST. Jamos-"Bohind the
Mask O. tho Royaliy-Dcamadc
Items AMI Stage Gossip


which has been brought our at the Gaiety theatre
Wait and hope. Why should we wait and what
have we to hope In these unlucgy days9 Many years
have now elapsed since DR.. G. Mackay exh0rted the
boys OF England not TO be in hurry, but. on the
contrary, 10 walt little longer. "There's good
time coming, boys; wall little longer y exclaimed
the pccL Whittier the boys OF Great Britain were
vending their steps that they were thus summary
arrested did not at che time appear and IL were OF
little avail now TO inquire. Sutce 1t to say, they
took the bard's ad.ice-and what came OF itg They
waited not IA little longern only, out from boyhooo
70 manhood, and there is no more sign oil fhe good
time than the snow that fell last year. good time,
quotha Since that prophecy was uttered what
have We secn9 The Crimean campaign, The Indian
musiny, the Abyssinisn slaughter the American
ciyiI war the Italian and Austrian wars, ana seven
months OF mutual butchery between Gauls
and Teutons by which l simply mean French
and German. I don't know why on earth
should not have, said "French and Germans" In
the first instance, only that Gauls and Teutons
sounds granler. IL Is q grand thing to be grand.
good time coming OF a verify II is a long tiuie
on tho road Famine, carnage and Ere; battle,
murder and sudden death; the world gone mad and
the deyil let oase-such have been the Blooms and
blessings or the good time which the poet foretod.
"R,isticais c1pec,din &c. The moral Of the piece,
does the play itself serve any sound didactlc pur.
pose. The various personages OF the scene walt
end hope, no doubt; but inasmuch rs the objects
they nave IN view are often anything rather than
respectable, no viftuous lesson Is inculcated.
young woman waits and hopes for midale-aged
bricklayer, oil enough to be her father ano sue
Deeds at last in inducing him TO encirce
the third finger OF her left hand with Il
god ring as plain as herself Tie middle
aged brickaycr IN question had however,
been previously in love With fast, nashy girl, for
whom he had waited ana hoped for many weary
year, aud who Tilted him OH the eve OF their in
tended marriage IN favor OF swell whose run the
bficslayer therecron vowed TO aecomplish--an
Amabie project to which he devoted seven long
years Of his lie, waiting AMI hoping for vengeance
MI the while. When at last the day OF retaliation
comes the bricklayer relents, and forgivins his
enemy transfers his own affections instanter the
first mentioned young woman WAC never told her
love. but who Is OF course, a. pleased Punch TO
snd it Tequlted in The long run. There is hardly
parsonage Of the play wao does not Walt and hone
TO do somebody else deadly injury and Il usually
happens mat the man or woman who holds odt
longest witnesses me realization or his or her phi
lanthropic plans 50 true IS t-"Vtnct q,u pdraur.'
This strange drama has evidently been written ex.
pressly aud soiely for Nj. 4. L. gooe, who I'M
personates the brckiayer, character quite unwor-
Shy OF so good m actor. lie plays with great ability
Able 10 the audience. But the greatest artist that
ever lived conid mol awaken true interest or genuine
sympathy on behalf q hricklayer SO eccentric IN
Ills moral nature mat he passes In the tWinkag Of
an eve from virtue 70 wee. helng at one moment The
hearts blood OF o good fellow and the next
Wielched caitiG overlooking WITH envy. haired and
malice The young woman who waits and hopes
ior him 70 the end OF The chapter, and who By the
inmate OF his house Tor many years anteccdenl to
Iheir marriage, Is inpersonaled very gyacs luy hy
Miss Addison: but nothing that either me or Ar
LIS Zoe
aTama so unnatural ana absurd
Sequels rarely succeed. The odyssey is inferior
10 the "Ihad,' aud PARADISE Re- ainedr l. yerv
!mall potatoes IN comparison with Paradise Lost
W. J. Alpefys new plar o. THE Two fnorns,' pro-
auced al st. James theatre, few nights IS no OK
sepion 70 TINS general rule Of failure. First we had
"fhe TWO Roses a Charming little comedy, which
SIN in conise Of prosperous representation at The
vaudeville, having held possession 81 Inc stage
there Tor the last six months. Now we have 1.-The
Two IhoInsn IRON the pen Of the same author-a
1fama which stands toward It's predecessor in
pretty much Tue same relation a. briers blossoms.
The Two ihornsr experienced q rapturoas re-
cepton Ell tie night CT it tirSt representation fer
i l. an understood thing III London that the worse
he play tie louder is The appliance: bnt il has been
performed TO thin and cold house, eycg. since, AMI
{ is clear tha:, theatrical people are wont 10 Saw
There is no money Il III II seems likely % prove
; bed Of thorns 10 those VINO may have any th,rs
several years ago. Though il has but Just seen the
ught ofthe Lon on foot-lamps. II was first called
lecture: then L was styled 'Fhc Ce4uettc: The
Two Jars under which title II was performed with
liverpool now II crops up as the Two Ihofn.n
As well might 1t be called 'rhe Two Teapots. >
There Il no question OF thorns, unless indeed IN Tic
me aphoncal sense that the pay IL thofn ~ Tie
hesh of an Intelligent spectator. The main defect OF
the piece Is tie want Of a lucil consecutive. well
Developed story. Tic plot gets lost, like little
child III crowd, ard the characters, With whom the
sceae = denselg flied, may be compared 10 the
warming multitude Of passerS-sy In the street, Who
hustle aud iraDple on the insignificant brat. The
CHEF dramatic parsonage Is q married woman, whose
I6ndness Tor Irritation involves her in parpctag
% no Il
;ostered aud pei secuted by lovers whose addresses
SAe encourages, through no feeling Of llsoyaiiy &c
a and parity Pa n raSca sI
lures them only TO ridicuie and befool them This
conduct however, exposes her TO miscUnccpt.On on
Inc par, OF her husband, Pho knocSs down one o.
uk'oSic .taie q jealous aisqal9Sie sds h$
ssd duisr vf6 mistake he has5a and ior iy Valet
seG Eth S Ur tneo sooa ! n GSn ds
sha an excessive stranng after wit IL, as Fasfalf
would say the "spoio OF the dialogue. OF an forced
edy. forced wit. Such wit IS 10 The genu'"~ ,,,cla
what waxcn dummy in hat wwnsow =
70 me beautiful ,n gir r.,v and real brilliant AMI
romls5a mssS I Ito 6appless man IN tie lew world rid
as soon as give her the chance, which won't be In a
hurry. Ms; Herman Vezln plays The coquette with
adequately dlgDhed ard impressive as the husband
out the other cnaracte-s are for the most
has, 4 believe, been acted under another
title in America. II was hrst intended as open.
ing piece for the Court theatre, bat the man syer
liked II not. II then found Its way into the hanis
Of The authorities AT the vaudeville, who. however.
would nave nothing TO say TO II. Now IL is az last
housed NJ ST. James, but II seems very doubtful
whether II VIII be Of much service 10 Mrs. John
Woods cxchclueT.
certain MIR. Herbert Dixon has written play o.
some nttle Iper, which Is acted IN BRILLIANT syle 81
the Royalty theatre in Soho; u 4 called "rehInC
ihe Mask" ami the scene being laid In Imagination
~ well as la realty behind the curtain, u,
object being 10 beZlie the audience iuto th'
molten that they are admitted to O contemplation
Of the innei life % actors and actresses. This o
course, Is all q sham, as any one who knows any.
thing aDOus tho innsr lie OF actors and actresses
viii perceive al glance; but the public Ike 10 %,
deserved, and 80 deceived let them Toe. The hcroD'
Oi Lac story Is certain Josephine Bel,nghau, Ia,
triynq dorrn or provincial company who elopcs