New-York tribune., 1871-12-13
IUBINSTEIN.
THE DRAMA.
wALLACK'S THEATER-MR. BROUGHAM'S NEW
PLAY-JOHN GARTH.

PLAY-JOHN GARTH.
Mr.. John BrOugham, as q literary artist,
In abundant vigor the faculty Of stating by
Of acton, what a narrator would state by
of words This Is essentially the faculty Of the drama
tist 1t possessed by about lone picked out Of
ten thousand" and that is why there very few
persons who write plays-wc will not say that arc
good, but that 1t possible to act "John Garth -
which produced last evening at Waack's Theatcr.
in the presence OF denscy crowded biage-ilus
trates the popularity and the operation OF
this facnty iu very striking manner In
substance the piece Ia rather complex agslomera-
tOn Of incidents; but IN form and moving 1t Is SYM
metrical direct and pcrspcuous that spectator is In
the least degree bothered to understand IT, whether a. To
the story the identities and transformations Of charso
ters the general drift and significance Of the work
Not till the play played out and the glance OF romins
cent reverie is cast back upon It's ncdens.
and the great OF fact and Of contrased and
cng emotions and motives which suggests does tho
critical mind realize what serious difficulties have been
surmounted by the dramatist and with what keen In
nct and seadast purpose he has pursued and secured
the dramatic capabilities OF his subject This is the first
impression that "John Garth" leaves upon the mind II
is q capital piece Of stage-wOrk 1t devised and
wrought out for the purpose Of being hits tho
mark thus kept in view. That It is q special and not
comprehensive probationary which we mean that II
Possesses considerable value picture OF Manners
In this age IN any and no permanent significance
a representative
perencedoes not In the least detrct from this essential
dramatic excellence The mechanism Of O grape arbor
may be clean and fne. II one has the wit to make u
so, as the mechanism OF carven marble temple. NOT
does the limited temporal character OF the play
invalidate It's literary attributes. It Is clearly
expressed-in hve actsin . good because strong ana
simple style. Its persons have each q manner and .
characteristic medium ofutterance. Here and there In
deed listener sumbes Of those mounds Of
queer verbalism into which Mr.. Brougham's taste u
sometimes betrayed by excess OF droery In his su-
percial moods But that 10 very seldom For the most
part the literary workmanship Is as precise as just ~
we'll pr0pOrioned and correctly finished IS the moro
elemental and necessary workmanship Of the dramatst.
The emotional power OF the drama Is In
bereut In its exposition Of the trials ana sorroWs
of noble gentleman who returns to his home In Wales
he scene Is Abergavenne) after period OF sen
imposed exile and much poheal vcisstude to md bis
property in the hands OF enemy and his daughter.
left An infant but now woman, almost estranged from
even his memory by the fasehOOd and evil machnatops
Of his oe How he 10 reinstae himself in his old
hone how he was baiaed, what his suerings were and
in what way they were shown by the play
these elements constitute It's interest. II not, we
repeat representative picture Of conduct OF suffer
Ing It 10 the dramatic showing and establishment Of
special case hard experience, brought about by tho
resfess impulses OF dcephearted nature and the sue
cessful schemiug Of clever rogue, and attended sy
many picturesque incidents. A. such 1t will
have special success It will endure that is till the
novelty Of rs situations has been rendered tame by f.
miarity. and the force Of its portrayal Of fathers
grief has been cast into shadow by some newer and
fresher device OF theatrical ingenuity. Thst time. We
fancy, will not soon arrive. It u long since we hsve
new play in which the possbly romantic sids u
rational life was so effectively put forward In stmos
phere John Garth somewhat resembles the mslodFama
Of Henry Dunbar" but IL various In color ana
moro human In its pervsding current Of sympathy hs
defects are that It's female characters arc rather ~
sreeable. and that the element OF humor, II not To-
greatly subordinated. 10 held back 700 long 1h~s
are four sltaatons IN the pieee thss are
rcplote with true dramatic POWER and tho vital
iy Of genuine passion. Ono 70 6drAS
farewell to his daughter act third anotAsr 10 The meet
'OE between the struggling pssstss and eh ieaT'&