New-York tribune., 1872-04-23
THE DRAMA.
EIBLo's GARDEN-BLACK FRIDAY.

The well-known leading question that Cicero
put to Catane might be asked with entire propueiy
respecting OF the managers OF Nbo's Garden
They have often abused the patience Of the resrecae
public in this city. How much further do they intend 10
go The inquiry is pertinent to tho spectacle tlat ws
last night Eblo stage and that Is very fain'
described humilang to the understanding, oAensi
TO the moral sense siyoy nsolent towards taste.
propriety, and every finer feeling in human nature ana
an outrageous desccraon Of the purpose the privileges,
and the capabilities OF the theater. II the loves ana
rascalties OF bertncs and prostitutes are thought 10
be subjects illustration upon this stage IS there
any mt whatever to the license that the directors OF
the establishment may assume to takei TIC sty into
which they leaped along with THE Black Crook" aud
Formosa" pretty foul, but they plunged into =
worse pit last night, along with Black Friday" ard
may easily happeB-wh such resources OF Invention as
have here tOCIo been ii playcG-that tho greatest
behind IT woud, therefore, he comfort 10 know how
much longer and further the amable liberation OF tie
decent public TO be abused. Time will show. Con
lecture, in the meanwhile has ample room to soar.
Last nights performance passed easily ahead of all
tie sickenrg exhibitions Of bCSh and DIT that wc
have ever the stage; and we Fave been
doomed a great many. Nor the responsiveness
restricted the inner side OF the cuItain
auditory consisting OF three four thousand menonly
few females being visible in i;illed the theater, and
saw, with laughter hisses, groans, paudts silly cries,
and tpsy antics the apotheosis Of James Fisk Jr and
Josephine Mansfield Ignorance and that coarse tone
OF thinking aud being often net with in business fe
pervaded the assembaGe and this in several directions,
was favored with unmistakablo whisky \ group Of
damaged Phadelphans lent spirituous odor and aac-
rity the scene, while the element Of Wal-St.
added its auxar pungency and sister garlic TIE i'm
sav0ry crowd To such company tho story
Of Fisk, Stokes, and Mansfield not
likely to prove 6electation; and care-
full observer Of the audience could have loen
surprised to the current of Back Friday" followed
with attentive interest That current through half
alozen scenes illustrative of scandal far too public to
need description They dun scenes, with tie
cepion Of passage in The second act and another in
the fourth and they imsily stuck together; but
they were tinted and tainted with the flush Of animal
passion and swathed in an atmosphere OF dollars and
vice. and those attributes OF suiced 10 i'm
print them the shallow perceptions Of the assembled
mob The first showed Roo King and Dash Hoffman
gagged in making their gold corner" on BLACK Fri
day., and introduced violet Speaheart speeuator.
The next showed the panic OF that werememDercd day.
and tho arrest OF two subordinate persOBag ges
FOR attempted robbery. The third depicted
the cypran coquetting with her two love-maddend
swans taking wealth from one lover to shower II upos
the other. The meeting of the two men IN this haTiOs
presence here contryed and IL was made dramatic
and sisnacant-wth something Of the same force that
animates the well known fourth act OF Camille" Alter
This came view OF the steamboat Bristol at her pier.
attended by Rob KING in blue and buttons-as an ad
mriug public remembers him IN life. Various notable
uersons walked upon the steamer-vandcrbili, Jay
Gould, Belmont. Horace Greeley, Henry Clews, and
OILERS not in the actual esh but In counterfeit present
neuts Finally came HDyAdn and |iOe! SpenhedH
and Il was then seen that the dramatic purpose OF this
act was TO enable King the arrest OF his rival
and prevent lovely pair from going to Boston. Tho
satling of the boat ensued, and was not entirely =
success OF scenery though we'll devised. Last tho
interior OF the Railway Office; a stormy talk betw!n
King and Hoffman, the subject OF forged notes end
lovelctters; reconciliation between King and Violet
a burglary; the forgiveness and endowment OF tho
burglars with wealth and matrimonial felicity and the
shooting OF King by HOFFMAN, The drtt OF MI this could
not be mistaken Under a thin disguise Black Friday
serves up filthy piece Of lately current backgurdsn
and-with no purpose OF moral teaching, and no
power OF dramatic art-makes its appeal To vulgar
and prurient curiosity To that notorious scandal To
augment It's point, the persons who played the chief
parts were made up In imitation OF Fisk SOkes. and
Mansfield Mr. j. w. Collier, Nv c. r. Thorne, and Miss
Lizzie Prico were the ropresentay OF these charac
ters The language OF the piece thAskly studded
with expressionsin which shrewdaess and eaus'
tic Yankee wit combine with reminisceDce ot rural
boyhood-for which Mr.. Fisk notOsous and Wa
must do Mr.. Collier tho justice to say that
he uttered them, not with tse characteristics
squeal at least with tho characteristic bounce OF the
great original. 1t upon the character of tho 0cu
tous representative OF Fisk however that most OF tha
emphasis laid. Not coatent with depicting tho
Shiny amours and villanams stock-lobbnGs OF this
wretched adyenturer. the drama presented him as
sort OF veiled prophet Of tho New Testament. ITO
was continually tQrgiyius injuries ho was e'S