New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-04
TIE DRAMA.
FIFTH AVENUE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

FIFTH AVENUE rHEATER-DIAMONDS.
The reopening of the Fifth Avenue Theater,
for ia fourth took place last night the house
was crowded. improvements have been made in the
auditorium and the stage, that tie former is pref
tier than before while the latter serviceable
the purposes Of scenic effect An air cleanliness anu
cosy comfort pervaded the place. last night assisted
to make tho reopenng cheerful incident Our readers
have been informed, with sufficiently minute detail, Or
the changes in this house. reorganization OF the
company employed, ald the managers plans for the
Those plans, it may here be repeated, contem
plate the production of new comedies by Mr.. SaTlou
Mr. Mosentha and Mr.. Bret Harte Last night sig
nalized by the first performance Of entirely new
piece written by Mr. c. Howard the author OF the farce
OF Saratoga" and entitled Diamonds" We gave
on Monday the cast Of parts with which 1t Is
acted. Like its predecessor from the same pen, TINS
work Is happy in a euphOnous and attractive title IL
happy, however much OF anything else. There
IL sparkle in the name but the sparkle extends no
further. To call Diamonds" q comedy would be TO pay
10 an undeserved compliment. IL met with aind recep
ton last night but that fact need not blind tho thinking
observer its real character. "A mans reception"
says the old Russian prOyerb is according to his coat;
his dismissal according 10 his sense" Tho same Is true
pay-and in this instance the coat is superne, Gle
CANT delicously perfumed, and extremely attractive
The lights the music pretty dresses the pretty faces
gay scenery and air OF fashionable excitement
made an atmosphere for " Diamonds" through
which, OF course. 1t looked rosy; but the thing
itself is froth. Nothing more. doubtless, was in
tended by tho author; and Ike other writers
Of this time OF fppant inanlties, he does
not appear to be that anything higher better
this ought 20 be intended or is in fact pos
sible. Time was when tho winning OF position as a
dramatist depended extent, on ability 10 COM
brne characters 10 invent expr saIYe situations, TO
make incidents dramatic by making them the springs OF
sympathetic emotion TO paint manners truly while vest
ing the picture with delicate hue Of exaggcraton ana
TO utter thought, wit, and feeling in characteristic Ian
guage ted the speakers and pure and sound, con-
siered as English writing Victory, in those days. was
hard TO win, aud 1t worth the winning. IL Is
easier nOw-and b IL cheaper gar ana
cass OF people has been found that gives prac-
tical apprecatiOn-which Is doliars-to sehooEOoy
invention schoolgirl pratte and sorC OF mental per-
fumery and writers have started up to cater for that
class Mr. Howard is OF this KIM. His Saratoga
-false as picture of manners, fra IN style, somewhat
indecato in sentiment and stuffed with the odds and
ends Of old farces but very finely acknowledgement
the taste to which refer, and won pecunlary sue
cess "Diamonds" 10 the natural consequence There
is no trace of the impulse OF genuine literary in
spiration; IL is merely another emDarkment for
sCowes and a market" The bulls eye was hit the first
time-f we may employ Whpples useful figure of speech
IA to @. p. r. Jaules-and now there Will
come endless firing through The same hoe'
Diamonds" produced much the effect OF newly
opened handbook OF artificial flowers or fresh package
OF fancy soap I OF course set upon the stage Win
every requisite adornmenL There IL no scene-panter
whose brush is more delicate in touch than that Of Mr.
James Roberts or Is guided by nicer taste aud pleas
anter fancy than hrs. tendency toward gaudiness in
the metropolitan nteriOrs-yery common on the stage
was perceptbe in OF the SETS but the touches Oh
landscape and tho sea-view at Fort Wadsworth were
sweet and charming. The piece Is comprised In I'VE
acts the scene being laid partly in NewYoFk aud partly
on Staten Island. The time Is the present. The person
ages--which really are little more than so many
names-purport to be men ami women Of to-day,
I'm theirordnary aspect and rs the ordinary aspect OF
most individuals Is usually dull we may trltAiuIy ada
that almost all Of these personages are 0ores Inc AFFAIRS
they are engaged in are AZ IRIS of sentiment and small
talk Couples meander In and meander out again. from
all manner of unexpected directions, talking In vein OF
pueriity quite indescribable. The sentiment ana
the small talk are infused IL mildly feverous excite
ment incident the rehearsal Of certain matrimonial
circumstances not wholly unlike those that are power
fully treated In tho wellkn0wl comedy
of "Sull Waters Run Deep" hus-
band and wife are somewhat estranged. and
friend OF the husband is present as possible seducer
ultimately after mista and complications, and
great deal OF protraeted bahbing the differences arc
smoothed away. Several young aud middleaged pairs
In the billing cooling season. hover around these CEN
trail figures OF speoney tragedy aud Their dongs made
slightly comica by OF or the machinery OF the
play of "Married Life" The called Diamonds"
because it relates to women, and because the jewels
apty typify them. II repeat, beautifully set
upon the stage IL is to be denied either that the
players did great deal with aud IT, To Miss Nor
rs, Mrs Gilbert, Mis- Davenport Mr.. Lewis, Mr.. Ring
gold and Mr. Crisp, owes Ia rhe main. the moderate
degree OF favor which rewarded It last night
notable incident was the depht Of Miss Sarah Jeweet
graduate the social school OF acting This
caused slight iutter. The young lady is Intelligent,
handsome apt al nes- torra y we'll schooled
In acting entirely poised able in temperament,
voice. and demeanor and-0eing seemingly deficient in
imagination and depth ~ feeling. aud evidently TOO
young To know anything about real emouons-s Wen
adapted to the Improvisation of ingenious damseis
She acted in insignificant part: ineed all the char-
acters In the play appear to have been devised WIN
view 20 making them nearly possible Identical with
the every day personalities OF the infSduas selected 10
present then,-ani hence they all insignia
cant: bur Miss Jewet thOnsA often tame anu wood1n
contriyed 10 be interesting Litte significance,
,bopgb "a 70 be attached % the first appearance, since
the lady has not come oryari IN anything like test
part she may be grateful. DerhapS, 20 have made the
nlunge In sueh uneommoniy laXewirn water. Her
,eai spccess will b.. een In her SWIMMING The course
q. b,nny open Applause uf that dennunsrative sort
which IA Only furnished by tho delighted
,r,onds OF dcbu.dnte. the ardent
OF frenzied caqne greeted Miss Jewet and
rewarded her At the OF act thru sne was called
beforo the curtain. There III applause Of welcome
likewise for Mr.. Rnggod and MI Rockwell, new faces
here but long popular young ~lntemen at WallacRs
rbeater They went about gracefully, and stood In
pretty attitudes, and a. this puFsvls they had
the efficient co5peraton OF SIR George Clarke and Mr.
Harry Crisp The Kreetgga exLllgel " Old llyQrltes