New-York tribune., 1872-02-13
THE DRAMA-MUSlO.
NEW DRAMATIC EVENTS.
,,>,vs rurATER-MARRIAGE.

ousent auditory with many marks OF interes'eu
'Snron and with frequent though temperate az
",use II is comprised IN three aets ana "rit'en !"
P' ,,s scene is laid In the parlor Of villa at New
P' tho rresent day. 1t introduces six persons Its
W. tho story OF husband who was unfathfui 10 MS
80 ma oi a wife who thereupon was tempted 10 De-
,faithfnl TO her husband. This story is toid parity
- n.tratiye actiep, butlargely by talk Two Oh 'he m
cptos freely exchange their views as 10 the TOPIC VI
V,, i,copstancy In our opinion this is one OF tho
s thot are unfit for public discussion Ihis OPINION
- ofen been expressed Ia these columns, WIN reer
% a. other plays that seemed TO require such COM
-, Il needs only q slight indicative word In TINS
..ce The teaching OF the new piece respecting the IN
OF marriage is correct and sanitary IL asserts
n, marriage is sacred contract and that the parties
"a, sho,d be eternay faithful and 1t enforces the as-
,,o nv suggesting the misery that is inevitably re-
ant from breach Of the marriage vow. Considered as
dsctic production 1t is open TO no reproaeh-uness
.,rs 10 the reproaoh OF being little trite in sgnii
.Doe and little tedious IN manner Considered as
- II ia duh and somber, containing too many
,rorj, In proportion TO its action. we SIMPLY
.+ste what everybody knows TO be true when we say
at the province of the drama to show conduct and
m rsus as actually happening, and not TO prose about
,hon That province is but family fulfilled In Mar
,,aga " The play however contains bright lines and
eVcecnt suatiOn-that toward the close OF the Sec
ond act-when the wife, who has determined TO elope
With her lover is suddenly confronted with her innocent
and ,actionate little daughter Marriage" was pret-
,iy framed in q marine picture by Mpard Lewis Miss
Griswol-for whose possible disability, in consequence
~ severe cold Mr. Mackaye asked the indulgence Of
the spectatorsln a kind but sepuchral speech before
the erain-personaed the heroine, and acted remark
sbv we'll Whatever her training may have been, this
tady has a command OF the touch or ma
ture and-nOtwithstanding many anguarites ana some
copsain-she showed Just comprehension of all the
bitter emotions incident to the experience interpreted
and she made them thought Of, If not deeply felt Mar
ooret Brooks the person represented. is wife and
mother who loves another man than her husband, and
thinks about running away with lin. We are not able
70 understand anyway; but this sort Of woman
we never can understand. Miss Griswold made her
seem almost probable the best recognition We
can render to her very praisewCrthy effort This lady,
We think, can reasonably expect TO become goOd
actress sue has petona advantages, intelligence ana
command OF her powers 1t is 10 be hoped she
will study in tho school OF nature ana eSpe-
rence and not in that Of any theorst. Mi
Msckaye himself played sir gu'ar part, and one OF The
most diss creeabe ever Is was CARROT GTay
This gentleman loved Ers Brooks: and wanted her
and didn't want her-to commit adultery. lie
looked like cross between C01dStreGH ana Hd~kSfeY
He lecured Mr. Brooks lis Inconsistency, and he con
doled with Mrs Brooks her sad condition. He was
moth self-dlsappoiutiDg hbcrtine and self-hatDg
,oora,st In short he behaved like afool The idea that
any female cSuld think Of running away from her hus-
band with such juvenile hearso horse of man aswas
tIrsrnied by Mr. Mackaye is pTepOSterOus We will not
say that tho actor did do justice to his conception
Of the character. We only say that his conception
impressed us as under-valizod Unmenly. and improb
able The conflict between love and duty is the great
romantic conflict of all poetry and all time Al least let
Us observe it in manly, noble natures not in laehy
nose stTipngs that any wholesome woman would laugh
NoD the instant. We referring to Colonel carroll
Groy and not to Mr. Mackaye who plays him pretty
little r Miss Nina Varian appeared as Atee Brooks,
and nade pleasing impression. Mrs. Keith as Mdqaa
de IA Tigae-a simpcring, Struggling, Voluble French
wOman,-made also a credtable first appearance. The
ncOnstant husband was portrayed in a free-and-easy
banner 10y Dolly Davenport. The orchestra was OBJ
served TO be still performing, az intervals, Pleyells
Hymn"-which is very pretty piece II music, though
solemn.
There arc some general reflections suggested by this
performance and what has preceded it, that we may az
well oacr by way OF farewell TO rather painful subject
The discrepancy great OewiXt what has been heard
Of the preep OF DelSarte and what has been seen OF the
practice Of Mr.. Mactaye that It may well be doubted
Whether the latter Is really entitled to present himself
sssnmesentative Of the former-whethcr IN fact, Mr.
kcksye has acquired command OF Delsares ~ steln
Ueven possesses an acquaintance with 1t that IS more
than superhcal He did not hesitate 10 wTeak his vast
and startling Incompetence for dramatic composition on
the unfortunate "Monadi" Of the toO-eon1dng Durivage
Volatile, enthusiastic and inexperienced youth is apt
10 he thus 6ayy NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. assumption iOI
study and mistadng excitement for inspirations and il
may easily happen to be that the curriculum OF
artist has Jared no better than the manuscript OF
other At any rate it is sufficiently obvious that Del
sartes mode of training acors-whateyer 1t may hap
pen behas not been placed before the local public In
practical shape And even IL u were brought forward
in manner ever so definite and appreciable, there is
good ason to doubt that II would inspireOr would de-
serve 70 nspirca considerable popular interest The
community concerned TO good plays acted by good
players but that the plays and players good the
community is not concerned 10 how they became So
The processes Of art for the artist. The results are
ior the audience that the artist addresses. 1t may in
deed and then happen that studous crit
lcs writer's on the drama, delighted with
achievement in art that is true, strong,
and beautiful can advantageousy please themselves and
then readers by anayziDg the method that contributed
10 make II 90 But, even when enthusiasm takes this
direction. does nOt-except by the sacrifice OF common
sengo back OF an artists mechanism 10 unearth and
tecte the details of his technical education III 1t did 1t
would certainly pass VRregarded. In the presence OF
good actor the pay-goer more thinks of asking by
what special mode Of training he became good than, in
the presence Of good Doctor patient thinks of asking
the phy can what he has found TO be the apes way Of
leafnug the Materia Medica. These educational in
qmre' ere matters for the private investigation OF stu
dents The public looks at what is accomplished; "by
Their fruits ye shall know them" and this is natural
MI" "i-"' LOoklng at Mr. M3ckaye ana MS company, IL
sees-wtb due e1eepton-a troupe Of Doyces III theat
real art set forth typical of something that is claimed
Dc sood system of teaching actors and that to say
the least. is a dull spectacle.
WALLACK'S 1HEATER-THE VETERAN.
In writing about play that pleases, one is
apt to fall into the mood Of the pay,taling impulse
Sh' eoor from the subject that fills the mind. 1t would
- psasant as well natural 10 do SO in this instance
he impulse and the color OF Mr. wallacks play OF "The
'e'eiaa"-aeted last night at wallack's Tbeaer for
Tue '' time in thirteen years-are vivid and cheerful
II