New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-10-29
THE DRAMA.
WITH AVENUE THEATER-THE ROAD TO RUIN
Mr. CHARLES FISHER.

THE DRAMA.
FIprH AVENUE THEATER-THE ROAD TO RUIN
Mr.. CHARLES FISHER
Thomas Holcrofts comedy of The Road to |
Rup - was revived, last night at the Fifth Avenue
T7eater and respectfully represented 10 moderately
fnl house The play is iavOrite with old votalles OF
the tbeater and as often is IL wins new friends
the reason being that IL illustrates victory OF the
good over the evil in human nature. and incidentally
portrays the OF interesting epoch, Win |
truth wit and warmth Of feeling It has kept the stage
for eighty years. and il bids fair TO keep 1T for eighty
years more. When brought out-at Drury Lane In Lon
CON- l792it had the great good fortune to be animated
hy the genius Of Munden, who played old Dornton ana
was its original representative. Charles Lamp
saw him play the part in after time,
and that quaint critic says he could
"dIuse a glow Of sentiment which has made the pulse
Of crowded tbeater beat like that Of one man." III IS
for character, and the outgrowths OF H. that Inc
Road TO Ruin especially dear to the lovers OF Enghsh
comedy Old Dornton embodies exalted ideal OF the
noble British merchant and father-not OF titled
nobility but OF the nobility compounded OF all tha is
best In the qualities Of Englishman integrity avg
nifty sweetness pride Of character and station energetic
and determined Will self-reance, and sense ana pur
pose of virtue which would amount 10 auserity we're
they not tempered by the love and charity OF tender
heart unite in this individuality, and make It impress
sjye and lovabe The method employed to give 1t Illus
tration is that Of trial to paternal loVe-the
hottest feeling probably Of which man Is capable; ana
noble Blake was great this part at those rare times
when he chose act in earnest, and TO remember ana
speak the OF the text The fathers proud JOY IN
ms son, and deep grief over his misconduct when
stern OF justice srOve in vain TO repreSs maze
portraiture Of profound emotion and bitter expert
rence 10 be felt in ones of heart and not 70 be
forgotten. That rich, mellow vOice-One OF the sweet
est ever heard on the stagc-wTought potent effect
also, making the sympathetic spectator pensve and
wistul, and filing his mind with thoughts OF strange
of Oafo Ilr QrQiu
through the stained windows Of some old church, in
late afternoon. Bake's voice had an ndehnabe charm
soft, persuasive melody quality Of tempera-
ment 80 TO speak-whch found its way 10 all hearts
There was great kindness IT, blended with the accent
command and the accent Of humor; and 1t was pre-
csely voice, therefore, for Old DOratOa. Mr. Gil
bert likewise grand representative OF this part so
far as manners concerned, this generation Of play
goers has never good and, underneath al |
his frosty austeity of moral tone and severe nteecu-
Atty Of design, John Gilbert carries a warm human
heart Add he is scholar, in this in other old
comedy characters and you have the Of certain
rare good gifts We think him the best old Dor7ton now
LIVING al this country, and is certain that Mr.
Fishers peIsOuatiOn Of the part last evening-fne
though much Of was did disturb his laurels. Mr.
Fishers individuality, indeed is mentally strong and
morally sweet therein is adequate to this, and TO
higher things than this but tho distinguishing |
quality Of the man is quaintness-and TINS unges
all the rest With the exception Of Mr.. Jefferson we do
not know comedian in whose nature this element is so
strong II is not eccentricty that mean, but some
thing far more doicatea flavor Of the unique, that
would make Charles Fisher entirely at home IN any OF
shakcspcares Fools Parts that do not enlist tins quail
IT, 90 not call forth full soul OF the aegor-ior II is
Ike rerflme latent in costly lace, which you must
,li,btIv damien before it viii become fragrant OF
eou-se Mr. Fisher played Old D0rnt0a wel-and some
tucs more than wen. lie has a noble presence, fine
intelligence large experience, and precise methods anu
likewise, &c has what the young men acting around MN
40 sadly lack the fine manners that are intuye with
gentleman and are polished under culture. But the
future critic summing up contemporary testimony as 10
this riist constitution and his achievements-would
hardly select his Old DOrntoH one Of his great en-
bodineuts, any than his Lieutenant H0r~'ng'oa'
They are cooj-1ut they not the things that ne does
better than anybody else can do them That there are
such things we have long been aware-haying often,
with the best cause paid our tribute 10 Mr.. Fishers deli
cate genius In the admirng appreciation Of the older
class OF paygocrs he has long been secure The ncom-
ing classic whom Mr. Days style Of management at
The Fifth Avenue Theater seems more particularly al
dressed-win now have the privilege Of studying the
rpe art Of one OF the players eXtant ltspeak well
for that young managers intelligence that he seems to
he aware Of the superior excellence and value Of Charles
Fishers abilities. couplet from one OF the Hottest
elegies in language applies well to the actor IN
this place.
"Of him. YOU know his merit such,
cannot say-yOu hear-tOO much"
Mr. Fisher, who made, on this OCCASION his first APP
pearance at the Fifth Avenue Tneater, was greeted with
honest if not copous applause. We print below the full
cast of parts with which The Road 70 Ruin was tins
time performed II has often been surpassed on the
NeUYork stage; nevertheless, IL will be seen 10 be
fair cast as such things We are not fallen upon
the most brilliant Of times, actors who are efficient
IN the OLD plays The general representation was 80
crude dsjomted and 1abby partly 10 make obscure
the richness and dash Of the comedy The SUkg of Mr.
whiting was, indeed correct-thOugh we think the
mart should have fallen to Mr. Daydge, as the
erumpjer Of the two; the Milford Of Mr. Rnggold
was smooth and graceful; the Slky OF Mr. Lemoyne,
lacking the quality indicated in the name, was in other
resuecs adequate and the Sophia Of Miss Linda Diez
was such embodiment Of girlish character and emo
tion sweet the part should rightly be- On the other
hand Mr. Crisp, undertaking to play Harry Dornto'''
gave 10 an admiring public happy compound OF Sir
GILES OUerreaeh and Poor PioOddH with slight flavor
OF Tom LuBDLfn Mr. George Cark's Goldfneh was
urred-perhaps necessarily, for be is new IN the part
and the part very difficult; but 1t was also coarse III
texture and devoid OF humorwhch seems TO indicate
lack OF study. Gilbert do nothing really ILL., but
she il not the for the WIDOW Warren. where is
Miss Moraut Tonight TIE Road TO Ruin will be re-
peated
M Dorr.on GOO Charles Fisher Mr. Mncne b Pierce
Harry Dor1On. .henT Crhp Mr. Mes1le....Mr 6olhey
Mr. Sufy.......D Whiting Sherhs .Mr Barnes
Mr. mith......E Chapman Tennis Marker...W. BeeEman
Charles OOlitnch. Geo tarke fooinau M NtIIou
gobn bliOrd -. huggod Posiilon Mr. 1llbeh