New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-10
THE DRAMA.
wALLACK'S THEATER.
MR.. sorHERN IN THE COMEDY OF DAVID GAR
RICK


IN the presence OF numerous and brilliant assemhage-
house being crowded in every partMr. sothern i'm
personated for the first time in York the character
of Ddrld 6arick. His auditory included many persons
OF emnence in the arts and the learned professions and
Of prominence In social life and altogether was sueh
soneourse Of spectators 1t Is common honor 10
attract and delight Mr.. sOthern upon his entrance
IS Ddrid Gorrek, was greeted with tu'
mutt Of welcome; and at different umes'
later In the performance, he was rewarded Win
rome Of the most spontaneous and feryent applause
that has been heard within the walls Of this theater
After his exit from the drunken scene in the second act
there was particular remarkable outburst of public
sympathy and misunderstanding HIM upon the stage
and testfying with emphasis the unaOyed pleasure
impaired by his extraordinary art At other points
likewise he was called before the curtain HIS acung
was dehcOusly good; and when we add that MS sup
port all that could he wished and that the eoDeuS
IN which be appeared was upon the stage WIN per
feet scenery 10 will be understood thar We reeoIu
dramatic occasion Of great interest ana eAcfPuona III
portance , ~,
The comedy Of David Garrck' has been seen III New"
York before Till DOW under aETee"oio o'0u
stances Mr. g. c. Bonifaee has acted In H. ana 80 mas
Mr. W H. Iingard IL is a prose piece, IN three "c's'
neatly constructed and deoately written tls oi Ger
man origin expanded and fashioned anew by the lae
Mr. Robertson. The poet Moore, IN one ol DIS sons,
makes molodiOus and happy reference TO certain Au
,f wood that grows precious in burning just SO thIe
certain kind Of play that grows fragrant Win lees
and lovely with refinement only In the warmth ana the
elegance OF passionate and Symmetrical acting DaNld
Garrick" Is a specimen Lacking hueness OF ap-
routments and beauty OF Interpretation, Is
precisely the sort Of piece that would pass
uuheeded; but embelished, as 1t is now uy
pictorial sets and lrradated by emotional earnestness
and intellectual power IL deeply sths the IMAGINATION
and 1t richly afes that love Of the dea in character
and experience which is the hallowng consolation OF
human life Under the conditions that now surround
H. accordingly David Garrlck will not fail TO pass
INTO wide and bounteOus acceptance Its pretty love
story ta romantic atmosphere its salient dramatic STU
nations It's contrasts Of character and its terse dialogue
receive for the first time the local stage the justice
that they merit and Indispensable require They are adj
dressed moreover TO class OF playgOers Thoroughly
able TO give them competent appreciatiOn-becauSe
accustomed 10 works in the domain OF the ldeai'
ana aware Of the significance Of exaGgeraton IN com
edy This latter attribute, may remark, has been
layishly employed alleged bOOrishness OF respect
uhle British merchants, for example, is greatly eInpha
sized and sO-by implcatiOn-is the alleged refine
en; ana spiritual purity Of actors There Is no danger
however that any intelligent spectator,i at Waacks
Iheater viii be misled 10 the conclusion either that
merchants were ounces actors saints, even in
Abe DAYS Of David Garrick 1t entirely ideal com
position that the work should be viewed aud ~ viewed
1t imparts a rare luxury Of enjoyment
In element is II more ideal than 10 It's drawing oil
Garrick-for there is not particle OF truth IN lis
testimony as 10 his actual experience or bis actual
character II indicates indeed, that he good man.
and great actor devoedy attached TO his profession
and therein it is accurate. But aside from this it's hero
might lust as well be called by fictitious name That
hero is a celebrated player. He has been many times
seen upon the stage, by merchants daughter ana MS
ncting has hewitched her mind and infamed her heart
He has observed her face and her enthusiasm, and
ms Own feelings have become interested In this unknown
ndmirer At this stage II the Of true love, the
merchant seeks interview with the actor expatiaes
upon the infatuaon OF his daughter and enreats him
70 disiusouze her mind. Unaware OF her identity, the
PLAYER consents undertake tins task II proves woul
business for when he discovers that the lady Is none
other than his unknown worshiper but he carries it
through not the less, and by an adrOlt stimulation OF
drunkenness cOntrives TO disgust the poor child with
both the object Of her passion and-sadder yet-the
passiOn itself She consents 10 wed her
eousn-the fathers choice Of a husband-whO Is
the dot and intermittent sOt in fact that GaTck has
been IN fancy. Cupid, however, Is on the alert, and
accident reveals the distressed maiden the imposition
that has been pracced deceive her. Also she learns
that the actor brOken-hearted about her, pur
poses 10 fight duel with person who has ventured to
es on the topic OF her love. To prevent this catastrophe
se seeks 6arrek at his hOuse.pursued thther by her
father situation Of great pathos ensues wherein
overheard by the father, G0rrick his love- hut
eounses her 10 remain first Of all, faithful TO ia duty
The termination is the betrOtha Of these lovers with
the fathers consent and blessing
MI SOtherus PRESERVATION OF NdIFtch Il. 50 COlLtlt MI
assumption and maintenance Of idenhty-so synmetr-
cal in form and so perfectly finished and polished in
dctais-that only dispasiOnate observer will perceive
is art II is accurately dressed it is elegant in
ners u entirely natural in carriage and in transitions
OF mood and emotion It blends very happily The tone
az the mano and the tone Of the scholar and
~ is perneated with native refinement Of taste and
feeling such as appertans 10 a gentleman by
nature. and one whose mind has been exalted
and whose heart has been relleiously chastened
by long communion with ideal beauty and
with the sacred spirit Of poetical art. Its more
obvious merit its fidelity nature in depicting the
condition Of drunkenness Even through this phase Of
sntnsive and dsgracefu physical experience, however,
subtle quality OF ineness steals out 20 view. Almost
AL the phenomena Of intOxcaton are preeent-the
loouacity, the restless rapidly Of movement, the
naccdity OF muscular life, the imDecne merrment, the
odd nmbeness Of udcrous fancy the excess Of cause
less mrth the disposition 10 chaf the incOnsequent
arrangement OF ideas and actions, and the gradually
growing iltemper which is frequently the
GROWING concomitant Of inebriety. Yet, under
and through all, there is delicate quality Of
character which lost and which never varies
Tie Inioxicaton is that Of gentleman without this
admirable quality of hneness-ths inherent refinement
of personality and poetry OF southe character would
snB 70 the commonplace the talk would be bombastic
and the experience would be silly. With this, at its
bass Nj sothern's Darid Gar1ick is picturesque
noble and lOveable. He not be at all like the David
arrck Of history he, certainly does not look like him.
and as we have intimated, the play calls for effort
70 produce actual semblance but he is the literal full
Gnmen OF a high ideal OF gentleman and artist who, in
circumstances Of great dehcaey, exacting 10 the
sternes moral nature and the keeenest OF rect
tude shows himself capable Of that selfrenunciati0n
and steadfast adherence 10 duty which constitute the
highest nerosD. In patbos MI sOhern is not strong
o. be IL Not that be feels less, but because he
has given less care 70 the cultivation Of the faculties
hat give expression feeling Yet there is touch
inR fervor coupled with manly simplicity in bs utter