New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-12
THE DRAMA.
LYCEUM THEATER.
OPENING NIGHr-NOrRE pAsfx.

theateP To sit in IL Is Ike sitting In tent OF lace, and
gazing out through various apert ures, upon uxuriant
Oriental landscape of palmtrees and flowers.
house divided into parquettc two galleries. and
four boxes and Ia lit from the center OF tho
roof The upholstery is costly and handsone-
Red velvet Ia prevalent. and red and geld
abound The proscenium arch 80 devised that
each of the seems set in gold frame, on
which central current OF lilac Is freted with arrow
shaped leaves The curtain tangle OF lace-a jungle
OF white flowers and fan-shaped leayes-behind which.
and visible through It's transparent expanse second
drop, OF red purple The band sits hidden la kind
Of wicker and lace cavern. The boxes are hung vita
pink and mirrors The roof glorious with the frescocs
GarbOdi-as rich and enhancing az The sails Of
Ceoparas barge in the immortal picture OF Enobarbus
Imagine Moorish pavilion. and let fancy adorn IL at
willard you have an ideal OF the effect OF this delicate
and lovely structure
Such a theater Is worthy OF better play than was
given in the new Lyceu last night and Of better per-
Torrance than occurred there. The effsr was 70 so
large an extent, disappointment, that we may per-
haps incline 60 dismiss II CURLY. Such tendency
shall be restricted carefully possible The ooser-
yatons that u.s. however, not such az arc
written with enthusiasm. Mr. Andrew Hallidays
drama does but the scantest justice TO VIC
tor Hugo's story. 1t Is not great sto-
~ at the best. The great merit Is tho
manner in which 1t is told-and that being literary
attribute cannot, Of course, be conveyed by dramaua
means Tho strength of 1t is in the analysis OF tho nor
ribe sgouzing struggle between religion ana sensual
passion which passes in the soul and body OF the Pres
claude FroIlo From this the dramatst has modestIy
and not unwisey-shrunk. TIE pathOs Is Ia tho
heartrending encounter OF recognition Detwixt Bsms
rafdd and mother. and in the miserable experience
the Huncbback Of Notre Dame To the frat OF these
there is DEVOTED single, but not we-written scene
To the last there given Onya toeraDe exposition Nc
reader OF the book could possibly be content with It, No
spectator Of the play, not having read the book could
possibly imagine that these portions Of the book
iraught with frenzy and Overwhelming anguish. As TO
the historic middleage atmosphere, that Is darkened
within gap OF modern Black Crook accessories and
the cheap tnsel properties of the playhouse There re-
three single situations, chiefly Of soloquy.
but and then Of touching dialogue, for Frot'o.
Quasaodo, and Esmeralda It is not to be denied that
these suggest the points OF the they are Ike
sudden lightning flashes in a murk sky, at midnight.
over unknown forest. The prison scenes are OF
this kind, and the DARK tumuous, tremendous conflict
Of unhoy passion and celestial fury toward the end Of
tragic tale. IL only be regretted that the eyes
and the Imagination of tho spectators are not permitted
to rest on these instead OF being distracted TO the
bouncing Of course ballet, the prosy illustrations oil
dpsy life a den of thieves, and the nefaby stupid
maunderings of in the front scenes, There
was so much STUNNING of tambOrnes and twirlDg OF
legs that more than Miss Pauline Markham seemed
Imminent, ana those naughty naughty mea" TO be
quite unavoidable.
Nor was there great deal in the acting to relieve this
general impression OF commingling OF Dukes Motto"
and Devils Auction" Several persons appeared:
but only one was noble. The difficulties presented by
the character of Quasmido encountered by Mr. T.
c. King with clear intelligence, and nos
only with trained ability but with spontaneous emotion
His performance began in simplicity and grew in emo
tional power. The fact presented by the char
acter is the existence OF passionate but
pure affection in person of hdeous deforinlty.
That fact Ia made picturesque and affecting by WORD
sceu
personal relationship. Mr. King eyinced perfect un-
derstBnding Of it ALL He possesses uncommon physical
resources chief OF which is OF deep melody and
tenderness. His makeup was accurate. He acted the
prison with fervor OF lofty passion aud senseof
human misery that could not aud did not fa TO touch
every sensitive heart and gave dignity the foolish
stormng OF the church which closes the second act:
and he fearfully wild in the closing death
struggle. To the imaginative completeness OF
the whole embodiment and to tho discreet use
OF thin and watery text, admiration was
he rendered in ample measure, and with entire justice
Yet somehow the pesonat0n seemed rather the result OF
n mechanism than OF senius. In lower. but not a
dssimilar strain there great excellence IN the
Claude FTellO OF Mr.. Charles Wheatlegh To the eye
picture To the intellect, satisfying fact To the
heart, cold piece OF mechanism-iar colder than tho
companion piece which, for this reason, it failed to
equal The feminine elements Of the piece, in turn,
far weaker than all the rest Miss Jefreys Lewis ap
peared Emereda She is not fortunate in voice which
weak and harsh; In figure, which lacks symmetry
nor IN movement, which Is angular and awkward Her
singing out of tune her vocal execution extremely
defective. And she acted IN conventional, artificial
manner. so did Miss Crawford who performed the
mother-and these two ladies were so unnatural and
noisy the great of the piece that they posi-
lively turned it to ridiculous absurpy. Miss Heudsr
son, who appeared Fleur de Lys may be
but she did not dyue the fact upon this occasion Yet
both Miss Jeffreys and Miss Henderson possess tho
CHI lat n o face
Of inyidual character, and quality Of winning
hood And 1t is not to be forgotten that the test such
first night and the bitches that maIred the WORKING
Of the and impeded the smooth VI the
representation were, probably, not without their de
pressing effect upon these. and upon all the players
Making every allowance, however, do not think Il
would be just TO accept this company extra
ordinary combination or this performance advance
what the American stage has over and accom-
pished, without persuading any competent observer
that ii had accomplished.
The auditory numerous aud fashionaby brilliant
The caque seemed present in force There were, how
frequent and sincere calls for Mr. T. G. King and
that gentleman returned several times upon the
Mr.. Sol Smith was amusing in portions Of the ac-
ton Of Gringoire. Nine. Espinore was unpleas-
antly conspicuous. The fower-nuisance re-
cefved blatant illustration. The great scenes
those by Minard Lewis, showing Notre Dame and
old Paris by night; and IN these the composition
admirable and tho atmosphere thoroughly poetic
Every thing that a manager could do to insure
briliancy OF stage setting have been done
by Mr.. Mansell. He has not started with a brilliant
success but he has made fair aud hope full beginning
and to the promise OF that. we commit the Lyceum
Theater
UNION SQUARE THEATER.