New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-24
THE DRAMA AND MUSIC
THE DRAMA
UNION SQUARE THEATER-cou1


Cousin Jack arrived at the Union O.,
Theater Saturday night. and f. making pf'ars
will not stay long; but, as be is pleasant ,suo ne
little while. the community will, doubles. Wa
courteous tending" He Ia young band.ou. 20 "H
brave. and honorable, without cOnceit ami yitbo,,
tense. His occupation is-on coming home from 49,,
countries IN which he has met with strange sdv..ss
and queer people-to adjust various matters thu, -,
awry in his family circle; 10 the wife Of oD..,1
tive from amorous entaDg clement and IN -.
money OF another relative from the hands OF I, ts
10 battle and shoot a seducer, 10 expose and d,.os
swIDdler, and-to win the snc ctOns Of a Rirl 49,
loves. IL will not be denied that the occupa,io.
good one; and those who meet with Cousin 81
the Union Square Thester, will ace that he NJ. 49,,
TO his work and does 1t with spirit and zeal He i.,
perhaps, strikingly original person. lie has bee.
cOuntered before now, IN the plays Of Home - s,
Waters,"" Bachelor OF Arts" and John Ga,,h. :.
mention only the scenes that fash al once r,o
recollection, we behold him. But ne Is none tho l.
welcome The store OF original types gave out .0..
time ago, and IL Is quite enough Tor a new conner a, ~
amusing. 80 that he puts us In good humor and n.y.
us laugh we can forget the triteness Of hi, den,,,
Cousin Jack may be- in one respect like that poor r
ton" In Lambs delicious sketch, Of whom IL /, .,,,
that the guests think they have him before" r..
there the resemblance stops One Il a souber per.0.
age IN seedy black The other IL gay youth IN nn,,l
velvet who huns like a rOpe-wok. aud sparkle, bks
goblet OF Green Seal.
The reader will understand that we speak Of the h..
OF a comedy which has come to tho fore at the Ua,.
square Theater, aud will readily perceive from AA..
few words, what manner Of this hero is The com
edy itself is from the French Of NJ Louis Leroy and b,,
been translated by Mr. w. j. Florence. the comed,,n
1t threeact piece, Offering nlneichaacter and iva
set scenes and telling IN terse dialogue and rand ~,
tion the story indicated In words above snt
ten. 1t is farcca in Tone and sometimes iippaht IA
style. Its serious element, strongly emphasized and
highly colored in one scene, would have been
thought indicate the stage-seeing that II a TIA
elaborate detailed picture Of attempted seduction o
married woman, prevented by the opportune arrival Of
an interlOper and followed by the advent Of the suu
ciOus husband, with rage and a revolver. There Ia,
flavor Of the Chinese drama about this aud say that
respectable playgOers would once have Kissed i-Or al
least would have gwen IL the cold shoulder. As maten
now stand 1t will, doubtless, be much admired; aud a.
surances may expected that it nculcates sautary
and uch-needed moral lesson. Playwright casting.
medtaye eye Society,"" think they have discovered
that licentlousness is the chief characteristics
and occupation OF ladies' and gentlemen and have
a brood OF what are called society plays" Ia which
black trousers, patent leather boots hothouse odors
amatory verse, miscellaneous gabble and calOw psa
rience are comminged with slang bad manner-ana
these thought To be nightly smart and pungent
The comedy OF Cousin Jack" is not nearly bad
smrched with the Old familiar scotland, TO this extent
its brightness suffers eclipse. There is, however
no need TO lay great the defect thu, nOtedOt
the climax Of the play the serious business vita
sufficient rdicue. q" / have lstend to his ayowll Of
love-" says the wife, but that Is all" Then leave ny
premises" says tine husband, and never CON, back"
" Stop where you are" says COUSIN Jack; saw tha
whole interview, and it's all right" Then leave ms
TO my anguish" roars the husband Not till yeu light
.ofxra Ta.k The
husband. " your sincerity obvious. Emmelne cons
TO my arms All shall be forgiven, and all forgotten"
II that does MT enforce tue moral, why-the listener
must be hard to please.
Mr. Harklns acted Cousin Jack and was agreeasJ
vivacious. Miss Mary Griswold sustained repulsVs
part with evenness and grace, aud assumed or seemed
to assume quite successfully, the preoccupled sefeoa-
scous air of sentimentay vicious woman. Miss Jen-
ME Lee was pretty and winning as the juvenile heroine
but she turned her side speeches into addresses to tho
house. and she was little capricous in her dalianos
with the letter h. Miss Emily Mestayer impaired delight
full piduancy TO the part OF selfsucient, blunt and
brisk old maid Mr. Parkes the eryent Lotharo, and
very creature he appeared TO be- NutA aas
TO Parkes say that he bore the burden Of poor
part with conscientious fidelity and the cearest nte'
gence There Is a critical custom OF twing this gen
teman on the subject OF his garments which might well
be discarded for the wit is attenuaed and It exposes
the nakedness Of its wearers. Mr. Edward Lamb moved
through the comedy in very drol guise and gaTss
great deal Of pleasure by his eccentric demeanor, qua
zical countenance and delicate methOd-in which
there is extraordinary fneness Of gesture, move
ment, intonation, land facial play. Mr.. r.
Mackay in scenes requiring the display
great dignity and natural indignation, was entirely
adequate to an easy task. The piece will run mOrs
smoothly when the players are more familiar whir
words Mr. Tissing on's incidental music SATURDAY
night was charming. The introduction Of Scotch and
other plaintive melodies both here and at the flth
Avenue Theater, produces sweet effect ana thS 'en
dency to what is simple aud touching merits warm com
incubation and encoura II IS proposed, We %
leve:to run "Cousin Jack" for three weeks-M Asnef
Ethel will reappear at the Union Square Theaer Oh %"
l4th Of April as Frou FrOu.-Miss Olive Logans comeG
OF "a Business Woman" was withdrawn. we shOuo
note after ten representatiOnsMr. G. F. Rowe, Se IN
derstand will shortly act at this heaer, in eomed'
by himself entitled Sybil" 1t is pleasant to know
that this clever actor WILL after all make an appearances
in New-York before he leaves the oountry-A iof'o-
coming novelty at the Union Square Theater Is OoL n
s. Ocott's play OF 1.-THE Rose OF Salem."-We near ~"
that Mrs Sheridan Shook has written piece Tor pfodu
ton at this theater entitled Only Heart LUIS
Hthe full cast of Cousin jack"
Jack vadent....D Harkins vs,.,
George valden e haeI1y Celeste. NJ. z,
NJ Chsm6ry George Parkes Bmmehne ..''''hs o'
Ckalut. ............W. H. Stuart
MISS CUsHMAN's FOURTH READING
Steinway Hall was crowded on Saturua,
afternoon, and the large assemblage enjoyed rAi'
delicious pleasure. Miss Cushman read seVeEai S
TONS mostly well chosen but she especially eAe'
and displayed her power in the realm OF pathos'
power that she possesses ample fulness' by resS"