New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-14
FIFTH AFEAUE 7HEATER.


"THE NEW SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL"
Centennialism is the order of the day, and
~ anything has the least twaDg Of dead century, 1t is
pretty sure 20 The Congress OF "A and the
Declaration n '76 are all the fashion. And why not
centuyOd fash OF genius which, in its pleasant infn
ences has intcrmited, which In the innocent
pleasure IL has aud gives has incline 10 think,
exceled Mr.. Jefersons rhetorical manifesto. The
School for Scandal" WAS played for the first time at
Old Drury" the sth OF Nav 777. with the classic
king" Sir Peter ana gentleman Palmer" as
Joseph rhc character Of he play), and Mrs Abingdon
as Lady Teaze. II has held its place ever since where
ever the English language is spoken. and to-day
Is played with success Melbourne. of which Sheridan
knew not for 1t not. and IN NeWYork, for which
Sheridan cared no. and tbrOug Of intelligent, highly
educated people enjoyed IL at Mr.. Days on Saturday
with as Keen zsst di the London critics a century
ago. We brighter OF more appreclatiVe au-
dience The comedy eth retaining its hve-act FORM is
remodelcd, so to speak mechanically. Every word OF
the retained aud II Il only so rearranged as TO
avoid that opproerum OF the English stage, scene
emitting II is cevery done. We say all its IA
uar words are retained. and let the threshold,
suggest a mild txcisiOn. TIE vugarity-nay, actual
indecencles Of a portion OF the scandal scene,
tOlerable perhaps for ancestors, are simply
shocking ana ought 10 be suppressed. 1t can be
easily. II Mr.. Daily present the other night
he must felt IN such audience as we are
sure he was glad 10 welcome and viii be anxious 10
RETAIN things Of this do excite smile win
the least applause The mise was usual. ex-
ceilent Whether bright saloons like these existed IN
ancient days NAV well douOt out they are very at
tractive Next scenery let word, rather
OF doubt than criticism, TO costumes on which evil
IDENTITY no expense spared The subject has, we
infer, been well studied, and hence we doubt
in diGidence-Dut did Horace Walpoe's and
Lord Chesterdelds contemporaries wear pink satin
small clothes and black stockings as did Joseph
Surface the other night, did ever beau figure IN
suit OF scarlet Cooking Ike amiable hesdsmsn) as
did ChdrleSg Ia that costume, and with powdered
wig aud face the good identity Of Mr. George
Clarke eecualy disguised nor aside from this, do
we regard Charles surface by any means his best
part He entirely volatile and boyish The test
character OF the comedy after all is Joseph Surface,
and rarely has It been better performed than by
Mr. Louis James, whose tendencies to dramatic rascal
dom had fun scope and yet did not ripen into the
extravagancies which a long OF sensatiOnaism
might have provoked. The elab rate sentmentalism
of the part is terrible stumblng-oloek
20 most actors best Joseph Surfaces sentiments"
are formal platitudes, and when they detained
berolcay. as We have heard the late Mr.. James Wal
lack pronounce them whO could lot help being tragcl
they become absurd. MIR James did even this
naiurally and without eflrt. Toe highest praise we
have to give HIN is that he for moment forgot
that the sentimental hypocrite always a gentle
man" In animated OF the fourth act ne was
excellent. Another most agreeable disappointment
are glad say the Lady Teazle OF the night. That
Miss Davenport Will do ceverly anything she attempts
no one doubts Dut admirers will not quarrel with
our fear lest the traces OF the pronounced"
parts she has Of late been in the habit
of playing might be her portralture Of the
country girl suddenly become fashionable fine lady
There nothing OF the sort In the early scenes In
lady sneerweIs scandaous cotere and in her quarrel
and reconciliation with her husband she was moderate
and sefresraned and never in long xperience have
we seen a perfect performance graceful, so
touchng-nay IN Of its tender traits pathetic,
than Mass DavenpOrt's In the scene 1t
marked triumph OF OF the anxious critical
conjecture was as TO how the Sir Peter would
appear it would bear comparison with enc other
40 familiar 10 NewYOrk audiences Mr. Gilbert has here
hitherto had uudisputed supremacy Saturday showed
that ne must look TO his laurels. Rarely has
there been a more perfect representation than
that OF Mr. Charles Fisher II positively and rel
attyely Relatively, he made Sir Peter a younger
than most actOrs-so that disparity Of years did not
aeem unpleasant, and well understand that the
reformed and reconciled young wife might love such
husband we'll Mr. Fisher is never actor Of erimace,
and no one could initiate him. Here
with Miss Davenport, there touch OF gentlemanly
athos In his with Joseph when Lady Teae
As behind the screen that beautifully executed.
TWAS model performance throughout The minor
characters WERE as usual at Mr. Days, judicously
filled some very good artists taking parts perhaps not
worthy OF them, but doing them very well. Such were
Bessis Davdge. Lewis, Hardenberg and Ringold, and
Mrs Gilbert and Miss Gray. The excessively inspld
MarIa became almost sDrigbtly and certainly at
.tractye In the hands Of Miss Jewett One admirable
sketeb singulary so, was Mr. Sol RusselPs valet.
Nothing could have been better Let not our readers
dstrust the general praise we beStow on this revival
We cannot doubt II will prove great success