New-York tribune., 1874-10-19
THE DRAMA.
FIFTH AVENUE THEATER-MoORcRoF

FIFTH AVENUE IHEA1Ek-MOOf'kOFl.
Mr.. b.. C.. Howard's new play, entitled
Moorcroft," acted at the Fifth Avenue Theatef
on Saturday night, In the presence Of fashionable
audience so numerous that 1t filed every part OF the
house. The piece set upon The stage with neat and
pretty scenery. and its chief parts very richly
dressed. Portions Of 1t elected laughter and quite
hearty applause. These manifestations. however, were
such as goOdnatured audiences generally give. and u
would be foolish TO infer from them that Z" Moorcrot"
is accepted as a good American comedy. or a good
play IN any sense whatever. Play here-who as
and a rule, DO not attach much importance 70
the subject-are coureousy and kindly anxious thai
everything should go we'll the stage that they arr
quick accept the least indications Of merit and they
are especially ready admire and applaud the enecn
of purely farcca incidents Indications OF merit do here
and there occur in Mr. Howards play and farce ehec"
abound in it; 80 that 10 is entirely easy for an eAper
enced observer Of such matters 10 how hrstngh'
audience could applaud this piece without In the Ies"
intending to approve it. silleg piay than Moor
croft it has never our Misfortune TO witness;
and we are fully persuaded that the public understood
and will continue understand its Stiffness. II is
possibly, trhe better than Saratoga because tha
play was coarsey indecate aud this one Is not ndeE
cate at all; but the same sickening puerihV
OF style characterizes both the plays. aud 10
" Moorcroft A" il swells and bourgeohs like an
inflated caufower Any talk about Amer
can Comedy, relation TO this piece. would be
an impertnence TO intelligent readers. Our literature
is not destitute OF good comedies as all persons know,
who know anything about tine subject and. as TO the
compositions Of Mr. Howard, he has never written
line Of comedy and, II the quality and traits OF bic
peces may be accepted indications, he never will
for they clearly that be is naturally ignorant Of
the Wherever Wit Is In order Mr. Howard
is pretty to remember the little anecdotes in his
comic almanac aud his idea Of bumor-as shown Ia
"Mo0rcroft us dressed In woman's clothes, who
talks fasetto and coughs aud stranges, negro In
IL .na 10 had Erana Larn
aye traits character incidents in life
other than superficial pictures OF manners
sensible aud delicate suggestions OF ideals the elements
OF romance aud that fine style OF exaggeration which
robe Of comedy not 10 speak OF good Eu'
gish the spectator will look In vain into compost
ton by this writer II seemed Judicious and humane, al
drst to view Mr.. Howards efforts with leniency and
we looked in "a charitable manner upon American
Comedy" in which the youth OF this time were
| represented as makiDe assgnations through tie
nasty medium Of TIE Herald personals. and q newly
married old gentlemaD shown he Jealous OF his
own scarcely adoescent son. This had not the dignity
Of good honest, downright French nlth but was Kind
OF schooboy imitation Of II. Still. 10 was mess Oh
tryatv aud farce, and there seemed reason to let
60 Human patience, however, has limits. and Moor
croft" goes beyond them. We do not inteno
| to compliment this farrago by writing out the
apaly sis OF IL which we have mentally made IL starts
with q strong and suggestive idea borrowed from
sketch by Col John Hay-grownG out OF the theory OF
possiby com a,ed tragic pathetic social aud do
mestic relations Incident TO the system OF southen
slavery now extinct. A Georgia planter s rspresented
ss having sold his halfbrother to amorous widow
tho neighborhood. who meets her escaped chatsst
-'satesp ysAu s!tsrward. snd Prss9ses v slaaa w