The New York herald., 1874-12-29

act nnds MIN Q clerx m the nrm OF wlckneid h
S S s ss
| have the return OF Emily and the shipwreck OF
| the vessel on which Steerforth was . passenger.
The drama closes with the overthrow OF Heep, the
| vindcaton OF the honor OF the father OF Agnes,
the departure OF Peggotty for the lands beyond the
Agnes. . .so
Mos. dramatic portions q the novel bo.e
success as Micawber belongs to the history OF tne
stage. HIS performance was ~ gn9sIay nns the
exRggeratiOns and oddities OF his strange nature
were preserved. The fault with It and with
Peggotty ts that there Is too much talking ana
| not enough OF action. The desire natural IN any
dramatist dealing with the work OF Dickens 10
preserve all that was possible OF the language ana
sprir OF the illustrious master leads to the pro-
/ longing OF scenes beyond any real necessity oil the
to near Mr.. Rowe recite ali the amusing speeches
OF Micawber as well as some that do pot belong to
the character, but TO follow the action OF the play.
The consequence Is that some OF the best scenes,
more especially that In Canterbury, where Heep
and Micawber quarrelled, became tedious.
This superb creation or English truth and
manhood was played by Mr.. warde with great
the nonors OF the evening even from NJ. Rowe.
The close OF the second act, when PeggotU
learned OF the eopement of Emily, was q master
piece OF passion and earnesmess; and Mr.. Warde
we'll deserved the acclamations that brought him
before the curtain. But there is such thing as
even too much OF PegRotty, and the part would be
improved II 1t were reduced Mr. Leclercqs per-
formauce OF urian Heep was natural, strong and
repulsive, an extremely finished work OF art Miss
Wells played Betsy Trotwood as she plays every
thing, with taste, humor ana ability. Mr.. Irving
created the part OF Traddles. and won many OF
the honors Of the evening. Miss Granger showed
great power as Emily. Miss Henderson played the
charming and noble part Of Agnes with great ex.
preston, bringing to the character all the graces
OF person and mind. The otner parts were well
played. In fact we do not see that there was any
really bad performance in the cast
Altogether the play has all the elements OF
success. Messrs. Jarrett II Palmer have mounted
II with all the care and expense that belong to
their management. The cast Is exceedingly
strong. There are more really good parts well
played than In any piece now on the New York
stage. But the fault OF the play is that It Is too
long. The characters crowd and drown each
other. Micawoer and Peggorty nave each busi-
ness enough to run separate play. The third
act is too long. There IS no reason why the whole
action should not take place IN the graveyard OF
the cathedra-which, we believe, has no grave
yard. And SO of the other acts. 1t was eleven
O'Clock before the shipwreck scene-one OF the
catastrophes OF the play ana certainly among the
greatest conceptions OF modern hcrons-came TO an
end However, these are faults that are insepa-
rabe rom an opening night. II 'Lrtie Emyn Is
cut down into reasonable limits II in some OF the
scenes there Is more action and less recitation
from Dickens; II, indeed some OF the scenes were
omitted or combined with others; II the play were
made to turn more on the real catastrophe ana
not upon the woes OF Pegg0tty and the humor OF
Micawber, there Is no reason why it should not
prove as great q success rs 1.-The Shaugnraun." 1t
is always mistake TO try and play three plays in
one. We congratulate the managers upon yne
real and remarkable merit OF the drama, ana our
theatre-going people upon . repreSen tatlOn
worthy or the best days OF the stage.