New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-11
THE DRAMA.
BOOTHS THEATER.
MR.. BOUCICAULT's NEW PLAY.

night hot, but the house densely tull-1nd
the crowd Of spectators remained in eagerly Interested
attendance till the final fall OF the curtain. TIE
piece met with very kAd welcome; and this it de
served by it, freshness In the handling OF old maeras.
It's decacy and tact IN touching core subject. its
effective points or contact In the illustration Of painful
lOve-story, It's picturesque and animated grouping Of
persons and details. and ts clear cean-cut style or
such higher merits ss imaginative revelation Of char
acter, aud the Deep ardent, pervdsye glow
OF mnd that is spontaneously aroused aud
liberated BY contact with subject really loved shows
lte trace. IL is remarkably effective DRAMA full
OF popular elements and IL FITS the stage 10 hair Mr..
Boucicaut four times called out; Mr. Mccullough
and Miss X. Rogers Randolph warmly welcomed
aud twice recalled and there calls for Mr.
Mackdy The drama hal the advantage OF oxtraOrdl-
narily fine scenery and good music. The audience
IN great good humOr, aud the greatly
J0yed Mr. B0lcicaups capacity 10 construct telling
plays Is no longer on trial. The sole question To
" Belle Lamar" will itself with the manner
which he has this time used his oit-tred aud fertile
powers. 1t Is symmetrical, pure well written, snowy
drama; it is also IN respects the Of the
isan rather than the artist. 10 affecting ep
sode in the love experience OF a husband and wifi,
Temporarily parted in society but never IN heart.
by disagreement TO the call and duty OF patriotism
This is trying, but it Is tri;e The moral lesson
civil parts the dearest Of friends and l. always
an abhorrent calamity-is relied for sign f;aucs Of
dramatic and literary results. This also IS tritc aud
"Bee Lamar may thus be said TO concern the civil
war pretty much smoke concerns the chimney II has
left Mr. Boucicau deity finds IN thar soil place for
the thin roots OF his story but it Is to the foliage and
not the roots that he asks attention. That foliage Is
startling situation and distressing emotion. The play
has this demerin art-that it IL one tissue. almost
unmtgated, of heartrendng misery There l. too much
Dixie suit Union zeaots aud too much Unionisp to
suit Dixie deyOtees. The heroine Is
hateful part, because q spy; but 1t is the
oh in tIa nj lay "
Miss X Rogers Randolph 10 beautifully womaulike
spirit and with force An actor having OF John
McCuough's genius aud buG half his talent would ACT
Colonel B!gh In an effective manner Mr. McCu.lou2h's
personaton is powerful. brilliant tender aud fun Of
fine nuitiye touches but the part is not big enough
for the man. Mr. F. T. Warde showed decided talent. In
a difficult and omewhat thankless character We have
time only set down first impressions The topic
is OF that unusual importance which VIII warrant
a recurrence to the discussion OF 1t. Not one
element Of brilliant popular success WAS lacking. LAST
night TO the reopenng Booths Theater; ana Belle
Lamar"-whatever questions 1t may arouse. and what
ever stres of feeling and opinion it may cause-mnss
be recorded OF the best OF Mr. Bouecaulrs
works in that strong elaborate vein OF SNOWY popular
fabric, which is not his best yein though perhaps has
most successful one; and likewise as drama which.
because of the felicity OF its construction aud the pecu-
liary vital elements OF which it composed. will run
like wildre from end OF this country to the other
The following is a sketch Of the story
The opens at Mount Lamar, in the Shenandoah
joined the Rebel army, ana has fallen IN battle; his
daughter Isabel has sought refuge in tue camp 81 Stone
cupied By company OF Northern soldiers commanicd
Dy Captain hdrst0n Pike aud Is an advanced post OK
General Bakss Iorces whose headquarters Stras
burg. Young Marson is IN love wtn tho fair Rebel and
meets her at night on tne bank OF the river tnaL dyIes
Ills place from the lines Of the Coniederaes ISd0e uses
her Influence over him TO extract news OF me move
ments Union troops she has promised 70 become
his wife at the conclusion OF the war; anu accepts pass
from him with the intention OF leaving TIE SCUM ahI
seeking refuge the North She learns that mpJrant
dlspdtches are eNpecteu 20 arrSe lIol utI
and uses the pass TO enable Rebel officer TO accomp.
her to the spot wnere they can intercept the MESSENGER
Meanw nile. PhiitD B,ga celebrated Colonel ~ ctalry
arrives aC Mount Lamar t. superseie MdrSi1n - IN
schooellOws ana fellowstudens at West Point t"eJ
warmly attached to each other Wnle tLey re-
other their lives the able
is brought III tnat tue bearer OF tho expected
dispatches has been wayaid aud robbed but the spies
who prevented the bearer by means OF forged pass
have been pursued and nave been captured Ih!p 70
solves to make example Of these rebels and no
MdrSiOn letter 20 headquarters urging then
prompt execution. one OF them - woman, out ia
mercy is to be shown MarStOn il unaware that he is
writing the death warrant OF ISae until the proper pass
produced. then he recognizes his own handwriting
love, and reproaches Blgh with lnsensiOy aud stern
Then PhlIp turns upon hin aud tells hlin the his
tory of her life; now he had married southern iay OF
beauty and wealth, how she had tempted hun TO desert
his allegiance how he had resisted her, how she ned
south, where her family obtained divorce, as she
dsdaned to the name his deeds had rendered cele
horrned at the discovery, but at the moment
wild, tattered figure Is tumbled into the room
Spy In whom Philip recognizes his wife The second
act shows the result The order
eaet I5t mo- merey Should be eHehdea 10 the ca
prits He has not denounced Marston. so utterly AS
sured IL he by the position OF bis fugitive wife, whom
be still loves passi0nasey. During the session IF tho
affair aud is placed beside the prisoners. PhRip 10
wrought upon give Isabel safe conduct TO headquar-
| ters when her relation 20 him VIII plead Tor mltt
cation of her doom. she transfers the paper TO Mar.
on he escapes, and she remains IN his place Ia inc
third act, BIigh is driven By sudden advance OF th9
Confederates, under Jackson, intrencn his small
command In a strong position IN tne shenandoah Noun
ains. Here. hemmed H. he awaits the arrival OF ono
OF the Northern armies. three OF whch are adNaets
| under Mcdowell, Banks, and Fremont. The tendrlty
with which this post Is held VIII determining hs IL,
0neston of moments and days, as Jackson's guns VIII
be I'm position in hour when the devoted niue Oan1
Iii he swept TO destruction The Confederate General
orers 10 allow the women 10 yacate post. Bete refuses
10 leave Phillips side; aud then the haugnty anu VIII
whose affection she put to good proof United
i'm the Japanese manner and awaiting the Instant OF de
truction head of column oi Union troops 10 seen
bnIov a distant hedge They led by MdrStOn, who
has used his liberty TO resan the Northern INES lne
the men advance deplOylng and covering the scene
until every field mass OF soldlery Ihe artillery
sta6 ride forward directing the operations by whlch mo
Confederate force repealed, amid tue accamaton OF
the released party, headed W co., b"Jh
LYcEUM rHEArER.
This journal has already published June 23)
all the essential with reference 70 the plan OF tho
opening season at the Lyceum Theater II should Do
said though that Mr. Grau has not concluded arrange
mems with either Mr.. owens or Mrs. Bowers-as was
projected; Mr. and Mrs. Rousby, however VIII come TO
,h,s ,bea,er The other chief engagements-Mlle.
Aimees Troupe Miss Adelaide Nelson, Miss Emily
soldepe's Troupe Madam Rstor, etc, remain I'M
changed Mr.. Chizzoa has made some alterations In
the Iyceum which IL is thought Will make IL more COM
Portable. Four new proscenum boxes have been pus
m and the house painted. Mile. Aimees COM
on IN 1l--lu % "A