, 1874-06-14
H Is Opinion of Luck and French
Pieces.

Same spirit the reporter called upon AIR. Ua1,
He had seen the brilliant performances of tt
Fifth Avenue Company during the past week
Hoo1eys Theatre, and he wanted to know no
such perfection in dramatic representation wa
Dbtained. He thought that tho crowds OF de
lighted play-goers who had attended the admir-
able performances Of "Aan aud Wife," Of ''D
eorce," and Of London Assur auce, which hav
made the evenings gay at Hooley's since tn
advent OF the Fifth Avenue Company, last Mon
day, might also fool interested in hearing some
Thing Of the theories aud practices OF Mr.. DAILY,
End OF the labors and the successes OF his famou:
company of comedians.
OF course he began his intend ed attack upo
The secrets OF modern comedy anu contempora
aeous SUCCESS By an insidious inlur into
TIE EFFECT CHICAGO HAD MADE
1pon AIr. Daily aud his company,
ttWe1l," WIS his reply, if the ChicagoitcH
become half as enthusiastic about us as I ant
my company are already about Chicago and al
HAT we have seen and heard here, Mr.. Hooley
Rill hare to enlarge his theatre. I never heart
snch thunder and"
Evidently the recent thunder storms had pro-
1nced their proper impressions upon the party
Mr. DalSs enthuEiasm almost as loud the
thunder last Monday night. and this token OF ap-
prcciat1on from q manager who had made SC
much noise in his Own way wasnot to 90 sneered
It.
THEORY or DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION.
'Talking of thunder etorms, Mr. Daily" re-
rponded the reporter, what is your theory Of
dramatic representation
The question seemed to be poser for the
author of divorce" and his response WAS far
from satisfactory.
81 From my earlfest remembrance" he said,
after pause, "figures have always puzzled mo.
Arithmetic had no charms, and algebra was
>itY1.} aSy% r,1a
division"
The query was modified, and augmented with
tho following proposition: "Wnat, in your
opinion, Is
Mr.. D.-1f you mean by the highest" which
Is the most perfect form OF dramatic represents
tion, should say that which is to be found most
common upon the French stage. or in those:thea-
tres modelled upon the French plan,-a plan
which requires no such thing lead part in
any play, and no such excresence as q star
chnracter,-a p1au that requires everything to be
In harmony upon the scene, and judges it no
moro strange to ask leading artist to undertake
a small character in drama than it does to
order = CREST eoeno-painter to turn his brush
once. in whi1o upon tho production Of q
hovel. "a plan that exacts the like for
the like-rogs for the beggar's role and
eatins for the lord and in the land OF its pefec-
tion is accused OF forgetting art because it
reproduces the finery and furneows Of society
upon the scene in representing modern life.
Roporer-I suppose you mean By this sly
dig at those c1ttics who have called ycur theatre
the School for Mllliners, and -FOUR plays the mll-
Gnery drama
1lr: D.-Not ut all. knew what bad to ex-
pcct when inaugurated my first season at the
1ttle Fifth Avenue Theatre. in which intended
to give that magr1fcenco OF scenery and coetly
correctness OF dressing and stage garniture, to
fha modern OF contemporaneous drama, aud
also TO old comedy. which, until came into
tha ali bod rY,trh haoY 1ouiu u{.a1 hail ~
spectacle, and occasional melodrama. OF
course, the old WAY OF producing these plays was
much cheaper than mine. and the old managers
did not like the innovation. The Same set OF
cheap furniture had hitherto done service sea-
son after season, and cheap Brussels or three
PR carpet was an extravaganza upon which few
had ever ventured.
TEE FIRST "nEA1 CARPET"
which VAS placed upon the American stage WAS
introduced at the old Park Theatre in New York
thirty years ago, when London Assurance"
was first nctcd IN this country. and old Simpson
insisted upon special line on the bills, and c1-
noted particular notice OF it from all the writer's
of his day. Why, the Havmarket Theatre, the
house Of legitimate comedy in London, never
had green baizo until Charles Keans royiya1s
there, about the same time.
The old-fashioned way OF producing plays WAS
quite rs cheap, fancy, As the new-fashoned
way, in most theatres. OF engaging COM
panes, by which Il solitary actor
or actress is engaged: for special
Nue VI Du6uE6S, AllU LucTclOTe the 1eaQ1OE lAQV
expects to play every heroine that offers in each
play, whether the role be that OF girl OF II or
mother OF 40. whether it be Lady Macbeth OF
FTou-FTou and tho leading man is cast for Ar
Indnd OR Master Walter. Ms plan has been diff
1erent- I have always had several leading men,
and at least three ladies to whom I could cast
leading part. Thus the phyeical ideality Of each
character has been realized upon my stage, |
while lta dramatic e1actions have been perfectly |
complied with.
R.-Do Won trust altogether to
THE EXCELLENCE YOUR COMPANY !
to sustain public interest? '0 /
Mr.. D.-By no means. Although the reputar |
tlon OF the Fifth Avenue artists, and of the the
asre itself has boen gained BY one circumstance,
they make each performance equal to the best !
they ever give. The spirit Of emulation inspires |
each individual to do his or her best,-etill, |
without constant succession Of attractive plays
40 single artist and no combination OF artists.
nor even combination Of stars, could retain |
public attention and interest to q profltable ex-
tent for my heightened period. "The play the
plays the thing as Harnlet said. And Ho;nlet
Eas tho best critic Of Ills ti1no.
HOW LONG?
R-How long will q good piece run-playod
Mr.. Diet me give YOU few extracts from
post seasons, md judge for youreelf divorce"
wae played by the Fifth Avenue Company 28s
ti.nes: Saratoga y was played 10 times, Man
100 times, "Charity" 50 nights, s.Alphonse"
the y same: while "Iweifth Night" ran Is nights,
" Merry Wives Of Windsor" q. "Love's Labor
Lost II, School for Scandal" 9 times, aud SO
on. II cost mo always moro money 10 produce
the shassrearean aud legitimate plays, and yet
yGu sec popular fancy soon tired Of them.
Chicago may reverse these experienced
At Al essntst must confess the audience that
witnessed !" London Assurance" this week pas
the largest, and finest, and most discriminating
m Of the week, although those which attended
the performances Of "Mnn aud Wife vare
mort app.eclatiyc.
rT%nFR
R.-You must look upon your oompauy AZ il
they we're your own fsmily-the organization
has been so long together.
Mr.. D.-Thoy regard themselves e. quite an
institution.
n.-How did you fret perfect your company
lfr. D.-Nllen I opened tho Fifth Avenue
Theatre in New York, five years ago, nearly ey-
cry artist nov in the company commenced with
me, and they have BEEN go to speak in training
together ever since.
R.-Thc performance of such company must
be far better than ordinary combinations
Mr.. D-Just nH 4 hoAt's crew trained fnr a