New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-14
ARTS.
THE DRAMA.

by producing the comedy OF loves Labor Lost" He
has at previous times brought forward here twelfth
Night" AS You Like It," Much Ado About Notbhs
and The Merry Wives OF Windsor" The latter piece
tastefully set and ably acted-Mr Charles F1sher
appearing Fdisa6and its success. in point Of art
brilliant and credtabIe. Mr.. Days REVEALS OF
Shakespeare, in general however, have seemed to be
undertaken and pursued in nonchaant spirit; so that
sometimes on beholdng him yoss Shakespearean com
edy TO the public, have been led to think OF the
Grand Turk tossing his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Is
very noble and impressive spectacle. Sheridan It Is
said used 10 get Shakespeare very much in this same
fashion Drury Lane when the business was bad and
when the next novelty either not found or not
ready. Thus there is glowing precedent for the use
OF the Divine Williams as stopper for gap We do not
mean ungenerousy TO charge Mr.. Daily with intentional
belittng Of serious matters: the work OF lying and
snaring about the motives and affairs OF others is per
formed elsewhere and by creatures who fpd IL congo
NAL and who probably useful. in the mysterious
economy OF Nature just buzZards and aekas are or
the wrigglng insects under rotten board but we ven
ture 70 think that perhaps neither his mind his
equal to the importance OF the undertaking.
when these exercised upon Shakespeare.
Devotion TO "Frou-Frou" and "Folline," snd
other such stua-the Puff Paste and Washing
ton Pie Of the drama-oortsiny docs not o.
either manager players for tho real business OF the
dramatic profession. We not unwilling TO believe
though that Mr. Days intention Is worthy and credit
able and that his projected revival OF Loves Labor
Lost is really something more than kind OF N b.,
and preliminary to the introduction of his newest Gallo
scent-botte, the "Monsieur Aphonse" Of Alexandra
Dumas. Tho Shakespearean comedy, it Is announced,
will be offered Saturday evening, Fob a. The chief
need for good stage Interpretation Of it, upon the part
Of the actors Is genuine relish for simplicity, under
lying skful faculty for the OF arthce for, though
the characters arc most OF them use pretenses'
The gentle and dreamy Spirit of the piece and the pecu-
ha I'D a1
exactng than the substance eccentricy Of the
characters. Only few persons 10 Mr.. Days theatrical
company are equal 10 playing well IN Shakespeare but
IT IS TO be considered that most Of the old actors
gone, and that effort train the recruits in the
old fashions is wise aud aspoOus. All true friends Of
the stage should try make this enterprise Of Mr.
Days practical aud substantial sucoess.Tho neatly
constructed, snowy speoious and nasty play OF Fol-
line viii be acted at the Fifth Avenue Theater nine
additional times. When withdrawn 1t will have had
twenty-seyen performances 1t ought never TO have
had one; and we believe that the time is fast coming
when Mr. Daily. and similar theatrical managers, will
find It advantageous TO turn the GOLD shoulder upon oil
such fantastic mosses and strange flies" Of France
GRAND OPERA HOUSE-A ROUND or PLEASURE.
Under the name of A Round Uf PIoaouro,n
Mr. DAILY has presented, at the Grand opera House.
variety entertainment OF more than ordinary merit.
This aggregation OF Amusement was brst offered on
Monday evening and 1t received with Jealous and
genuine applause by company OF spectators that about
half filed the thester. variety performance, in gene
raj, Is matter OF routine and as turbulent and monot-
onous as procession OF carts through narrow street
In this one on the contrary. there features OF
unique and delicate merit that 1t addressed and sat
isfed and taste well as the commonplace relish
for mirth. The old farce Of The 5pitfre."-played
under the OF Jack Hathaway at Sea-" and des-
cribed Fox Speciality its opening act Mr.
Fox has before been the part OF Tobias Shortcut
md uChi isu clio
than with other low comedians his ludcrous per
soDatOp OF il has often evoked the responsive laughter
OF the public and deepened the popular liking with
which he is regarded. Mr Fox acts farce In the old
fashioned rough way He is dry and dro but he Ia often
unduly e1travagant. and he always full of pranks
and conscious OF the fun that he promotes. Tbs
is not the with him in pantomme but is precisely
the with him In Tobias Shortcut ought 10 be
played in dead earnest and without the least betrayal
the part OF the actor that he is aware OF the absurd
y Of either the character the Incidents So acted tits
iresstiby humorous, and such personation woudtake
rank instantly among works Of dramatic art The Tobias
Shortcut Of Mr. Fox funny 1t is falls short Of this
cess and herein is not the example that 1t ought to be
the younger group Of players Personal droery and
mischeyous antics the substance and the charm OF
-aud that "a ALL The quaint sagacity, the droll per-
plexy and delicate shades OF character mental
condition together with the fine and neat points in the
text-whch written with remarkable sparke-are lost
under this selfcOnscious bufOoDery and foolng
Still, MI Foxs performance broadly comic and, II
not good IL might be- is nevertheless good In the
pantomiIne, however he all himself, and he was
delightful This last and proved to be one OF Mr.
Foxs old pieces renamed for the occasion OF this
vlval 1t depicts the prsnks OF mschievous boy at
SCHOOL and Mr. Fox presents that mischievous
boy. In pantomime this artist IA sponta-
neous humorst. The flow Of his droll deyiltry
is inexhaushble and 1t Is bright the water OF
woodland spring In sunny April weather. His transi
lions from gleefu roguery to niantile Innocence, from
delighted Impisb waggeIy wonder unconscious
simplicity, or vIrtuOus Indignation are as rapid as
thought and they are droll beyond description These
are the fruits as we'll the signs Of the truly humorous
dramatic nature. Cultivation will not supply their
source. 1t is Unborn cOmcay OF temperament and ma.
tive power OF dramatic expression. Mr.. Fox animated
his p8ntomime with merry ardOr and Kept his auditors
in gale Of sefforgetting laughterand to do this to
confer great blessing. Between the opening farce and
the closing pantomime there nine variety acts in
Producing the Wilson Brothers, Mile. Betty Rigi, Mile.
Emily Rgl, the Martens Family, Mr.. j. W. McAndrews,
Mr II. Stanwood King Sarbro, and Mr.. j. Morris. In
the ballet aotthough the persons OF the young ladies
were by no means shr0uded in mystery--some OF the
nrettest and best conraed costumes that taste could
devise afforded to the ewes feast Of color The Rgl
sisters have WELL Their freshness is dimmed but
they dance better than King Sarbro is Jap and
with the telegraph IN .being the marvel
OF the age" The King walked calmly up thin rope
stretched from the stage 10 the topmost gallery
protecting his royal head with an open umbrella
and cooling his august face with the zephyr OF the
gentle fan-and then he slid suddenly backward TO the
footlights distributing cold chill OF horror and
bright smile Of encouragement and went away Veto
rous Mr.. j. Morris, who is another novelty made
seven changes OF dress without leaving the stage ana
was variously suggestive OF Howard Paul, W. d. Lh-
gard and that rider who used to present the PckwcK
characters on horseback Mr.. Lent's vanished and
much-re GREETED circus. In Mr. McAndrews we recog'