New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-20
THE DRAMA,
FIFTH AVENUE THEATER--M. ALPHONsE.


On Tuesday, the 14th of April, NJ Dumas's
play OF IN. Aphonse," translated from the French
and adapted TO the American stage, was brought out az
the Fifth Avenue Theater and acted TO a crowd thas
1t with interest and stamped IL with appreciation.
Other crowds have and appauded IT, on subsequent
evenings and has, apparently entered on prosperous
The fact may be deplorabe but all tho same is
fact This piece is forcefu In three particulars 10
speciously befogs the moral sense, as TO an i'm
portant and delicate question:: IL adroity appeals
TO the emotions; and 1t contains an element OF
farce that deity addresses the OF comic humor
These obviously. are potent attributes. When 1t Is
added that, both in construction and composition, the
piece is singulary compact; that 1t combines we'll
drawn aud wecoutrasted sketches Of characters that
its action passes within day, and Is circumscribed
within one scene; that it travels lightly caparsoned-
carrying through three short acts the burden OF only
nine persons and plot and that on the stage OF tho
Fifth Avenue Theater, It Is beautifully mounted and
we'll performed, the sum Of its merits, not fully de-
tailed least fully suggested The sum OF its char
acer worth and influence cannot be limited so exactly IL
just weak bad tainted sentimental and clever enough
to please the admirers of the "Frou-Frou' style OF
dramatic literature; and with that class accordingly it
will have aiconsiderable vogue: but there seems no
for doubt that tits such play as ought never to
be produced in theater claiming TO be decent aud
spectacle. NJ Dumas IL is said, wrote the piece for the
purpose Of illustrating and satirizng certain peculiau
dren In France accordingly, and when shown as Its
author made II, an. Alphonse' may have possessed
useful significance and practical value. In America
Oh the contrary where such law prevails it have
no such meaning and no such point Its application
here found ALL must be to the moral conviction OF
individuals and the practice of society 1t cannot be
justified on the plea Of reform in local jurisprudence
for such reform is not required 1t cannot be justified
Oh the plea Of great inherent dramatic powerfor it's
,oha A rio ia
by no means so extraordinary TO coverand atone for
its inherent unceanness. Either, then, 10 must DO
held to announce a moral and Justify a usage, or IL
remains the obnoxious dramatic picture OF a re-
pusye intrigue. The alternative its pretense:
the other its reality Few Of even the reekng masses
OF morbid anatomy that have been fetched here from
the corrupted Paris stage entirely useless.
purposeess indicate vicious and generally cussed as
monsieur Aphonse" 1t has. OF the process
OF filtration into English undergone partial readust-
ment OF the relations OF its characters; and.
through this means, IL has been deodorized AZ
the expense of sincerity and meaning. In tho
French original its heroine Is woman who
has been seduced aud abandoned by villain.
andwho subsequently permits herself TO insult swInde
and grossly outrage good and estimable man-gnorans
OF her history, and OF the fact that she Is already
mother-by becoming his wife, In the American adspta-
on-said to be augmented by Mr.. DAILY this heroine
is woman who has borne child In what she believes
10 lawful wedloek who cannot therefore, Dc said t
have committed sin incurred disgrace; ana whose
later marriage, after deseron and after discovery OF
the truth wolves the venal ofense OF aho
absurdy concealing misfortune In ooh plays tneresS
of painful situations ana
alternately feryd and volatile dialogue. In both, tho
heroues child is after lapse OF years, brought TO her
new home by its father. and in both the herones hus
band discovering little incident of antemarlmoniai
maternity forgiyes tho wife, adopts the daughter and
dismisses NJ Alphonse " the punishment OF Heaven.
There need be no hesancy OF Judgment upon I'll '"~'
on the score paying respect TO those nice Distinctions
OF right and wrong which made by the splitting OF
hairs as TO moral significance and drift The meaning
OF this play-if 1t means auythng-ts that an errinS
woman, guilty Of tho sin OF unchsstiv' VINO
doceiyes trusting gentleman aud becomes ms whe.
Ia iust IL " DO his wife ~ she had mover srss