The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-13
AMUSEMEN TS.
THE COMEDY OF TWINS At wALLAcK's
THEATRE.

THE COMEDY OF TWINS" At wALLAcKs
THEATRE.
A crowded house welcomed the new American
comedy OF Twins by Mr.. A. c. Wheeler and Mr.. J
steele Mackaye, TO the American stage last night
The OF universal interest. and the audi
cnce brilliant and intelligent as
dramatst would wish. A man who writes
play is very much in the condition OF
who is tried for murder-he wants an
Intellectual jury II he is innocent and mercful one
he is guilty. Mr. Wheeler 10 whom we attri ute the
ictuai authorship Of this comedy-for we suppose Mr.
uackayes stage experience called into the service
sr Mr.. Wheccrs literary skili--had jury pos esscd
Of both generosity and sound Judgment II warmly
recognized the strength the comedy and was kindly
ind ulgcnt 20 It's weakness This feeling expressed
with unusual force the end OF the third act, whcn
after Mr. wallack, Mr. Holland, Miss Dyas and Mr..
Floyd had called before the curtain, the applause
continued for nearly Ave minutes, amid cries for
.whecier,, "wheeler,' delivered with stentorian
energy Such excitement this is not often
manifested in New York theatre, especially in Wal
lacks where the audience Is renowned for its gentity
The gas turned down and then turned mp by the
nan who plainly enemy OF Mr. Wheeler but
n vain. The orchestra. led by Mr. Thomas Baker
sho clearly conspirator Of the gas man. struck
ip air OF vcrds, with the malignan intention Of
Introducing all the trombones, but this was also un
Taling The applause OF the audience drowned the
orchestra, and the vanquished nddcrs and
irummers surrendered Tho house did not
want music, hut Wheeler Finally Mr. Lester WaIlack
rame before the curtain and announced that neither
Mr. Wheeler nor Mr.. Mackaye in the house, but
gracefully said that they had been they would have
been gratincd to have made their Acknowledgements,
&c, sc. Where were theys That question was the
Sphinxtic enigma to which the house played an unsuc
ressiul qdipus. We arc informed that when 'Shc
Stops to Conquer" brought out, Oliver Goldsmith
roamcd about the chalk pits at Fuham, fearful Of It's
fate, afraid to decided, and was finally found by
his friends state OF deep dcspondcncy expecting
10 hear OF It's failure Neither Mr. Wheeler nor his
collaboratcur need have had such apprehensions.
TWINS" received with enthusiastic applause aud
hearty laughter and 1t to be regretted That both OF
IL authors did not bow their Acknowledgements from =.
The boxes--not from the stage OF course. Tor On
author mover should be seen out OF his place nor
ihould he ever make a speech. His work Is expected
10 speak Tor him and hedeus en- mdchind-shouid per
nit the actors To tell his story and permit only brcf
glimpse OF his sacred person-just enough to assure
the spectators OF his existence. III Ir Wheeler aud
would have received the hearest applause ever given
to any authors IN New York theatre and We do not
except even Shakespeare or Boucicanlt.
The central idea OF tho comedy Is capital The
wins much resemble each other that the friends.
Tho wife and the daughter Of Chester Dclalcd accept
Mark Dclaicd IN his stead This IS an improbabiity
II the start; but IL we arc to leave mprobabty out
OF plays, what would become OF the dramag Allow
nnces must always be made for theatre oil necessities
The two Dromios not less improbable than
the two Dcahclds. But another improbablity-
psychological because founded on physical iactscAisls
IN the differences ofcharactcr One brother Chester
weak man that he cannot manage hs own household
aud almost permits his daughter wife ana himself
become the victims OF villain. Tho other brother
Aark, Is "a strong, iesolutc, practical man"
"hsnomanes snem ne rug nhonom.nnn
must be. But this kind OF criticism may
be easily dsn ed as irrelevant probable plot Is
generally tame. The dramatist, like Tho poet must
nave certain iccnsc and all that can be justly de-
handed Of Inn, .; that he shall not abuse the privilege
M IN nj int AIR hush hp oil 4
shat the emf jusnes tho means Is, with how much
truth we do know. attributed to the Jcsuts, and
every dramatst Is 10 this extent Jesuit The object
OF comedy Is fun and II would be uncratciu TO COM
PLAIN OF the methods by which 1t Is secured
But the treatment OF the idea OF this comedy OF |
''Twins'' is open To objection. Mr. Whcclcr's
hrs act Is weak The purpose of the first and second
display tho situation. But the plot IL not made
sufficiently pain and the audience Is too much mys-
be lei, in the dark Tor hs pleasure Is derived from
clear perception OF the Mistakes perplcyities and
blindness OF The pcrsonascs OF the play The author
must put him IN possession of the secret, This Dir.
Wheeler has not done. The pot IS not
easily understood The whole truth OF Richard
Wyldc's rascaty should be explained from The
beginning and in that case the audience would have
been spared mucn tedious explanation in the last act
Nor do We think that The interest OF the story IN tho
FIRST part OF the play iushcs two acts. Tor all that Is
needed be known might be told with more elect in
one. Tho authors bctray this radical weakness by
the fact that much OF the dialogue IN the
nrst Two acts docs not ht the action. but
wanders into irrelevant fun and depends for effect
lireiy upon ccvcrness. The nrst really spon
laneous burst OF applause that any situation received
was at end of he second act where Chester tais
81 pieces and throws the floor the paper
which would lose the fortune of his daughter
harry. Here Mr.. waaca made great HIT. The real
The play does not begin MI the third act
All the rest IS prologue the background o. picture
thc neutral ,nls required 10 make contrast with
posi,ivc colors Hut two acts ought not 10 DO
surrendered to such purpose and Tor this reason
think that the comedy would be stronger than u y "
" were written IN three acts only. Mark IL the aian
tor whom the spectators truly care. He is the hero
aud he l. kept Too long out of the story
The play was splendldly mounted. The first scene,
by fr. Matt Morgan, view 81 the sound with cot
age IN the foreground ana ong Island In the distance
warmly received that the artist had to appear
before the curtain The rest OF the scenery was also
really admired To TIE acting tho same praise
;aGnoi be given. Mr.. Wallack, who played
10th Chester and Mark, admirable and IN the
ntcr character especially Hts interview with
Nylde the third act powerful contrast with the
chcness OF character expressed In the preceding parts
<pi the play, and his concdycoo ronic aud at times
inli OF grim rassion-wss delightful Miss Enlc GER
anistc way ~ which she uttered tho simple
phrase. 80 Lord" In the last act in
Iensey amused the audience. Mr. Holland
Wolfe, repeated the success he made Digpory in
Shc Stoops TO Conquer" aud gave ono OF the fuest
presentations Of the evening. Mr.. stevenson was
ais" very acceptable though we canno. say
Tor him, 20 nay = though was
pieaslnay sung Mr. GiIber, did the best with part
u dsappointment, and we have never seen tins
com plisned display little force
Make er.n ns .v her
rest of the performance was even; but
first night. !, IT," would be unjust to s,,emp. to
then determine the value of the acting. We only
congratulate the authors the which attended
shc first representation OF TWINS, and hope that 10
all have the long run II deserves
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES
Mile Rcucco was az the Park Theatre last night and