, 1876-09-03
The Death Of Jirah D. Cole Jr.--
An Old Chicago Musician.
A Card from Jerome Hopkins-.-
Rehearsal Of the Apollo
Club.
Musical Notes in Europe and
America---The
Thomas.
THE DRAMA.


TIE FAThlQ1lC OAAAAs
Mr.. Charles W. Barry presented at McVick-
er's Theatre list week a frighttul mass OF trash
He called it play-"The Spy" We were una-
bic to discover in it any OF the merits which
usually belong to and distinguish that order OF
composition, and, in the absence OF them, must
decline to admit that it is entitled to the name
s'Thc Spy" may, however, serve purpose, II
by courtesy it be allowed to stand as repre-
sentative of the modern patriotic drama We
can then determine approximately how bad
thing the modern patriotic drains is. It is so
bad. in fact, that wise men avid and hate it.
Centennial dramas hold about the same position
In art that Centennial ncckties or Centennial
harakerrhiefs do in fashionable attjre-to pa
trouixe them is esteemed vulgar. Patriotism
seems TO the unthinkng mind too holy thing
to be played 1t on the stage. Sym
pathy with the patriotic sentiments OF
the stage is adjudged BY tue
salne class childish or insincere. This general
ixation is incorrect. Love Of country Is no boiler
\ sentiment than love of'kind, which is made
the motive Ut dramas without number. Pa
triotism, instead Of being excluded from the
field Of the playwright's efforts, is one OF the
few emotions that he can legitimately. employ
on I'LL occasions. The trouble with the patriotic
drama lies not in the naturc OF things, but III
the fcepleness Of the writer's who have at
tempted it, Some of Boucicault's PLAYS, which
are the embodiment Of Irish natiunalism, are
not open to censurc on that score. One Of
SAakspearc's historical dramas VAS In his time,
patriotic. Homes *'Douglas,"'if it did not
perfectly represent national sentiment, at least
revivihed aud strengthened it in the peculiar
% Ton of the rnaster1lramatists to
national topics has BEEN that the
choi,c IF them involved an abr:dgment Of op-
portun;t:es without compromising gain in i'll
tens.ty Of motive The appeal to national teet-
ing Is obviously much narrower and lower III It's
ain tl!an tlMt to Ilu1nau fixture in general.
Hence the wr1tin. Of national d:anas hiss been
held TO imply d voluntary and unnecessary 2o-
nctgation vi sympathetic aids from without,
w44.c Iiioet dri.at sis are luta to part with. It
il not vuig*rization, but simple division oI
interest 1n.ur day, loo, Srlistalie as been n.ade
b: 1ie Centennial pslywziyi.as in tic introduc-
t:ou OF h=roit historical characters upon tie
st4Sc- The result VI col:lii!.n treatment is !
v..i-.r:z@t.on Vi pcrsonages, 1t not Of sentiment
uco.se Washington nas 10 business in
Ii. 1,.odcrn drama lie is NOW an
i:..:.:l character iii the .raaginations Of
no.t .anie1ic=Es, and any embodiment ol
hi l:s'o:e qualities must ot necessity appear
p.:::l ...t. II. an- In the oi Mr. Barry'S
ct,.sa ';c,i=Aiioa Washington becomes 1olelnn
,u l;n :c:o,is ,,rig. L Tho reai character we're
E;tn as Nr. Barry poitra:s, tie spectator re-
i;chs. It IS . guod Thing that the Father Of his
Corn;Tl; Ii dead, else lie would have lived to
ki:vw Low sharper than scrptpt's tooth it is to
have Z tlankicss .lli!d. Rather than owe cur
1Ler:; t, .ir. BarTy's Washington We would die
slaves. Tie iault Is not with the patriotic
drama, but with Mr.. Barry, that = The Spy" is
50 lad play; the most t.aat the nature vi the
w.'rk Tan do is to limit, not to impede, the de-
,>:o;,n.e.Io vi genuine dralnat:c inspiration.
I.ie performances at Ai:Vicker's Theatre last
"sss art wortn considering from other stand
...i.ts Thry showed the disposition Of the
management to be liberal in the mount
il,t vi pays. There is No theatre out
siie of NV York, Boston, md Philadelphia
w$h presents trash in such n supertre manner
L. McNitkcr's. Ii trash is to be done 1T all,
there Is every reilson why it should be done
we'll, aud We are grateful to Mr.. AcVicker for
lis e;fu'1s III connection witt The Spy" We're
it nut tor THE taiieau and the beautiful scenery
with which the action is adorned, the perform
al.rcs would lie irrctlce,nah!y dull. One look at
Lite revolving sccnc cotnpens:tcs for the weary
Journey through the wilderness ofstupid jokes
aud pla;iludes Which constitute the first two
ncis. The tableau Of Washington crossing the
Delaware aii,ust makes one forget that hash
iayton has just been delivering himself Of nasal
slEg-soug ln q minor key. the mimic naval
.uli,hat-,nilk for babes though it be-atoncs
in which he urges that he should not be
hanged because both siocs employed spies. By
the way, wc advise people. who attend per-
furulanccs of ''The Spy this week Ito: the
play is ta te con;iuurd) TO notice how truly
usiliue Ilarey Eirch is made to appear in the
speech just referred tu. Hc is shown as pitt
full coward and s1leak, without reasoning facul-
Tics sulli.lct to inform him that there is diff
ference between catching aud bcing caught
Yet the audience applaud hitta, because they are
beautiful mounting OF THE SPY at Mt
tivk,:r's Theatre, it will be- observed, is not
gliding refined guld or printing the lily; it is
E11diu; oruide and painting the cabbage.
THE NEW COMPANY.
The acting in 1.-The Spy'' is much better than
It deserves, and yet not So good as it might be-
From careful observation Of the work that the
new company has done, We aprrehcnd that it
will not prove to be what the people OF Chicago
Aave been hoping for. There tan BE- no OUTS
tion, Vi course, that the company as whole is
au improvement upon the one Of last year; no
company, rs whole, could very we'll be worse.
But there is not in the organization that even
hess of merit which alone can avail to make
most Of its Theatrical performances enjoyable.
1fr. Thorne has sumo talent in light comedy,
and will not probably be tiisagreeable in melo-
drama or tragedy. Miss Tracy also promises
we'll, though Us yet SHE has achieved little, and
h .uaY be that she will disappoint in tragedy.
Mr.. Rowe aud Mr.. Hc.to are valuable aoqul-
Eitious. But VIZ hare examined in vain
the aeting Of Mr.. Lee, the juvenile
t1.au, Aud Mrs. Baker, second old woman,
il orier to discover some Indications Of
= style that will attract and please
pleasure il afforded, it xill br surprise and u
delight The rank and file Of the company is
possibly inferior to that of last year, although
lite leaders are superior. AS usual, there is no