New-York tribune., 1876-10-04
THE .DRAMA-MUSIO

"FORBlDDEN FROlI" Al NAhhACh"'
II significant sign, If not OF these theatrl-
s times at least OF wise and practcai manager JuS
, op tem that Mr. Wallsck has chosen to begin the
season at his theater-whch is the leading tnoa-
co. IN this country-with an indehcatc ana
rival farce. Observers Of dramatic experience
knew before that the stage IN TINS epoch
has been depressed TO deplorabie Ittieness ny 'Ho
oionary and reactionary influence OF vulgar semi
g., ta.t4 and vulgar spirit OF cOTnerot speculation
ht.b taken together constitute the American vice OF
ortnoss. but the dire knowledge comes home 10 the
mind somewhat sharply accented, when 1t IS gwen from
Waack's Theater
Tbo new season was opened therc last night, aud a
niece called Forbidden Fruit" was represented ana
tis piece was found to be fresh adaptation TOh 'ho
French original OF play called in English The Great
Dvorce Case" which just running over the siGe
a an attack of measles The forbidden fruit denoted
in the title debauchery and the spectacle presented III
the work-and in this instance, offered before an auo
ence largely composed of the best nuTtured ana most
refined youth, Of both sexes IN this netropOhS-s meu
lev OF incidents in the ethereazcd pOth0nse lie Oh per
sons who are either really pretendcdS proiiiSate'
Two men. who are married (sUch is the ploD deter
nina IN co ON a spree with certain doubtful women
Their wives in and are, in one way ana announcer
deceived and extruded The spree begins in divers mis-
chances and cOncatenaons progresses through huher
os situations and incidents partly comical aud partly
inape: and eliminates in foggy kind OF explanation OF
the cross-purposes and cheap moral tag The types
are distorted and the incidents are GToteSque
In every essential the thing is farce-and TINS Iac
perhaps Is defense well as Its arralSheh IhosH
the moral lesson is ofered-and rather ostentanousy
tbe speotator knows very well that the play was h'e
for its snort and for nothing else and sport is bamees
and always welcOlne Only in presence Of the suects
that Forbidden Fruit either treats suggests when
tbe momcptary laugh has past, tho mind Is lett luu
of a residuum Of low associations Not merely is the
niece so fral that to anayze II would De ike sNahiue
feathers ON northeastern but is almost as tainted ~
close taproom in the early morning, through all It's
interior spirit. ,-
This Of course sounds harsh and ilberal; ard 1t Is
TO say that worse topics have been treated in worse
payswhch have almost unquestoncd possession OF the
stage aud that this piece Is only DIT OF lun
which should have the license OF the JESTER
But in TRUTH conditions in which we meet the
hidden Fruit" leave alternative OF Judgment II Is
coarse in theme and low in grade is better fitted TO
an audience Of old sports than Of refined people, 1t is
utterly out Of place Mr. Waiacks stage; ana the
production Of IT, this place and me lowers the Dlsh
standard Of that theater and trails IN the dust lh
lee TASTE principle, feeling the dignity OF letters ana
art and the sanctity of human feelings have clear
rights which, here least it has been customary to
axat Mirth may have its time We would never dream
Of restricting it but IL impossible 10 view with COM
osure the ruthless sacrifice of all dramatic sodity ana
presige to the assumed requirements Of the most
frivolous spirit Of the age.
That Forbidden Fruit was wen lhOunted anu moH
acted will be assumed, and with entire right. The
nerormance except in part OF act secOnd and at the
cose-when the ten thousand times hackneyed incident OF
the brother came TO explain the muddle-went with
rattling vim and Mr. Montague Mr.. Beckett Miss Efie
Germon Miss Dyas, Mr.. Arnott and Mrs. Ponsi lndi-
Gated character with truth and employed esprit with
delightful precision and point The sauciness OF Miss
Cermons Zulu was, In particular, most charm
ingly p0uant in an artisticaly way; while Miss
Dyas simulated the pleading sweetness of grlh0od with
a bewtchnig appearance and with tones that broke
from artless purrng to decp-yoccd feeng-in manner
admirably artistic and quite indescrbable Mr. Monta-
que had however 70 carry the weight Of the farce and
he did this with unnaggng spirit and variety
creating and maintaining an Illusion ana
filing it with an agreeable personality. Mr
Becketts solemn face and gleefm mischief
did much for the effect With reference to the execution
Of the piece it ought TO said that the mechanism is ex-
eeent Nothing is wasted, and the style is frm sharp
condensed and occasionally speed with telling lines
like trufes PIE In all respects the work, viewed as
dramatic and literary art greatly excels Life which
was drawn in part from the French source. The
audience which was very numerous, accepted 1t with
peals Of laughter. We do not doubt that 1t VIII
abundantly succeed have little doubt that u
richly deserves TO faas indeed all such trash does,
which and more confirms thinking observers OF the
stage in hard, unloyely distrust OF its Importance
and its future