, 1876-07-16
Bret Harte's New Play to Be Pro-
ducea Tomorrow.
Stagnation Prevailing at the
Other Theatres.
Robert Buchanan's New Play OF
"Corinne" ".-.Green.Room
Gossip.
Creswold's Popular Concerts
NeWell's Surprise Party---
Musical Notes.
THE DRAMA.


IN CHICAGO.
THE CSloN SQUARE COMPANY At HooLEY's.
During the week just passed "Conscience, -
m American play, has been presented by the
Union Square Company. The drama merits
tender treatment Whatever its defects, 1t is a
start in the right direction. Few Americans
have been able to accomplish even this much
It will be safe, as rule, to accept rs righteous
the verdict of the audiences which assemble at
Hooley's. This verdict, so far as it has been
asccztained, is favorable to the play. The peo-
pie declare by their applause that. they arc
interested. The only remaining inquiry is,
sWhat kind Of interest do they feel !" The
same interest, We Judge, which an educated man
sometimes permits himself to take in q trashy
novel, The motive of the play is sensational,
the atmosphere which surrounds 1t is artificial,
The personages who move in it are common
place.
Tie motive is the same that was en-
ployed in s'Rose Michel" and "Ferreo];" and
we do not think it unkind to suggest that the
authors Of "Conscience rest under some
obligations to their French predecessors. The
situation Of an innocent man condemned to
death on the testimony Of the guilty person is
sufficiently inf1cquent in France; in this country
It is all but impossible. Notwithstanding tho
rnntrmnt which has been brought upon
the iury-srstcm in some quarters, we have
vet to hear of q person being condemned to
!,esth, in modern ti1ncs. on proofs of guilt no
mere ronri,,finr than those provided in IS Com
science" In the French plays similar incon-
f5n,,nle are MT f:1niliar with the methods Of
Justice which prevail in France. Another
ea,ra+;ona1 ,1n,ent of the American niece is the
tensri,unnt sest IN sn1nnamhnIism by bY which thu.
e7,rlItv nm, is ;lctecteI. The authors failed to
= bigher t1.eres of nrobability is reouircd iu
,tans ranresentations tl,sn in works If fic1ion.
The s]cen-walliug scene iu ssThe Moonstonc ~
ttrctchps the rredn]ify Of a healthy Imagination
to tle utmost limit; the abridt;ment Of it in
1ronsr;cnce -, is little less than aGsurd. There
,bm,1d he m fai1ur,. to notice. moreoyer. that
r. Co,1;ns REQUIRES less of {,is slecn-wa}ker
hon ~ outbors IT q f,onsc;ence,, do RI thcirs
The atmosphere of the play is artifcial-that
to saw, people do not act in it as they do in
:ea life. inadequate motives are assigned to
,ome OF tne most nhpottai's acLoMs ~. ".
.a,,harc,e estates| refuses tn efvs his danohter
n marriage to that nephew because the latter
las a passionate temper and IS extravagant This
contrary to experience anoleasoc. IL does NOT
oeeonls ., ~ a ~ao :. ~ "u,a
he nnrslitics. EcDaration for tie theft he has
committed is his first duty. His nephew and
daughter being deeply in love with each other,
no man N MS psit,on "Guio 70 sanctl9n
~ an =, +,e eir,nsv n,anner IN 1,;c1,
he characters are dragged about in order to as
list at tablcaux; VIC may nov add that they
srr wanted for STAGE PURPOSES, and the authors
lre mt always sraesefuf in their attempts Mt
,rnloininr b3w th, Situations have hecn hronoht
about. Il is possible to suppose, for instance.