New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-30
THE DIANA.
OUR BOARDING HOUSE.


presented last night in the Park Theater,
whore 1t was and enjoyed by many persona The
house, indeed, densey crowded This new piece
is ephemera In character IL will live like the butterfly,
while 1t lives at all; but like that opaescent insect, it
Will exert power to please the desultory eye and
the wandering fancy The subject not of that solemn
and ponderous Importance which ncites the mind to
elaborate reasoning and extended consideration. Ian
guage accordingly may be used. in this instance with
strict economy.
Mr.. Growers piece technically defined, ia a drama
saturated with carcature. 1t not, any point
in particular become comedy Manners, to be sure,
implicated in its plot hut they not the manners
OF represen tave cassesand, If they they
treated in that vein Of delicate exaggeraOn and
airy equvoaue which are the true and lawful methods
OF comedy. Mr. Grover has, in fact drawn upon the
of his observation rather than his art The
persons presented in "Our Boarding House"
mostly mdcrous individuals copied nearly
possible from actual hfc-and we suppose 1t 10
almost alphabetical trusm that the actual not
the artistic, any than the Petal of flower is its
fragrance 1t goes without saying that the of mate
rial not the material itself is the sign that denotes
If such thing is to denoted athe hand Of the
artist. Mr.. Grover has Cievery constructed useful,
cheerful and effective play but it would be folly 10 call
it of a high order, say that it manfess the
intelligent intention to employ the higher machinery OF
dramatic literature. "Our Boarding House" fits the
stage; is essentially acting piece affords Opporu-
mites TO the players; contains merry incident; de-
serves success-and think it will get what
it deserves; but it will not get Itself bound
up with 1.-The Rivals" "Caste," or
The Favorite of Fortune" Married Life" It'll
very good as photography spiced win prac-
ticabe foolng and competent theatrical construction
There its virtue takes rest-and there we should sup
pose that, this world s rest would be entirely
compliment Everybody cannot be sheridan. Somebody
left read hm-if only that he may be properly
abused.
The four acts OF Our Boarding House," "a have
minated are mostly devoted volatile and merry
ali>m. This reached by the introduction OF
several highy-accented specimens OF western
coarseness and ebullience, and by their en-
forced antagonlsm. One OF these is blatant
ass who thinks he has invented hyng-machinc. An
other inflated braggart who dabbes in gram specu
laton third is loud idiot with patent medicine.
fourth is voluble shr garulous servant girl OF the
period. A fifth is a vapid and hee-hawing dandy A
sixth lOquaciOus old female who taxes comic liberties
with the mOtheI-tOngue COmmineled with these are
quieter individuals dark drab. Only few OF the per
sons thus introduced directly connected with the
story OF the piece. with urging tie action that
makes the story known They circulate around tie
scene because the ia the clearinghouse in
which hey live That clearinghouse contains the
heart of mystery but the spectator finds 1t
more enjoyable by of it, queer tenants than be-
cause of Its The serious story could be
II
case Caesar would be turned 10 hear"
Mr. Grover has shown practical Judgment and skill in
thisthat he Las kept the sOmber color for background
and made the current Of painful experience to flow
through his piece, underneath commonp!accs and evty
and noisy foic like narrow dark brook that burrows
almost unseen beneath the scdgcs. His serious story
il OF woman who has been made the
victim of a mock marriage The husband is dead. The
husbands brother who acted clcrgymin-in what is
felt "a motveless and needless rascay-still lives The
young widow with her little daughter. comes to the
Chicago clearinghouse. The viianous Italian also ar
rves AL the men the place become enamOred OF the
widow. One OF them-a model youth, and wealthy
wins her heart The course Of love il made tempo
rarily rugged by the preferred su0rs mother who, in
amusing Of cross purposes receives the WIDOWS
explanation OF her circumstances and conveys III turn
the ddndy's proposition of marriage, which the widow
accepts "a that of tho fine and old ladys SON.
The course Of true is further perpcxed by the
Italian boaer who vainy tries to bend the heroine
To his will and then exposes her secret Finally justin
cation ana happiness brought by New-fork
detective the Italian is conveyed away to
prison; and the bOarders Left to unrlfied
matrmony and "muton-hash." This dark tale, we say,
though long kept tanai2ing cOncealment, and uu-
rolled at Last with good efectW hch is IN sad
well Ga comic situaOns-would scarcely allure. but for
the vivacious caIicature and hilarious realism Win
which it is surrounded and embellished
These hight elements arc. In fact. the piece Answers
N
these-amuse. in act first. heavy gentleman who
wishes TO 6rt with girl IL humOrOusly brought to grief
in act second There epsOdical pasSagr, touching
damondrng, which is notably bright pGngeni satlrl'ai
and dramatic. And then follows COME encounter he
tween the two reverbcTant Americans whom Nil Grover
has kindly added dramatic pan,hcon-tha! noble
storehOuse Of representative types in trousers made OF
the starrv banner and boots ancinted with lick Of
grease" In the third act the inventor practices love
making and ngeniOusy uses the titles OF many Sentl-
mental songs In the fourth the comic scene OF
crOspurpOses which reference has already been made
Further enumeration Of incidents would Dn uaciess
Enough is said 20 their character and We have
already given testimony that they are used with The
skill Of competent playwright
Our Boarding -Ifouse" set upon the PARK stage
last night appropriate scenery ana was "''ed 80
well that all merits expressed and It's success
was It If, individually, laugh ana TINS llhhc
Graves laughter 1t very smoothly with the cast
beIow-Mr Crane and Mr. Robson taking The chief hOEOrs
Of the representation:
Prof Gregarous Gypod inventor Of the Great fyHe ma
col r elevator Exchange Operator eggaiE z, gge
JosepE Fiorein, pismontesc last boarGer.
Dr Ama1ah slouor manufacturer Of superior patent meai.
Carnc Dexter OR swell" boarder Mr. Harry Little
Darymple possessed Of means 20 W ,r,
Matthew Eligible dealer lots and gwen % ogca
TACK Harry detective who pipes our BaTang ouse
Tim a positive hackman. Ai J'I' 40 S
u cOOTed servant. az ~
me New letter man his evening delivery Mt r. lIihD
iio 49," s,-.ot 1nrsic,zn Master RO9aTdu5
MRS Maria C0vile prUprcress OF our i'oaiing i9s Dali,
Beatrice Mannheim teacher at the Conserya our nires
bOartieI. ~ i4''i-4''"
i''4oi"' AIle gtOI
xua,+.- a wealthy ami chart
80 I,.r,ter Buchanan
MA Violet Eeib our society boaier Miss Mlnnie Doyle
Miss ne COyiC daughter Of her motaef just from bHtu
Ing 80 onr .n,ial,e boar,er iss Ella u ant
Betty maidot all ork SS i'o''i'4 " ~