The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-20
Has THE DRAMA nECLINEn,


AS we pass into Mr.. BOucicaulps half,
century OF dramatic decline, we fall to
see That the pieces were much worse
than IN the previous ten years, aud 1t is
unquestiOuaD,e that several pieces were
produced which keep the stage to this
day. The plays of the late Lord Lytton
aud OF Sheridan knOwles have their du-
fects no uOubt. They are artificial in
the eXLrem ', but yet audiences can be
found lor zine Hunchback," for "rhe
Lady of Lyons" and for "l0ney."
These three plays, maugre tleir de
tractors, may fairly, as acting play 8,
Cnallenge comparison with anything pro-
duced between 1870 and 1925, when. we
are told, the drama was III an eXtrao. =
ulnarily healthy condition.
Tue halECentury of decline alluded to
by Mr.. Bouclcault must have been iu-
tended by him TO date from Ihe wear
1910, when, AS Mr.. Charles r ade has
SHOWN, tue iutluence of Tue Frencn
school became paramount, and first.
ranslaUlon, and then "ddaptaLIOD, -
saved English dram allsts the agony ut
invention. 1t is a.so noteworthy, that
MIR. BUuCICauit him self appeared at that
juncture with ''London Assurance" >"
strange patchwork OF old scenes and
old characters, utterly wooden and
souless. 1t must III fairness to Mt.
BouciGaulL De admitted that he is hardly
the author OF "LOndon Assurance"
SUCH as it is, the play was drawn over
his lines by the actors. Being young
man, and then very dOcIIe and lamb
IKE, Mr.. BoucicaulL permitted the very
strong cast OF "LonuUn Assn ance'to re-
write WnOle scenes, to cuL others out
completely, and, finally, so to trans
mogrlfy 1t, that If he had not personally
assisted in the work of remOdelng, he
would not have known his own play.
Actors are very proud of this pretty
piece OF Work, and lOint trium ,hantly
TO London Assurance" as the "dctOr's
play" par exec Hence. Its first triumph,
and its subsequent weakness, arise from
the character OF the "Lady Gay Spank
er," obviously modelled from "Con-
slauce," in "Ine Love Chase" Mrs.
NlsbeJC could play this entlreIy imp0s-
slble character without making it either
ridiculous OF vulgar, feat that no suS-
SeQuent actress has been able to per-
form. Probably Mr.. BOucicault still be-
lieVes "London Assurance to be an
English comedy, but II he dates the de-
cadence Of the drama from the time he
became dramatlst, whom should he
blame but himself? He has chosen to
invent u mysterious Irish drama, made
Of squireens, shebeeHs, canbeens and
uhuueens, unlikely priests, and i'm
possible peasants, the whole favored
with the aroma OF whisky punch.
This strange larrago, aided by stage
carpentry, has had the power o t attract
Ing Irish audiences bOtu i'll England and
in the United States, and must tuus, we
suppose, be- admitted to nave merit of
some kind, II one could only discover it.
or a trutD, it is poor stuff, this Irish
drama; but Mr.. Boucicault will pardon
US for asserting that weak as it is, it Is
quite as good as paul Pry, ;" for in
stance, and vastly more amusing than
'Inkle and Yar,co." These two last
named productions were immense fa-
Vorltes with our grandtalhers, lor rea-
sons which are not apparent on the
surface. Nothing can be imagined more
ghaStly than these once popular pieces,
nor can the present writer see the
merit of "The Helr-at-Law," and other
plays of the same school. Everything
written at all i'll the same key as Sheri.
dams comedies Is SO imme urably be
low them, as TO prove merely weari-
some. 1t is, of course, an invidious
TASK to select Lhe works Of living writers
for especial praise, but surely "rne
Ticket of Leave Man, to take an in
stance almost ut random, is as lar above
the average sentimental drama of fifty
ears ago as "MoneS" is above CINE
West lndian."- All the 9ear Round.