The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-07
AMUSE EMS.
The Acting In " Marriage.

think the acting is OF q very high order. In
deed. when II is said that the play is trivial.
obscure. and tedious. 1t il acknowledged that
the acting cannot be Of a very high order.
Stage representation TO be good must be
judged as n whole. and found perfect in its en-
tircty. II any Of its parts SO conspicuousy
excellent rs to attract attention from the repre-
scntution to the individual. the work is bad
for the object of the play is to interest the spec
tator In an acted story. not in personal pecu-
| liarties. A play in which the legend and the
motive OF action are obscure. and in which
brilliant and irrelevant details obsruct and do
| fleet the development Of plot and character.
| Leaves no impression upon the mind. Its rcla-
| ton to the pure drama is the Same as that of a
showily-arranged painters studio to fine pic
| turc. or II curiosity shop to noble piece Of
| architecture.
The good acting in Marriage is good in n
divergent and irresponsible way.
Most OF the people are bright and clever. hut
their brightness is not focused 1t is not con-
| tributcd 60 the general fund of excellence which
| should illumnc the story and make the whole
picture vivid. but like 80 many coorcd cross
| lights it dstrncts and puzzles us with its rad-
ancc and really makes us doubt what are the
| coors of the picture and what the reflections Of
| the PLAYERS.
The chief actors In Marriage " arc Mr.. Gil
bert Mr.. Montague. Mr.. Beckett. Nine. Ponisi.
Rose Coghlan. and Mr. Arnott. by chief /
mean prominent in the play as we'll as conspie-
uou- In their profession.
The best ting is not. however. dono 10y those
people. but 10y Mrs Seton. Mr.. Plymiton Mr..
! Holland. and Miss Bonilacc. who have not got
leading parts.
No one. seeing the play will for moment
believe that the author Of Marriag" intended
these minor parts to be- better played than the
important roles There t.. therefore. some
thing wrong. not only in the play itself but in
the acting of IT,
Without desiring TO add ANYTHING to the dis
cussion now going ON over this comedy let mo
say briefly that | think it contains the true
| comedy elements.
1t has intrigue. wit. humor and plenty Of
pleasing; incidents. But need Not say that the
| clements are mismanased. A painters palette
| may contain all the elements Of "a picture, hut the
| pigments do not become picture until the mas
ter organizes ndarranges them. 1t is trueihat
! Mr.. Bouricau has attempted 10 do this but the
| critics who have Judged him ly his own stand
ard claim that he has failed
think ue critics are right anl believe the
| failure OF Mr. Bouei'Gult is owing not So much
t. the ~ s"n'o oi ability as to the want q moral
purpose. by moral purpose mean the dcter-
mnatlon and strength t. do what he knew was
a eood TIM. uniAiuenacd by the demands VI
| OIL" market
MUtriusr in .is representation h,trays the
d"lh.rat' attempt of H." playwright o construct
comedy according To- the Limitations of Itlliar
| luism,n mt. Nay, worse, according g. the lim-
ita,ions Of the % tor. who wore to play in H.
Mr.. Bouricault has fitted Mr.. Montague So
tightly that hr has neither the disposition nor
the power to move. II, merely exists. H. was
measured for embroidered tights go o. speak.