New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-02
THE DRAMA.
"MARRIAGED AT wALLACK's.

Tn the new five-act comedy of Marriage
nv Dion Bsucicaut-which produced last night at
Wal!acks Theatre, to open the regular season. aud
which WAS there hOnored with kind reception by an I'M
couoniy numerous and brilliant asssmblage, the student
Of Stage literature may observe the fruit Of practced
dramatic invention, but not the fruit OF lmaglna-
t,on The piece moves upon the tabe-and Of com
mon life IL reflects and it satirizcs, but 1t does
not idcaIize. Its atmosphere is In so lar that
OF comedy that il illustrates manners as they are
affected by the elemental experiences OF lie
and for the most part it depicts them with purity OF
tome and elegance OF touch, though with some awkward
ness and some Its purpose-which is to uncover
the strange medeys and cOnraretes OF married life and
disnlay them in an expansive picture Just as the phys
zeal features Of a landscape are dlspiayeu 10
the eyes OF the aeronaut - was obviously
felictous If not very fresh. But in one essential ele
men OF comedy itdsappOnts and the lack OF TINS element
will always debar 1t from any hold upon the popular
heart IL is deficient Of eDnobng spirit 1t laughs ana IL
trges and once and again it takes fine moral attitude
hut the exalted spirit which should fuse It's parts To-
eether and which should make IL leave the spectator
1aed as well as pleased is absent from its texture.
The author hal wrought very diligently with
his mind-but the imagination and the heart
have been cold throughout his a5ors. Marriage "
is crystalized around extremely complicated story
but il IS not story that is either interesting or repre-
seniatiye or one from which anything Is TO be derived
INT passing laugh The story TO be sure, 10 told by
uptangled such sken, with the skill that MI Bonci-
caul has eyincod Yet the spectator mystfed almost
"a much as the nerlocutors, Till about the middle OF
the third act; and when all Is told ne per
ceiyes that the complete intention aimed no
further than to introduce various persons upon
The scene and then make their situation luiicrous
Inv uniting them all at cross purposes There but little
stteront at Characterization The persons introduced
hear different names but they differ far less In char
acter than IN temperament condition, and time OF
se Exravacances rather than textual peculiarltles
OF human nature or OF social life are selected for
satre: and much strength is therein expended upon
triaes The language is all cut on OF one
web. Everybody is epigramatc-as was said OF the
uersons IN The School for Scandal" The takers are
al little Editions OF Mr Boucicaut-and each can he pun
gent The language however, Ia often exceedingly terse
and ne eQuiyOke capital and It's cynical truths
and its jets Of sentiment were foundi last night
10 be tie best parts OF q comedy which, IN
the essential attributes. was disappointment
The curtain did not fall till midnight aud can only
set down the general impression made by this work
1t has certain farcicd situations that exceedingly
iudlcrous and it takes our unqualified respect by
its boiduess and Ugor of workmanship in the
right direction. 1t is sumptuously mounted, and
no piece has been better acted Oh the New
York stage within long remembrance. Mr..
BOuccault and Mr.. Walack were called out at the
end OF the fourth act and made brief and
graceful eXtempOraneons speeches. The popular
applause was abundant and hearty aud so WAS
the popular laughter Mr.. Gilbert Mr. Eben PIympton
Bliss Rose COgblaD, Mr. ArnotJ Mr. Montague, Mrs.
Seton, Miss BOniace, who acted astonishngly well,
and Mr. Beckett recalled upon the scene special
outbursts OF tho public enthusiasm The occasion
Backed element Of pleasure Much fsebler pieces than