The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-01
AMUSEM ENTS.

:. 'AH SIN" AT THE FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE.
The first night of u new play by Mark Twain and
Bret Rarte event which naturally
attracted large audience 10 the Fifth Ave-
nue. Theatre. "Ah Sin" was heartily
received and the laughter II evoked was sufficient to
make the fortunes OF two or three modern comedies.
The scenery and pleasing, and altogether the
play achieved popular success and, We think, will
have u long run
number Of attempts have been made to create a
distinctively American drama, but dramatic
literature still remains essentially English.
Our native subjects few. First we have
had tho Revolutionary drama, embodied in
such plays as '.The Spirit Of '76." .wasnington, "
&C. thon there is the Indian DRAMA of which
Stones "Metamora," written for Forrest, and
now only acted by Mccullough, Is the prin-
cipal representative. Recently there have been
many efforts to depict American society
tn, stage, but few of them have been successful
In opinion the only real American drama thus far
has been founded upon negro lie in the south. Sav
cry In free country is essentially dramatic and
afforded the widest scope for emotional and character
istic expression There ample room for the
broadcast humor and the deepest pathos and for the
contrast OF the extremes Of civilization and barbars
This was illustrated by .'Uncc Toms Cabin" by Mr.
Boucicauts "Octoroon, I" two plays which had their
birth on American soil and could belong to other
country. Now comes another attempt 10 mako u dis
tinctvcly American play, and the hero this time
Is not the revolutionary soldier nor the lndlan nor
the Yankee, nor the modern millionaire, nor the ne
gro, but the heather Chinee This singular being Is
recent importation, but has already become
closely ntermixed with American society,
u made BY tho writings Of both Bret Har s
and Mark Twain, q familiar type He must always
be an cccenrici,y the stage because Impossible
to make HIM pathetic. The play last night seems TO
snstan this view OF the dramatic possibilities OF the
Chinanans nature. .r
the Filth Avenue Theatre, IL cannot be justly called
good play. The materials are all old. the character
tho Heather Chnee beng excepted, and they are
not well used The plot turns upon the supposed
murder OF mining Spectator In California the accu
sson , of IN. ascoys,v bis trial by
inaI, and the sudden appearance OF the
i supposed victim at the end OF the piece. With this
prehistoric tale is associated undor plot almost
old The first two acts are the strongest, and the
first introduces an effective game OF poker,
which ends in the crime on which the
mystery Of the play is based. The second act has
dramatic points but the third Is devoted almost alto
gether u talk while In the fourth act jury scene.
none OF the principal characters have onythng impor
tant do The plot wanders tho termination of tho
drama is an ant.cmax that could not DO surpassed.
the plot IN the beginning but drops out Of It
III the middle, and only rc-cntcrs at the
end sun he is an actor in the story and one of the
important characters The literary mort OF the play
Is small and It's tone Is low. Much OF tho
dialogue is exceedingly COARSE depending for its
effect upon slang OF the vugurcst kind. The
conversation between Mrs. and Miss PlunkeLt In tho
third act was entirely without wit, and only III to
amusc the ignorant Tho play 10 not picture, but
caricaturc OF Western hie and the ri al scene IN the
fourth act is a burlcsque on humanity.
The two elements which will mako 'Ah Sin" sue
ul are the character Of the Chnee and the ad-
mrablc manner III which 1t is performed by
Mr. Parsoc. lie Is the lite Of the play He
has the merit OF always being funny and never
vulgar ana his imitation OF the Chnama1 Is natural
and free from extravaganza or buiroonery. Mr. Col
lcr, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Weaver, Mr. Crisp, Mrs Gil
bcrl, Miss Mary Wells, Miss Goldthwaite and Miss
Bland sustained the other leading characters with
ability.