New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-08-24
THE DRAMA.
=" TIE DANIrES."


If is well said by Hamlet that the province
Of the stage hold the mirror MP 10 nature. SONS
people think that this province il fulfilled when the
stage presents literal copies OF objects that may be seen
in the streets literal copies of the customary actions
of Mankind This il tho popular and easily appreciabe
view a subject much IN controversy. Another view Is
that the stage only he thought to un ts province
when. in holding the mirror up TO nature, selects the
objects and actions OF every day, and arrauges
ana conducts them make its result representative.
not merely the surfaces OF life but Of the workings Of
the human heart beneath them. Mr. joaquin MillePs
melodrama, called The Danitcs which Is now
before the public at the Now Broadway The
atre-is a piece that exemplihes the former
OF these views. Its five acts reflect many
real objects and many usual actions IL H. IN fact Pho
tograph II brings before eyes the wild, rough life OF
California IN the days Of the bush. the bowlekne aud
Judge Lynch; aud It's photography Of this incidental
aspect OF the frantic struggle toward civilization seems
10 be faithful Most OF she persons whom u introduces
are arrayrd in rough garments to carry arms
and to consume whiskey. Many OF them are yocerons
Some are vulgar One two arrest monetary atten'
ton by making that yaunt Of vrilty 10 which weak
headed men are naturally prone; and few Of them
exude peasantries which have strong flavor % The
stable. The spectator OF The Danites accordingly rises
from the Observance OF it the that be Ia,
viewed AN abundance-perhaps a superabnndahce-of
low life, exactly as II 49, or was on the
melodraIua lack. the ideal and the artistic form ID
which reference has been made essential In work or
the stage il is vital with fancy II Is tender 10 ers'
and it is interesting in story. It's purpose As p''n'
is to depict the experience Of person who has oeeh
doomed 10 death, and who is pursued. with mnrd'fou'
inten. by secret band of assassns-namcy the Dates
or destroying angels of that peserOus sect If Mormon'
that inests Utah This purpose 1t follows ami iunls'
rather by the exhibition Of tabeauX than by the con
tmuous. obvious aud propuisve use Of dramiu' n'i
dents While however IL contains more picture than
action while II Is oyorfreighed wi.h persons, episodes
aud language, and while it, construction deals too much
with time that supposed TO have elapsed aud events
that supposed to have occurred, II neNert1"'-S
moves forward IN animated fashion, AID after It has been
relieved Of tumid talk. coarse merude ""'
some trivial business-such that which ends tue ="
ond act. and that. with the baby, which twice stops ~
action OF the piece fourhit will no doubt take i'
as respectable effort IN play-wrng There Is ho'iNs
essentially original IN the work Emlssarles OF u@''
have logged the footsteps OF the doomed through many
an ancient tale ana the female missionary OF eduoaoa
has many a time fattered the denizens OF miners
eamp I'm the stories OF Elarte aud Scdlcy ana iN"s
and their large and digent tribe OF followers one
most touching points Ia the story Of The Daih'e4
OF the duplication for leave 20 pray-recaiis Al o"' %
old marine yarn on which Mr. Arthur Mai'h'sou "aS'
his poem of The stowaway" The fourth ac1 "non "'
30 effectively with love and Jealousy REEVES. VIZ
ference the story OF Dot MI Miller th"us"' "a,
handled these materlals-parcuarly IN MS Treatment :"
woman's fidelity to woman and mans sen '"c''aSs '
for the sake OF pure loyo-with uiauia'" sA''
and passion. The strong element OF ine D'a
nes is that which is altogether serious anu 'V'.'
tmes even lurid In comedy the picce Is very weak
-, h,,s s,,ess IA Lid on a Chnaman who says
" .bae xashee :" on grizzly reprobate who constantly
refers to the glorious climate of California :" on .
connie OF slatterny virlgoes who indulge In oeicos'
gesture and ON sort of diluted Mark rap!ey Who IN mo
irol person Of Mr. yning Bowers oapers aud ehrru's
aud there Is Soma cooling over stuffed infant nS~