The New York herald., 1878-08-26
WeAtherWIse.


The New York season for years has been
popularl. timed by the opening OF Wal
lacks Theatre, and it is a suggestive fact
that this favorite house opens this year one
month earlier than usual. In this Mr..
Wallack SLOWS his sagacity, for the rising
tide on on: financial and commercial affairs
is already meeting the stream of European
travellers, who are returning from the
French Exhibition by way of this city.
These influences will undoubtedly tend to
make things lively, especially in those
places that ,djoin The spinal column of the
metropolis Broadway. Business cannoS
fail to be brisk this fall, for the indications
are in every way favorable The theatres
are fair Indicators of such movements in
business circles, for their managers
are keelly sensitive of all changes
in the financial atmosphere, and they
study tne, probabilities and prospects
from a point .affording more extensive
view thln that occupied by those whose
scope is limited to the horizon of the ledger
and cash book. In fact, the commercial
barometer may be entirely at fault when
the theatrical eelskin truly foretells
change of weather.
Mr.. Wallack evidently expects the COM
ing hsrvest to be heavy one, judging by
the increase of his staff Of reapers. To his
already large company he adds the services
Of MIR. Charles Coghlan, unquestionably the
leading juvenile actor of the stage; Mr.
Charles Barron, OF Boston celebrity, and,
we helr, Mr.. John Brougham. II to these
we ado Mr. Boucicault and Mr.. Wallack
himself, it may be said, without exaggera-
ton, that no theatre in London or else.
where can show such q combination. In
deed, none of them is guided by a
manager so skilled and able as
Mr. Wallack, who has earned the
respecs and confidence of our public by q
professional career extending over period
of nearly forty years of undertaking and
honorable success. His opening play is to
be .'Clarissa Harlowe," written by Mr..
Boucicault, who may be regarded as Mr..
Wallack's Bismarck-active, resolute, i'm
pressive, delivering his dramatic blows with
unerring effect and receiving many from
his critics, who dispute his merit. But, as
he has dryly observed, merit is question
of taste, success is q matter of fact.
Next on the list we may mention the
Fifth Avenue Theatre, the house which has
inherited from Booths the lists Of stars
that decornted former seasons of that great
theatre. The managers have made chaplet
of names, among which such dramatic
gems as Edwin Booth, Modjeska, the
sweet Mary Anderson and John
Mccullough are agreeably prominent
The Park will be gay with Sothern and
rosy with Crane and Robson, intervening
between the new farcical comedies for
which this little theatre is rapidly gaining
q well deserved reputation. The Lyceum,
that htful house, has put on resolute face
for this season, and Miss Kate Claxton will
have the kindest and best support in her
enterprise, not to restore, but to found its
reputation as popular place of entertain
ment. Niblo's, with brand new manage.
ment, enters the lists. the Grand Opera will
try to renew its successes of last season,
while the Standard, the Broadway and the
Globe, full of enterprise and hope, will
compete for public favor with melodrama
and popular plays. Booths, which hovered
between life and death as theatre last sea-
son, suddenly springs into existence,
and Miss Genevieve Ward replaces this
noble building in the dramatic fore
ground by the production of 'Jane Shore. "
This is good, sound drama by Mr.. Wills,
and should not be confounded with the old
play. The author has managed to endow
ing that gives intense interest to the statu.
esque figure of the unfortunate mistress Of
the King. The Union Square, though last
not least, has tried successfully a summer
season with the production of "Olivia," and
its arrangements for the regular season are
already perfected.
1t is strange that the two popular novels
Of the last century, precisely similar in
plot, should be simultaneously exhumed tc
make their appearance in dramatic form a,
the same moment. The subject of the
"vicar of Wakefield" was probably sug.
eested TO the mind Of Goldsmith by Rich.
ardson's "Clarissa Harlowe," which was
published in 174S and enjoyed world
wide popularity until 1766, in which
year Goldsmith's work first saw the
light. Neither of these novels possesses the
slightest dramatic action, and it will bt
curious to observe the difference in tn,
methods of Mr.. Boucicault's treatment o.
''Clarissa Harlowe" and Mr.. Wills treat.
ment of "The Vicar of Wakefield"
Besides the theatres enumerated tn,
Academy Of Music will be opened for Q
long season of Italian opera, under tia,
direction of the manager of Her Majesty,
Theatre in London, Mr.. Mapleson, who has
combined first class operate company
Thus it will be seen that every place %
amusement in this city is preparing for tn,