New-York tribune., 1878-11-22
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
OUR CLUB AT WALLACK'S.

"Too much Of water hast thou, poor Ophelal" Plays
however like men, cannot escape their fate. 1t s charac
ter that tes-snce circumstances are, a rule, almost
always its direct and inevitable results. "Our Club"
is bright and pretty little piece but it is weak in mo-
tive and thin In substances and for this It has
succeeded. BY certain fellcites in construction,
and by still better feictes in style it does much for it.
self and much Also has been done for it by the
painters and the actors But when all is done has no
grip. The persons who act it, being engaged in the
treatment of tvialties not aroused by their Occu
pation-are never once in earnest-have never once
anything IN their experience that is worth being In
earnest about and accordingly the persons VINO see IL
acted remain, IN its presence, either wholly unmOved,
only languidy pleased with the vague sense that
something neat and pleasant is ambling on before
them. This is the reason that "Our Club" is
failure. The result is not due to either the
weather, the newspapers, or the iniudiciOus way
In which the piece was launched The play has made It's
bed and in the most natural manner in the world
is OF i'll extenuatiOn, TO vaunt the subject Off
pure and clean. Such ought to beOr it should not
be treated in a work of art. There Is no merit In
writer's managers abstinence from the portaiture
Of sqlacious and cnticng vice, any than there
would he in his abstinence from personal uncleanness 20
much is duty-though IL is not every theatrical man.
ager who to know IT, Pure subjects are the right
choose but the choice OF them does not neces
sarily make strong plays. Tom Robertson not only
chose them but wrought them out to powerful and Dr
liant results and Mr. BOuccau has several times done
the same thing I'm such pieces as "Caste" and SCHOOL
"Old Heads" Kerry" and Daddy O'Dowd," how
ever the strongest emotions burn under all the Incl
dentS-slcnder though they be-whilc the dramatic
theme has weight aud unity and the dramatic style has
the greatest compression and terseness. In "Or
Club on the contrary, the universal texture is gossa
mer and nothing blows through IT, or glOws through IT,
but kud OF peIfumed air OF exceedingly juvenile SEN
timent. The characters soap-hubbles and they
have the passions OF notes That the plOtwhch rests
on numerous unlikely concdencesis grossly improb-
able, would not much signify: the ideal always has
privilege to exaggerate the actual-oherwise al! art
would be restricted to mere photography. But puere
nonentities Of Individuality in play are most tOera-
bic and not be endured" This one is full OF them
the chief parsonage being young gentleman who is
understood TO have painted bad picture, and who
prowls about through the three acts OF the piece very
much in the style of that Hessan-boOted humbug, The
stranger because he has heard that dear friend has
dsparaged him behind his back II that were not the
constant occupation Of dear friends the world over
1t will occur the reader Of that human life
49, necessarily, the subject of all drama and that hui
man life made up of rines. Sol But there are cleo
trical moments-splendid points OF contact in human
eXperience-men and women who are not oysters, nor
yet painted dolls such dance the front OF hand
organ there is the largest liberty Of selection TO
the dramatist Mr. Burnand has, In this case chosen
silly bubs-and likewise silly misses-tO make fIOth.
and froth it is. There Is. though some capital equ-
woke in the second act Of Our Club where the chief
characters set at purposes, and entangled IN
mOmentarlly variance, by mildly comical mis-
takes. And the piece-as cOmports with ITS diiusive
conception and dOg-trOt ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS contains
episodes OF what is, apparently intended as instructive
philosophy One character delivers remarks on Mari-
mony another delivers views on Criticism; and sew
eral persons the spirit happens in sundry places TO
move them, comment in lght-waisted epgram, Life.
and Clubs. and the Preudices OF What is called
Society" few nnOcuous barbs-possibly from the
that of the eminent Mr.. Wallack-are heard TO thud
now and then upon the OF the Press, like mellow
squash as falls the barn floor These give kind
Of piquanCy to Our Club" and may perhaps, prompt
sautary thought in the minds OF many spectators
TenDysOn. in his fine poem of Maud" long ago ad
verted TO the fact this world where each
walks with bis head in cloud OF poisonous flies" One
Of the greatest nuisances OF the ageand one which
clubs most actively foster and augments the tendency
tattle, gabble and ga" about other persons and
their affairs. The play would be vastly salutary II 1t
could help TO aGae that calamOus pest. II may also
be useful as reminder that slnce only about one per
son in hundred really thinks at all, or Is capable
OF thinking, while almost all persons continually
talking about each other II IS an excellent rule or life
TO attach no importance to gossip aud cack, whether
spoken or printed, The only barb OF criticism is truth
and no man hurt by what is uttered In his dis
paragement, except when what Is said is tTue-whch
very rarely happens II add that the incidental por-
traiture OF club life in this play is pretty nearly as
stupid and tresOme the thing Itself and that the
incidental effort suggest the Actor as santed Being
whom what's called Society" outlaws aud oppresses
awakens as usual passing sentiment OF contempt wo
shall perhaps have sufficiently described this vastly i'm
portsnt matter "Our Club" admits OF three
excellent the interior OF London Club
House. the hall of an English country mansion
and the ruins of an old abbey the bank OF river
and these have been defty and beautifully painted
by j. Roberts j. Clair, and j. Hliard There seven
teen persons the piece OF whom eleven brought
OH In the first act. The main plot has reference to
artist who loves lady, and suspects an esranged friend
OF having poisoned her mind against him. whereas. in
fact the lady has been msled by information against
somebody else furnished by laundering acquaiD tance.
There is kind OF spiderweb ingenuity IN the construc
ton of the plot but it is of the right knd-because IL
mystnes the audience but the persons OF the play
Upon the manner in which this frOth exhibited there
s need OF many words. The dongs OF miscellaneous
actors however suitable topics Of dinnertabe chat
are the proper subject OF printed remark and
public discussion than the doings Of grocery clerks
and the statesmen OF dry-gOods These persons
gaged business which. for the most part is entirely
mechanical and they for the most part are mechanics
Here ana there OF them rises, by genius some
other attribute OF briancy and alluremen above this
level OF useful mediocrty and 80 becomes point OF
public interest. The rest 10 leather and prunela."
Mr. Beckett In this piece gives remarkable perform
aDee-loathsome and repeant, 10 be surc hut exTaor
dinary for truth, humOr skill and sustained identity and
Illusion. Charles Cogblans acting Is charming with ar
tistIc nRturaness Charles BarrOn's persOnaOn would
be excellent he would but animate his nonchalaDce
and cease to preach. Rose COghan and Ellie Ger mon
are largely gifted with that raspy. aggressive,
self-asseriive manner peculiar to most females on
the stage and usually engendered by contact with
divine institution: but as they also possess beauty,
esprit and nelIgence their embOdments OF suspicious
wife and dashng widow conspicuous for merit and
charm. Miss Coghlau panied to observe has
become breahless n the OF the great art