The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-15
dMUSEM hNTS.


The prOemial season began at the Union
Square Theatre last evening. After sevcrnl
weeks preparation. Wills's play Of "Oliyin ="
was acted Tor the first time here. md. although
New York IL nominally out of town yet tho
little house was fairly filed with people who's
dl'Se's and manners betrayed their metropoli-
tan character. Tho event was regarded as ono
ct serice. and theatre gocrs did not Disguise
th"r satisfaction NJ IT, For tho first time in tho
history OF the city not q theatre had boon open
in July. Tho unlocking " tho Union SQUARE
was. to use the phrase selected by the manage
mcnt. preliminary and everybody seemed to
feel that the fall and winter season was unlocked
with II.
Mr.. Wills's play Of " olivia IL not. M has been
frequently stated. n dramatic version Of Gold
smiths story. The Wear Of Wakefield" Moth
ing. in fact. could well be- moro mnpro1tablc in
n theatric sense. than dramatic version Of that
story which in itself ie barren OF what s dra-
matte to the modern play house TASTE. 1t Is n
drama which has been made around one or two
of the incidents OF that stury-inciden,s. by the
way which are no longer fresh or startling
and which usos names. and. to somo extent.
Goldsmith's characters. but which uses them
freely not TO say boldly and makes them talk
the bright and contentious patter Of modern
stage lii nature in the place Of Goldsmiths
clnste and dgnillcd dialllmr.
The woll-tempcrcl seduction In tho English
classic was the incident which caught the play
wright = eye. and which has become the thesis
of his discreet play.
II ~ perfectly iunocuoue and patent seduction
Tor II turns out To- be marriage AZ the proper
crisis and thus. while IL affords in its evolution
OIL the charm ~ French suggestion. cannot
in ts consummaton be- Objectionable 10 tho
weakest English stomach.
Mr. H. has shown Us in the opening sill
IN Ia hn ri .,
remember than this scene. H. has made u
strong and sn'ctiv, situation at the end Of the
ecyng her parents and bidding them good
night, preparatory tO her hight with the Squire
The third at ends with a scene in the Dragon
Inn. between Oitrid and her lover which fur
nishes the nearest approach to intensity OF no.
ton that the piece makes for .Olirid ia hero
maddened to such an extent 10y the cool villainy
~ the squire that she strikes him. Finally, her
Mther takes her home. and then No. HTchWs
opportunity turns up "a the good angel md
makes everything right by declaring himself To
h' the square and proving that the marriage Of
W,rtd was bona iIe one. for. suspecting the
Nillhiny OF his SON he took the prccaution 10
outwt him with a genuine priest.
IL is hardly necessary 10 say that this story
makes what It is the fashion To call an ids HE
play. II lacks altogether the Intensity Of pas
sion. the ingenuity Of plot. the cOmpleNity of
mot yes and the Psychologist force of character
OF our day. But il furnishes wholesome cle-
mcnt Of beauty IN It's scenes and It's story ia
deeply Interesting without being exciting. Miss
ilnds little in i that she cannot do with truth
iul ,nrct. Her exhibition OF womanly
iinlignat.1n whcn her lover tells her
the marriage II mock one. probably
marks the limit Of Miss Dav"nports
power, - the scene marks the limit oi strong
action IN the piece. Her pathos in the leave
taxing 'ene does not and cannot, with her
method, lr either ~ natural or ~ effective ns
tiis hlt oi Indignation. running Tor the moment
into physical excess. Miss Davenport what
ever else she may be-. II not an idyllic aetrpss
Her impulses. like her advantages are all he
role. aud at least twu-thirds of the play falls
below the standard Of dramatic oogency for this
reason.
Mr.. Charles Fisher. who PLAYED ~. Primrose.
Ir'-rut'd ~" umigtc and paicrnal type IN the
lest - all 'onY.nti"nal ways. lIe has played
lH PRIMROSE score ~ times before under dif-
l"rent nauns. The NJ. BtUchW of Edwin Price
ana thu >qur, TortbW of Mr.. Charles 4 Ste
vcnson were both ~ them noticeah.y deficient
in th' su-to AMI sigor which We naturally assu-
clate with race Of fox hunting. w"nch-
ing Engllshmen. The M B,rchW Of
the acted story had the mdness Of a
vicar. and tho freshness Of n youth. And the
Young squire utterly failed to get away from
the RESTRICTIONS ~ the lattcr-day beau The
! ut ot usc characters were respectfully playad
The representation met with great deal of
favor from the audience. Its beauty Of snnti.
mrnt they admired. Its picturcaqurnoss
they acknowledged. Its a tion they Appreciated
because there WAS not much II IL. It's moral
the commended, and its fayorte R,trcss they
llIluutyd -