The New York herald., 1878-09-11
AMUsEMENTs.
"orARrssA nAsLowE" AT wALnAcx's.

YORK, and coupling with II the interest aris-
ing from the production OF new play
from the pen Of Dion Boucicault " was not surpris
Ing that brilliant enthusiastic and, witha critical
audience awaited with impaiience tho
rising Of the curtain last evening. The house
itself was but little changed, though looking
something the brighter for fresh paint ana gliding
The old faces were In the auditorium, the same
CHEEKY old orchestra leader tapped on the
music desk, and, with but few additions,
though these were important, the same faces
appeared before tho footign,s Out OF this home
feeling grew the enthusiasm which greeted the per-
formers, ono by one, as they came forward
10 speak their lines. not one being over
looked. Beckett Gilbert. Shannon. holland, Miss
Rose Coghlan, Mme. Pon.si and Miss Efhe Germon
each received . warm greeting. When Mr.. C. +.
Coghlsn, the chief OF the now comers, appeared ne
received such applause left doubt Of the esteem
in which New York holds him..
Beneath all these genial Manifestations the curl.
osity excited by the chief event Of tho evening
evident How would the magician OF the
modern stage conjure the eigh. mortal volumes OF
Richardson's novel into three acts to be performed
within three hours? Only 70 glance at the title Of
the old novel that charmed and touched
the England and France Of century and
a quarter gone gives one q strong desire
not 10 read n:''Ciarssa or, the history Of young
lady. comprchendng the most important concerns OF
private life. and particularly showing the dts
that may attend the misconduct both
OF parents and children IN relation 70 marriage"
Yet the book has clear human interest and Ia not
difficult to summarize Mrs. Barbauld gave con-
else idea Of 1t, which may be quoted ad-
vantageousy to show how tar Mr. Bouccault
has used tho original materials In con
structIng what proved 10 be play Of
strong interest," powerful at times and with subtle
pathos throughout, though not wanting Ia spice OF
humor appropriate points. The story OF the novel
Is foilows:-
A young lady. pressed by her parents to marry
u man every way disagreeaols TO her and placed
under tho most cruel restraint, leaves her fathers
house and throws herself upon the protection
OF her lover, of sense and spirit.
but libsrtne. When he finds her in his power
he artfuliy declines marriage, and conveys her
q house kept Tor tho worst OF purposes.
There, after many iruitlcss attempts to en-
her OF her honor. She escapes from further
outrage; ne finds her out In her retreat; offers her
marriage, which she rejects. Her friends are obdu-
rate. She retircs to solitary lodgings, grisf and
shame ovsrwhelm her and she dies broken hearted.
Her friends lamout their severity when too
late Her vioator is ransiently stung with remorso.
but not reformed he leaves tho kingdom 10 order 10
disspate his chssrn and is killed In duel by rsia
tive OF the lady.
Mr. Bouoicaut takes the principal characters in The
main they arc found 10 tho book but he introduces
with and brings about The concu-
sion with his accustomed adrotucss Indeed his work
as u constructor is ingenious ana compact and The
Characterization able, though some OF tho stua.
lions are rathcr iong-drawn-oui In tho dramatic
version Lovslace pursues his victim with the
sane pcrsisteuce Clarissa flies from her homo and
suffers; the family are the Same stern people, but
the author supplies an additional motive Tor their
Hnriowe family, led away by dissipation, had been
cashiored from ,he army nad become an outcast and
the ia.n:rs hesri, and makes linn guard his asush
ter savagcly but IN vain, a2ainst tho liberire,
Lpyelacc II supplies aerward the material Tor tne
strongest situation In the play. fhe trst act takes
place at rhorpdeue Granger the homc of The Har-
iowcs BY tue services ota gardener Jacob Budd, and
his eheart Jennie Sebright, Loveace visits the
Imprisoned Ciarissa the pSftsrs LODGE This clan
dcstine discovered. scEtarsss,
moned BY hcr ia,hsr is totd shat her lover has OK
tended his conquests 70 othc lively Jspnio S,upg by
this baseness she promises her Oshsr TO wed captain
suS o tho story Her oyo Is an ao
greater than her reason The tempter arrives,
aud, ieariol Of being compsl.d TO Keep her
She with excitement anu hs gives her sleeping
potion and bears her away The curtain fails upon
takes place at Northot Manor House, the old
home OF the Lovssess. a.Th.,hss, tclarissa, half
ranged with low follows in hso pay to per-
form nook marriagear sdTheses acosnpioss are
college tutor turned hsi.l hey nre to personate
respectively the brother Fef I0veisce's mother,
ts not expected TO- be rsirsd, but IL border. on
the coarse without being witty Yes, there II
one course. witty thing said by the mock par.on
the heroine had no scruples the play would be over
in the hrs, act." Al length the "densrap is intro
ducsd TO the poor Ciarissa. and the humor
oil the pcrsonation Is more vivid aud less
Objectionable. The poor gr sees something In the
"Generais" lace ,nat startles her, and he, lost to
manhood as he seems, pities hoI. she retirss
dress for the wedding He tells rsmorsetuIiy how
evo M i.sra, Of .hs toiIox sooIi,ns the 'aS pIo
by maudn virtue, has drugged his liquor. Il is
nouucsd that Mss Harlowe coming tho drusgsd
sister he has been bepiug to rum.
His futile endsavors to prevent Loveiace from pro.
Mbsrtins's iest make tho strongest situa.
ton 10 the play, as unexpected as II 10
but Iiarssa from above overhsars thom, and shreHs
She bolts the window aud tho doors and 1rss the
apartment sue Is in to do rather sa&n yca Loveace
bursts door and bears her out Of the burning
ROOM This worked the audience up TO fine snthus
asm and msds : aas close ~ 70 !se sscoud
course, much better than the fallen To-
male personators OF the novel, but the discovery
Bsr uccie's position tho "Foops Rsvenge," OF Victor
Hugo, 10 u fine dramatic stroke Tue third act
The Dying c claris.a Is watched over BY the iahfui
Jennie aud Jacob, now man and wife Her pillow Is
smoothed by loving HANDS The rejected sultor comes
TO offer his hand. Lovelace to recover his
runaway ohsrmcr, but Is stricKon with remorse on
seeing her wasted form ana hearing her incoherent
forgive, and the play ends with hor death aud
return OF the wayward, wandering sou to his own.
The dialogue Us AZ times almost clumsy, Dut thcr0
Is abundance OF crisp writing In II. The
nrst act is Weighted with long, albeit
necessary, explanations, and Is slow In &C.
ton. The second act " OF stronger texture
and coarssr thread The third act pathetic II 49,
may, We believe be hastcned advantagsously 10 It's
close. The cast was as iolio SIS:
Colonel Hariowe.... ..............Mr John Gilbert
Lovelacc. Mr. " r. Cognian
A.
J.et Belehe, ch..ie, Barron
Sir oiies w. n
Jacob budd....... HAIRY beckett
Clarissa...... Aiss hose GoghiAn
Aiss
OF the acting we can spoak with warm praise,
with few una unimportaut oxceptaous Miss
Coghlan brings to the unfortunate hero.
Inc the qualities OF sweetness, grace and
power, when dom an ded, which needed Per.