The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-18
ADJUSTMENTS.
ENGAGED" At THE PARK THEATRE.

Irthcrne Agnes
Minnie ,sympcrson's daughter Miss Minnie Palmer
Mrs Macfarlane !alowland widow Mrs g. H. Gilbert
Parker Mnnie's maid Miss Marie Chester
sfr. ". $. Gilbert's burlesque comedy, In three
acts. which played for the first time Mt the Hay
market Theatre. in London about year and a half
ago, had its initial representation in New York list
evening at the Park Theatre where il completely
successful. keeping large audience in continual
laughter. The parts well filled without an I'm
portant exception but the honors fairly carried
Off by Mrs. Agnes Booths Belinda. next to which
came the excellent impersonaton of Mr.. James Lewis.
We believe Mr.. Gilbcrt's first introduction to New
York dramatically in u comedy brought out ut
wsilack's some eight years ago entitled RAN
dalls Thumb" which had very moderate
success. 1t mediocre effort in the line Of
modern English comedies and Ia so much forgotten
that we do not recall any recent reference to 1t.
although the papers have been tecming with
Gilbertian anecdote since the Pinafore' among
us. To SEQ as now the whole theatrical horizon
lighted up with the flashes Of Gilbertian Aurora
Borealis should be some comfort to young authors
struggling against failure and disappointment. Mr.
Gilbert after many throws OF the line last hooked
up ut the end OF a style of play
whose form he had earlier indicated in his ..Bai
Ballads'-namely, where the most astounding sur
prises happened with the of commonplace. In
"Pygmalion and Galatea." the first. and in many
artlessness OF q woman newly created against %
society that held the parallel throughout with our
taisman. he set the characters Of an artificial
society speaking their real thoughts to the endless
disturbance of thcir previous relations to each other
Engaged" brings us back to actual modern human
frankness that they talk bluntly their in
most. and generally their worst sentiments.
Tho humor OF this process is incxhaustiblc. There
is Il reserve of sclfishness in human nature which
turks behind our heartiest enthusiasm and aualhes
n CnpncSt md IN anil
listen to this elfshncss being paraded beside tho
emotions they accompany would be a bitter lesson
il tho bluntness of the declarations were not so
unusual "a to be absurd-out of madhouse. Tho
art OF the author has, of course, much to do with
grouping Of the inconeruous. and to see
woman IN the pangs OF an absorbing grief
ffurtively search room for concealed
jam tart is funny according to the best rules how
closely it borders the rcpulsive. Merccnary
motives arc avowed by everybody cugnged in a play
of nominaly serious interest. and love is tossed
about and comes and goes by circumstance in a way
that we diplly recognize as anthropoid If not alto
gcther human
Of property. as we'll Belvawney, his friend. who
has eloped with Miss Belinda Treherne. and also q
the Scotch border by goodhearted Lowland peasant
nsmod Angus Macallister. is one of the
PEASANTS amuscments. this train-throwing. though
done with view to bringing the passengers to the
home Of the aged Mrs. Macfarlane with whose
daughter, Maggie he Ia in love- The upset travellers
arrive in succession. Belvawney. a very tragic per-
son who has thousand pounds a year interest in
keeping Mr. Chcviot Hin single. proposes instant
marriage to Belinda but she prudcntly declines for
the present. Although consumed by love that
cnthralls my soul yet. business is business" abe
says. Mr.. Cheviot Hill is a man who proposes
to Maggie s and buys OF her peasant peasant
lover with two pounds sterling. To tho heart
wrung Angus holding out his hand for the money.
while he tells the girl how broken his heart is, and
turning ut the end to say ats saxpence short
credibly funny 1t is however the typo of thepiecc
We soon discover that Mr.. Sympcrson has engaged
Chcviot Hill to his daughter. Minnie. An rae Irish
major arrives in pursuit OF Belinda. To her
from his wrath Cheviot Hill declares that sho is his
wife. They are tho Scotch border and this
constitutes q Scotch marriage We next 500
the homo of the Sympersons, with Minnie
marry chevtot Hill Belinda arrives She b has not
her supposed husband since the dsy of the
declaration; and knows not whether she is wife or
between them is intensely funny. tho strong acting
of Mrs. Booth bringing ont the wild vagSries
of the author to the letter Further complications
ensuo which 1t is unnecessary DETAIL but each one
productive offun, until at length the curtain falls
Angus his lovely Maggie. and Mr.. Sympcrson,
Mrs. Macfariane. The invention of tho author
saves the repetition of sordid declarations
ing wearisome You can laugh all through
It, but you inclined to think coming away that
you have had great deal OF scotch broth Il not to
acts with the same dish warmed over and over
To have the best sentiments of human nature por-
trayed with NIL the petty meanncsses OF mankind
after ali, akin TO sacrilcge.
Mr.. Lewis as Cheviot Hill was airy and
admirable. he In Saratoga" still.
the part suggests that 1T intended for,
an actor with moro balance and less bounce
Mr.. Sothcrn, for instance. The gloomy Belvawney Of
Mr.. Whiting well sustained throughout. Tho
Belinda OF Mrs. Booth was only the success IL
became because that lady is strong dramatic
actress aud Mr.. Gilbert's audacty may be measured
by the fact that only such actress could play the
burlesque with the requisite finish. Miss sydney
Cowcll's Maggie was capital and fully in tho
authors spirit Pretty little Minnie Palmer should
seek little repose in her acting and IL would
be perfect She looked charming. Mr.. Riggs as
Angus good study and Mr.. Owens Sympcrson
acceptable. The irish Major poor. The play Ia
handsomely mounted. the first set being fine pic
turc.
LYcEUM THEArRE-''THE FOOLS REVENGE"
Mr.. Frederick Paulding made his debut before .
New York audience last night at tho Lyccum Theatre
as Bcrtuccio. in Tom Taylor's tragedy, Tho Fools
Revenge
His reception by the largo and fashionable audience
present most encouraging and It was impossi-
bic misinerprct the hearty applause which greeted
his entry. II ovation in advance from n host
Of friends who predisposcd to accept his
efforts triumph, and who, during the
evening. inclined to lavish applause whenever
there was an opportunity to give evidence of their
kind feelings. Mr. Pauding is grandson Of Ad-
lnral Paulding and a relative of Henry Irving, tho
Of these connections in the advertisement of the
performance is q suggestion. perhaps from Mr..
paulding that he inherits qualities which should
1T him for tho stsgc. On this sccount per-
haps we should judge him more critically than
we would were he of humber origin and uncon-
ncctcd with stage history. At least II Is fair pro-
cedurc from the announcement. We can hardly ex-
pect young man of twenty-five believe he is hardly
out of his tcens-to appreciate and give expression
10 the profound emotions and violent passions of q
and even though the character TO
receive intelligent treatment AZ his hands it would
still lack tho forcc and power that full maturity of
years In the actor alone could give. Attitude,
voice. makeup are all In direct opposition to
tho nature of youth, and when the actor is but
twenty years Of agc-sud lacking in experience
youth will assert itself through the beat disguisc.
Mr.. Paulding cndeavors, and sometimes with fair
measure Of SUCCESS to sink his identity
IN the character, but tho sucrc~s Is ftfu and hts
youth constantly asserts It's presence. His gestures
are thoroughly 81 his command, but are lacking in
rc.y. We must say however 20 his credit that they
not merely limitations Of hts predecessors in the part.