The New York herald., 1879-11-30
ADJUSTMENTS.
~ mur,rpE-.AN ARABIAN NIGHT. !"

Mr. Alex Sprinkle. Mr. onn @ grew @
Hereer, hanoreh'' Mr. Wham Davdge
Lsayesss MODES N9sds Mr. Charles Lselsra
MI fIahf :, bennet
Mrs. Louise sprinkle Miss Margaret Lsnner
Miss Kate sprinkle MISS ada i nsnIn p
Rosa .............M Miss Catherine Lewis
Mrs Portey - Observation-Disclosures Miss Sidney Nelson
Susan Miss Georgne Flagg
..An Arabian Night" which was produced at Days
Theatre last night. is adaptation OF Won Mosers
"Haroun Al Raschid und sein Schwiegermutter."
which has lately been played in German in this CITY,
Mr.. Daily has cleverly added considerable
new matter to the original. and Claims
to have localized the comedy. whatever
his definition Of the quoted word may
be. There is nothing recognizable in the people Of
the play, in their aims action. that are "local
the state OF social morality accepted in the play.
which must be presupposed to be q type Of
American society before the play be
called a 'local comedy" having recog-
nized existence in this country. The only
local cooring that "An Arabian Night has received.
lies in the fact that the characters assert that they
are New Workers, speak in English instead OF
German. talk of Chicago or Boston instead
Of Berlin Paris, and get III few gags
about the elevated railway and similar local insttu
tions The whole tone and form OF the play is trans
atlantic and is not nice in some of its alu
sions and actions we prefer 70 olscla the ract .as
action, even III word beyond minor reference 10
New York localities.
Its situations most comcal. and every act is
accompanied by almost continuous laughter from
the audience but though this arises from the
ludicrous turn events constantly assuming, the
primary cause of it all is not cleanly
morally healthy in its suggestions. In the
heros endeavor to conceal the presence and identity
of two ladies who in his house he is beset by
difficulties ard thrust into situations that are most
laughable but the basis OF it all Is questionable
intrigue with a woman who supposes him to be
single and the result, which is lightly treated. Is
the deceving of q trusted and trusting wife, who.
strange to say takes it good joke 1t is well to
remember all this before perusing the play writer's
clever work.
The hero lSprinkle) is attracted by circus rider,
with whom he travels from Chicago to New York.
She supposes him to be single; he says many pleas
ant things to her; she becomes interested in him
and comes to his home to see him. His wife
is absent but his mother-in-law-the orthodox
stage mother-in-law is watching over his home and
morals with the eaglo eye supposed to be common
to ladies' possessed of sons-in-law. She surprises
him in conversation with the circus rider, who.
order to conceal the true state of affairs is intro
duced Immediately niece who has been
expected from Paris. The genuine article. the
real nlece arrives shortly atterwArd. and the
comic situations of the play occur in the husbands
endeavors to keep the ladies apart and the truth
concealed from his household until his motherin-
laws departure The complications that arise. the
inopportune and constant appearance OF the circus
rider the niece upon the afford opportunities
for endless misunderstanding winch are productive
of most ludicrous results To detail them all ut this
late hour of writing Is quite impossible and equally
unnecessary. Such plays have but one and an
entirely unnatural result. All is explained. the
circus turns out to be an angel. the
mother-in-law is routed. the real niece
husbana nnl5 is n' forgiven and in in fact pssed on
the back, and all ends pleasantly. Gentlemen con-
templatng the trying on OF this circus rider busi-
ness are reminded that the result is slightly exag-
gerated. mohers-in.aw and wives in practical life
generally reversing the above denouement.
or the play 49, all that can be said is that it Is
immensely funny from end to end, coarse at times.
brimful OF ludcrous incident and Dirth provoking
dialogue and contains matter enough for dozen
farces. handsome toilets enough to stock q dozen
milliner and dressmakers' shops. and good acting
enough to run almost any average play to success
Miss Catherine Lewis and Mr.. John Drew bore of
the greater share of the evenings honors. the lazy
acting the part Of Rosa Mayboom the good hearted.
merry little circus rider. with dash and piquancy
that were charming. Mr.. Drew developed q rare tai
ent i'll the comic elements OF his role and. indeed.
ali the cast deserved detailed mention which cannot
be given now owing to the late hour to which the
play ran.
pruned and shorn OF its coarseness to insure its
having "run.
ACADEMY OF MUsIC-'LINDA."
Linda was the attraction offered for the matinee
yesterday at the Academy and it should have drawn
a good house. but the and chilly afternoon
vented the full attendance the performance merited.
Signor Campanini and Mile. valleria not in
quite as good voice as usual, but Signor Galassi
and Nine. Lablache made up for all short
comngs by unusually good representations
of Antonio and Pierotte. and Herr Behrens.
who the Prefeto, was an able assistant
and sang very well indeed throughout the opera.
II the Carlo and Linda Of the afternoon vocaly
weak toward the close of the opera it must be re-
membered that it is q result OF their continued and
arduous duties in the interest Of their public they
have borne the burden Of the season on their
shoulders, and it is wonder that their
voices show occasionally an evidence of tenn
porary weariness. Notwithstanding this drawback
they both sang the scores allotted to them singu-
larly we'll. and it only in an occasional phrase
or passage, in which they toned down their voices
that it evident that they were reserving their
strength for the prominent arias. Marin COM
ing will give valleria needed rest and Runco. who
has come to the surface again. will be borne with
that he may save Campanini from work.
Nine. Lablache did about the best work OF her
season Yesterday in Linda. She sang the part re-
markaby well, and her acting greatly strengthened
the performance. The famous maiediction scene. as
acted yesterday, was without qualification the dra-
matte triumph OF the season. Galass, fine artist
that he is threw his whole strength into it; Valleria
acted better. and Nine. Lablache materially
aided in the signal success that resulted from their
combined efforts. making the scene most impress
sive one.
its general excellence, to the Marta" Faust
and aida" which Mr.. Mapleson has produced so
creiitably. and before it Is Withdrawn 1t should
be heard by desirous OF hearing this opera
thoroughly well sung. If Marmon duplicates
here her European triumph there is no reason
why. with these four successes in the past, the
season should not prove to be brilliant one 10y the
additional scores that Marmon will undertake.
''ELIJAH' AT sTEINwAY HALL.
The Oratorio Society of New York, led by DR..
Leopold Damrosch. gave last evening Mendelssohn s
.Eljah" for the first of the four concerts promised
during the season. With the exception OF Mr..
Myron W. Whitney, who sang the music Of Elijah the
sooists the assisted at the rehearsal of
Friday. but this is important exception The con-
cert may be set down almost unqualified sue
cess, the shortcomings being in matters of small de-
tail We deem 1t but just to that the evidence OF
hard work among the chorus, due in great part
to the intelligence and enthusiasm OF DIR. Dam
rosch, gives great hope for the fu-