New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-03
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THE ASSOMMOIR.


If, after c0piOus and resonant proclamation
NJ an entirely device by which to sweep. an indi-
vldull were suddenly forward with a broom,
though he might amuse by his impudence. he would
scarcely starte BY his ingenuity. Me- Squeers the
schOolmastcr Taught his pupils how to spell winder
by making them wash one and II was Mr.. Crummes.
believe, whose browning glory theatrical mama
ger the Introduction OF "rea tubs" This has long
been the method OF a certain kind OF play,
and this method is again exempllhcd in 1.-THE Assom-
mOir." To put forth such piece illustrative or
new principle in theatrical composition il the act Of
charaau: 70 accept IL would he the act Of an
ignornmus. THE AssOmmor" is simply fresh speci-
OF what Mr BOuccault, many years ago. invented
aud described " The sensation drama" That order
OF play - often used by Mr. Boucicault with
discretion and taste. but carried by French
writers 20 the utmost extreme OF license IS
reared upon the doctrine that any picture OF
the actual work Of art and that exists is
suitable material Tor the stage The allacy Of such
proposition need not be urged. Thc theory long
since exploded and condemned. in the light Of its own
sickenlng results. To say OF any piece that It ~
" Observation-Disclosures drama has come 20 be- in
the widest popular sense and usage its cOntemptuous
apprehension. Every thinking person knows that the
imagination is the highest faculty OF the human mind
that IL Is ths province OF art 10 interpret
and not to copy, aud that ideal works are
the best fruits Of mental and spiritual life. These
truths not in controversy They have long been
settled and neither the publication Of vile French
novel the performance OF dirty French drama will
shake them. There reaction, In other days,
in France-.ed OY Victor Hugo, with Hermann -
against the classical drama and IN favor OF r0mantcsm
II came naturally because the French classics
pOmpOu, and tlresOme ana 1t succeeded because the
romantic school was vital with blood and force. Other
reactions are like enough 70 foow-but surely out
side OF the laws and limits of the human mind. tran
,itiOn 20 realism would ne plunge into mere vacuy
4" Fortune freaks but not TIL have world OF
debauched IDIOTS viii be yielded mp 10 tribe
OF Zlas. There question. accordingly. either OF
mind or morals, in the Eruption Of such writer. He
is merely offence against decency-a kind Of literary
malaria suggestive OF nothing so much rs disin-
fectan and the funniest proposition Of the day s that
which yaunts photographer OF the sluns as
EObespierre OF literary and dramatic revolution
The Ass ommOr adapted. by AugustIn DAILY
aud now current at the Olympic, theatre OF
the lower class-was. the opening night
failure. Il did draw very numerous assenib'age
and its auditory WAS distinctly and obviously bored
Tie piece has been considerably deodorized FOR the
American market. 1t formerly foul II is now only
dirty Not dirty IN the sense OF beng uncAaste not
Objectionable on the score OF any inherent prurency Of
specious vice but dirty in the sense OF being conf
pound repuls spectaces ana nOisOme odors These
It would b. offensive here 70 euumerate. YET even
IN these, Tie AssOmmoir" Is not sufficiently excep
uonal 20 DC singular Plays quite as coarse have
been seen beforehand nobody imagined that
they pre- aged any very violent breach IN nature The
quality however, in which ." Tue Assommoir" really
wears the belt" the quality Of stupidity. II Is a
very long piece IL full unceanly and~1bsurd IN
diyiduals VINO are supposed repeatedly TO MI their
stOmaols with rum and do actually i'll the air with
babbe and slang; and only such enhancing incidents
rs the tumble of . dummy from housc-top, the caper
ing OF a druukard deiIfum tremens and the wrangle
OF a pair OF washerwOmen, who drench each
other with buckets OF real water, lift It's
action above the sluggish level Of creeping
patitude As a play. it lacks both movement
ana FORM There H a story TO it, respecting an unfOr-
tunate womau-who il first the mistress OF blackguard
then the wife Of drunkdrd, always the victim OF fe-
male foe and finally stranded degradation and en-
aulphed in death but this tale Is neither dramatic IN
ITSELF nor is it dramatically told Lapses OF time are
supposed to occur all along its crrent-the sure de-
notement OF skeleton synopsis OF narrative No char
acter arouses interest; experience awakens SYM
pafhyi and the entire cOng.omeration, save that II
annoys aud repels, produces no more effect
than the dumping OF load OF old JUNK " Ihe
Assommoir" is act upon the olympic Stage with several
elaborate and effective scenes, and It's numerous dsa
reeable characters are presented with general hdey
to virulence DIRT uproar and wallowing wickedness
which is in the highest degree hateful and repulsiye
Miss Emily Rigl, Miss Maude Granger, Mr. Harry Mere
dith MI B. T. Ringgold Mr.. Edward Coleman. and Mr..
Harry Hawk enact the chief parts, aud al are we'll
PLAYED The actors indeed, have done their work with
earnest ZEAL and 10 pity that 80 much talent
should be expended upon such a subject.