The New York herald., 1879-12-30
PARK THEATRE-FA1RFAx.

Mrs Marrgoid aftorward Miss Gladys Dean Clarke
mrs snsanne Dorsie Mrs g. IL. Gilbert
Virgie Little Ellie Barrett
Mr.. BARLEY Campbells Fairfax" was produced
st the Park Theatre last evening. and was received
with considerable favor by the large audience pres
snt. The production Of the play was also the occa-
of the rentree Of the regular COM
sdy company Of the house. the members of
which were warmly welcomed their appearance.
The prologue is laid in a miserable hut on the
banks Of the Mississippi and it serves to introduce
Mrs. Marrigold, the wife of a miserable. drunken
wretch and the mother of infant who is sick with
. fever. The woman has suffered all manner of
abuse from her husband, which reaches its height
when he wrenches from her hand money given her
by Dr.. Guy Gaylord, who happens to be passenger
steamboat which hauls up to the
neighborlng landing. and who takes in
teresI in the because he sees an
apparently intelligent woman surrounded by
misery. In the struggle that ensues between
Mrs Marrigold and her husband the latter is shot by
srevolver which he intends using on his wife. In
the play Mrs. Marrigod appears Miss GLADYS
Dean Clarke governess to the little daughter Of
Edwin Fairfax, wealthy planter of Florida and
widower. Beloved by Fairfax respected and liked
by Mrs. Dorsey and her daughter DIANA relatives OF
herself to return Fairaxs love- and her happiness is
apparently assured. when she is recognized
Dy LIZ. GaylOru, VINO appears rs guest OF
Fairfax The Doctor. actuated by his duty to his
friend Is determined to prevent his marriage to
woman he believes to be an adventures. but after
Gladys has partially related her history saying ony
that her husband is dead, the Doctor believes that
she is worthy Of his friends love. All again goes
we'll. when in the night tramp who had been
present at the death of Marrigold. enters the man
sion and demands from Gladys that she allow HIM to
rob Fairfax. Gladys defes him ana raises an
as the murderess OF her husband. Again
her life seems to be wreck. but she
fend her with his name and his life. The Doctor
helps matters by putting the lnquisitorial screws
shooting accidental and that Marrigold WAS
wounded by his own hand, He further complcates
matters. however BY saying that Marrigold did not
die. but was nursed to lite. This gives JOY to
Gladys in that her hands entirely free from blood
stains. until she realizes that Marrigold alive is a
greater barrier to her happiness than Marrigold
dead. At this point the is dropped
ny the tramp for tho first time. when tho
Doctor again comes to the rescue with papers,
showing that Marrigold died of yellow fever while
under his care. This sketch mentions only the main
chain of events in the play. There is secondary
romance the wooing and winning of the young
Diana by the old bachelor Doctor which lghtens the
play.
the story having been told with slight variations in
countless novels and plays. The prosecuted wife,
her struggle with her husband the accidental dis
charge of the pistol the secret witness the sup
posed murder, the change of name by the wife and
her new start in life" as governess. her accept
ance OF a position in widower's household,
her devotion to his child, her engagement
to her employer. her recognition by old friend,
the appearance of the witness to the supposed mur
der backmaller. all are the main points of
thousand and one stories which have been written
aud acted no one knows how often. Mr.. Campbell
invests the old time tale, however, with
some freshness by clever handling of many
Of its details. and while the story is
in the main threadbare, IL Is cieverly patched
here and there with some pieces of the dram
atists own composition, which give it, in measure,
tive of leading points in Mr.. Mackaye's ''fhro the
Dark. and there are other "reminiscences OF
well-known authors traceable in the main play.
But have said 1t is an old story and Mr.. Camp
bells right is as good to the material that Of
soWe of his immediate predecessors. The action
OF the play is not equally interesting through
out. the prologue and last two acts beng
the weak portions of Mr.. CampbelPs work.
The first act-the recognition of the goyerness by
the Docor--and the second act, in which the Doc
tor believes her story and becomes her friend are
admirably written, the latter being almost
effective in some OF its action as the famous
trio scene in Diplomacy" Mr.. Robinson and Mrs.
Booth making most positive and absolute hit in
their scene together. which the curtain falls.
The climax OF excellence is here reached, and were
the standard maintained to the end of tho
play 1t would be one OF the strongest that
has been put on the New York boards in some
time. But the action drags somewhat after this
and, with the exception OF the scene in which tho
tramp denounces the governess murderess
there is little of real dramatic strength that follows
Still. the second act in itself is almost strong enough
by of its own merits and because OF the
extraordinarily good acting II receives at the hands
OF Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Booth to carry the play
. sue ess even the other acts weaker than they
There much that is thoroughly good in this
not that Mr.. Campbell makes q great mistake In
not strengthening that which goes before and
condensing that which follows. The dialogue Is Of
good quality lin fact, Of too good q Quaty-inany
OF the characters conversng in English that is too
we'll chosen and in sentences too precisely accu-
rate in formation to have the of perfect
naturalness. Tho one main fault of the dialogue Is
the recurrence of many unrcfned and sometimes
coarse remarks put into the mouths OF the alleged
ladies and gentlemen of the story. fault garng
to go unnoticed and which should be corrected
speedily.
The particular successes Of the evening were made
by Mrs Booth and Mr.. Robinson, who deserve to
share fully with the author the successes that
were scored at various points in the play.
The tramp of Mr.. Ferguson was remarkably
able elaboration OF small part that made 1t promi-
nent In the evenings entertainment, and Mrs. Gill
bert. Miss Cowell and MIR. Whiting made much of
The lesser characters the programme. The
scenery was generously gotten up, aud altogether
Mr.. Campbell may congratulate himself on tho