New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-03
THE DRAMA
pp.rNTRANcE OF Mr.. BoUCIcAuLT.

Mr. Boucicault came forth last night at Walaclts
Theatre in his drama of The Shaughraun." This.
N IL understood, is his farewell engagement. 1t
will last but shorl time, and at its conclusion he
will proceed to the Adephi Theatre in London. He
was received. last night, by numerous audience,
with the usual marks Of public interest The
shaughraun and Mr.. Boucicaulfs performance Of
,ts principal character are well known to paygOers
and readers of the press. This drama first
acted ON November IA, 1874, at Wallack's Theatre,
where il met with immediate and unequivocal
snccess aud since that time it has pervaded the
country and been seen everywhere. Ii is in three
acts: contemporaneous: located IN the County
Sligo. in the west of Ireland; thickly sown with
Incidents illustrative of an Irish story of romantic
adventure; descriptive of ten persons besides SOL
5iers and other auxiharies; restricted, to move
ment to the period Of thirtysx hours; constructed
with firm and brilliant skill clear outline
round in form; rapid in action; terse in style
iroll with humor; and SO various in phases AID
attributes that 1t concentrates the attractive
ness of many styles of dramatic art, and NAV
he said TO contain something to please eveFyb body.
n has little if any freshness, either in character
Mot but its treatment of both is sufficiently novel
Its views of Irish nature are at broad, true
and explicit. The utmost extremes of mean selfish
ness and noble magnanimity are seen in these. Its
portratures of women are particularly fine, and
are SUCH indeed. as denote a genuine intuition as
"a this subject on the part of tue author 1t presents
four women, each different all Irish, and all
natural. Its season is Autumn its time of day
mostly twilight its scenery series of seaside pic
lures, with rocks and ruins, crags and dells, and
ocean shimmering beneath the MOON Its
names are well chosen for their Irish
character and romantic sound 1t consists
Of sixteen scenes, deity arranged and well con-
hasted It's first act is pure drama, and beautifully
written Its second act becomes melodramatic,
md introduces, as a stage effect one of the most
Ingenious inventions the revolving tower of the
French stage. Its third act comprises elements of
ourlesque and farce 1t interests in many ways-by
,tory by character by portraiture of Irish usages.
BY incidents and especially by the exhibition Of
womans heart, struggling between love and duty.
It opposes virtue and vice under dramatic condi-
tions. Its yirtuOus persons are not made goodies.
but vsriousy are generous. quaint. sweet, spark
ling or droli. Its delineation of Irish customs is
mostly spontaneous-seeming to be caused by the
incidents and to flow out of what happens TO the
characters.
1t is not however. profound play, in any re-
spect Its hero is a fugitive Fenian-a gallant high
spirited youth who faithfully loves noble girl
and for hun a sacrifice of self is made by an humble
follower. But there is nothing ntrinsicaly great.
sither IN the hero or the adventure, the ShGHgh-
but it does not elevate. 1t charms a piece of
construction, and it shows, at every point. the
trained dramatst, in the maturity of his powers.
But it seldom touches the springs of deep emo
ton. In one act fugitive Fenian is captured. In
another he escapes from prison. In another he Is
established in freedom married to his sweetheart,
and renstated in society Nothing. meantime, but
his own safety is held in suspense. There is no ee-
ment of real tragedy iDvOlyed-and herein 1.-The
IN D.. l..1l.
In structural mechanism, it somewhat resembles.
Indeed as was long ago mentioned here, Mr.. Boucl-
cault has done but little more. In this, his latest
Irish play than to recast the chief types of his
lier Hiberniau productions. Conn. the Shaughraun,
is Mules Na- CoppdleeR improved; Father Tom Is Father
Dolam Kiachea is another COrrigaR; Daft kind
Of Feenu But Mr.. Boucicault has treated his old
Ideas with vigor, and "The Shaughraun" is
thus replete with opportunities for the actors
and with qualification for the public. Mr.
Boucieaults ideal of Conn was, obviously.
"reminiscences of Mr.. Jefferson's Rip Yam UinkIe.
We say Mr.. Jeherson's, because, although MIR.
Boucicault altered the old play OF &c Rip Van
Wrinkle" for Mr.. JeffersOn-at the request, and
largely in accordance with the ideas and sugges-
tons of the comedan-Mr. Jefferson's ideal of the
part had already been created and expressed by
himself, and, with the improvements he then made
In it, was, and liz, entirely his own. Furthermore,
Mr. Boucicault had no faith in it, and its in
London under the new conditions, is known to
have been q surprise and revelation to him. In
that ideal there is a strange poetic combina-
ton of tender humanity with playful humor
and certain wistfulness, sometimes comic and
sometimes torloTn-a childllke righteousness and
yagahOndish grace that are always fascinating and
lOvable Mr.. BOucicault had the shrewdness TO see
this after il was shown and perceive Its value IN
dramatic art and, for bis own purposes IN actlhg,
be seen Is to have made the ShaaghrduR by investing
his .byles Na-Coppdteen with something OF the mp
Van Wnkle qualify thus denoted. lie acted The
part very well last night, from TINS point OF view as
be bad often done before. There not indeed in Mr.
BOuccauts nature one particle OF TINS compound OF
amable weakness and sweet, dro.l, rustic drifting
simplicity ,but-he knows how TO slmulatelts exist
ence, and therefore, his performance OF the
ShaagrqRa is steadily agreeable. What 1t would be
WITH "a deep heart beneath IT.. the thoughtful
spectator can easily cOnjecture-but never, III the
acting of Dion Bouclcaut, Will ne Dehoid the
The east of The Shaughraun last night pre-
scented Mr.. Gilbert as Father DOtan, Harry beckett
Madame Ponisi as Mrs. Ohelly, MISS BODlfaee as
Arte ONoaU, and Mr. Barrymore as Captain Moti-
neur-the part that was originally PLAYED 9y MI.
Montague. The representation was even and good,
and the scenery pictorial and hue. Attention,
however chiefly centred on Mr. Boucicaut, who is
taking long farewell of the American public.
There was no evidence of illness, however, III his
actpg-unless, perhaps, certain occasional cum
acted with spirit, zest glee, and sharp precision !;
his voice resonant aud as harsh as ever; and
he gave all he barneylng speeches OF conn WIN
All necessary seductive insidl0usness OF tone and
manner. From the public he met WIN
welcome that might well have touched
Mr. Bouccault has braided into this
piece greatly enhance its efeet,because. with bis
aud SO tastefuiiy applied them. Mr.. Barrymore de-
served admiration for his portrayal OF Captain
MoIinear whcn requires. and winch ais-
PLAYED fine breeding, delicate feeling dignity,
ease and charm Mr. Beckett again astonishod his