New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-29
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THE ROYAL MILDLY.

The tendency of the stage in this period to frcro
| and laughter has often been observed Everybody
likes to be amused. The tone Of the time is tone,
not indeed OF evity. but of sportve carelessness.
Serots dramas and serious artists are just as much
enjoyed and respected ever, but their continual
presence is not desired. The public OF piay-goers
turn to the stage for relief from business cares
| aud the strain of everyday life. The managers
have perceived this drift of the popular sentiment.
and for long time now their scenes have been
hung with garands. ITALIA, scattering roses. Is the
| goddess of the hour and queen OF the mimic
| realm.
| The new piece brought forward last night in
Days Theatre still another response to the gen
eral desire for mirth. 1t Is musical farce CON-
posed and treated III the comedy manner, and
equally charming in felicity OF plot. methods and
| sprightlIness of numbers and comic extravaganza
of character and incident. Coeman's "lnkle and
Yanco" was one of the earliest of works OF this
, class; The Pirates OF Peuzance" Is one OF the
latest. IL need not be said that this is delightful
species in dramatic literature; but it is not new
one IL seems new because IL has been SO long In
disusc-for it enjoys greater prominence and favor
now than IL has for sixty years
1.-THE ROYAL MiddyD Is frolie in palace. The
scene is the royal residence OF the Queen OF Portu-
gal aud the adjuncts, accordingly. are stately III
style and rich IN color The persons are the Queen.
| the Prince Consort-unavowed-the Prime Minis
ter and his wife, gypsy girl. and an OLD Iaiiiioh-
aire. The action is propelled by spirit Of innocent
intrigue butvery earnest jealousy On the part OF al
the persons. The Incidents though not particularly
| fresh-since the dramatic machinery Is suggestive
| of the entire large class of notions typhed ~
shakespeare's " Merry Wives. a Wonder and
&" Don Caesar de Bazsu"-arc yet well chosen, bright
and well managed. The plot turns upon the Queens
| jealousy of Der cOnsort, who has to hide GYPSY
Girl in his closet from hch, to bis great reei, Sho
energes AS a Royal MILDLY, and the Subsequent
jealousy of the conSOrt, when tho Queen has hidaeh
this same ROYAL MILDLY in her closet from which,
To her obvious comfort, he emerges as the gypsy
Girl Incidentally the Prime Ministers jealousy OF
his spouse and the mlionaire's perpexiiy over III"
disappearance of the Gypsy Girl,whom he wishes 10
wed, and the advent OF tho koya hi"uy
who 40 closely resembles her, are made
both to help the action and enliyen the conicahy
of the situations. These are very comicai ino'eu'
as may be surmised. They occur IN rapid sequence
they are animated with brilliant raillery and SET
| III with crisp and taking songs, and they proVluo
occasion for much Of that sort OF acting Wh'ch IS
like the fash Of the raper and the quick gianco vi
velvet black eyes through laos and moonlight,
! when Summer n zhts fragrant and love Is
! young an,
The welcome which was accorded TO " HE hoyai
| MILDLY" last night, at Days Theatre was nearly
| 10 the pitch Of enthusiasm. The audience WAS
very numerous. and it presented an appear
ence Of sparkling animation that bespoke
| IA biob relish OF the merry spectacle
hesore ITS ewes. and which was good to see. Miss
Catherine Lew s. acting The Royal MILDLY. exerted
her extraordinary charm of childlike grace ana de-
r,ure coouettishness with The best effect No one
surely better understands than this actress the en-
,icpg o,ace of artful negligent In dress ana man
nor the studied disorder which Is poriect pe""t''
| the yooing spell OF a mischievons innocence ,he
ho,vuering force of careless gayety which NANTES
| over the rosy exuberance OF youth and loneliness
Her performance OF The Royal Mildly. viewer ialhei
IA M effort in acting than In vocansm' Is peiie''
TYNE of all that is meant by fascination III "ouA"'
| nature and pouancy in dramatic art. The piece met
with uneouivocal IL Is not case vi moie
.mhi,ion than talent. II does not aim too high ioi
;,a ,,orksman II Il an instance OF feasible par'
nose alternately accomplished, and II merits ions
| continuance in popular regard. Mr. DAILY aud MI
| Frad Williams have adapted the work, from tue
German original and the liberal manager has gwen
II ,pendid scenic dress while his auulIao'o cum
many afford It, in almost eyers respect compete
;,,,r,,;on There is some weakness in the vocal
| sm but not enough seriously to mar the pnshs
| oaect of the whole work. The text IL nos OF tha'
silverv finished and cracking KIND when Is niauo
Inv snch writer Gilbert but u Is clear ifesn anu
| serviceable The music is remarkable for extreme
| dalicaey and for n sweetly sympathetic spirit IL
~ sometimes purely poetic. dreamy, and sad,-some.
| t. buent IA a mountain stream with dash ana
| ararkla The duet "Thro the Might sung By Mr..
| Hart Conway and Miss Lewis may be named as
on. of the gems. Miss May Fielding was
| ohviously worry i'll, and quite hoaise-se'
| shs struggled bravey against THESE oos'acies
Tho performance lasted till late hour ana IL Is
only possible to record IA these lew nasty wcs"s t'
III I,yth,rin0 beauties and Its marked success MI
Eri Nollonhauer who has cuiabortd IN the adap-
tton directed the music with CHARACTERISTIC enerey
and taste The dressings and stage grouplnes r T1
t;tnted a series OF pictures OF rare lOyellness Inns
is the full cast: ~, 49,, ,,
%eTy poor ihe German Ar,@y ., 50,
pS STe SSu %a p.Tssss:s q se
srsO s sna bro hers ali iSilhOnaires
DC cere%ones very sighted Ond very yea Gus
Master ,ss s F csRsr q 4 s :s sSy n
S Sasss St lSf w.iI sl? :%s
Mnhgc conhden'ia, valet and . IeS b aS Se
Rodriguez an attendant the Governor Sierra nSr,s
gusse exquisite 80. Esreiie caytof
PSy N sss Weaver
/ Pans' Academy Lisbon Isabelle EyeTsoea
EnIie'''''-'' lssc~le-
Ntuf,n
"A
Garia Francesca. Queen OF Portugal secretly mnne'
10 Don Lambero; devoted but doubtful eaeI s,
Fanchette a wandering Zngara VINO irans , ~ 80
sr,a he <ova, MILDLY. Gather ne lewis
nnnna Anionina wife Of Don Domngos conncsh, -
the oucen's and perpetual tOrmeht % ph IN
short sighted husband -..''-'"" ~
ITALIAN OPERA-LA FANOHlIA'
ola Favorita" was sung last evening at BOOM
Theatre and was in some respects, one OF tue mos'
satisfactory performances that Mr. StraAosenS
Comoanv has gwen this season. IL enlisted ths