The daily gazette., 1880-04-07
SECOND EDITION
iAyssEse25segifS.
1oUR BOYS

.'i Ntt-f FOUH BOYS. tN
The Chestnut Street Theatre Com
pany will present at the Opera House
this evening, II. j. Byron's comedy of
"Our Boys" for the second time in this
city. The company that will present
it tonight, is the same that presented
it at the Chestnut for over one hundred
nights. During its presentation in
Philadelphia, the Times of that city
said .ru. belize yfA -rlI5
Nothing of the kind has been done
better, either in this city or New York.
The wit is good, and what is better,
natural, and there is just enough of it.
The construction of the play is superior
to that of any Of Mr.. Byron's, and the
dialogue is pure and English through
out. The stage dressing is superb.
As to the company, we confess q
| pleased surprise. We must admit the
first honors of the evening belonged to
M. Geo. III. Griffiths and Mr.. Chas.
Stanley, who acted with pleasing
natnralness and easy exactness, as rare
as it is c0mmendable. To see neat
play, carefully presented by intelligent
artists, and produced in style leav-
ing nothing to be wished for, we COM
mend all our friends to see it. f4
THE GALLEY SLAVE"
BARLEY Campbelfs great play of the
"Galley Slave" will be presented at
the Opera House tomorrow evening
by one of the best companies now on
the road, including Junius Brutus
Booth, Owen Fawcett, Frank e, Aiken,
Georgia Tyler and Nellie Barbour.
Those who attended the performance
of the performance Of the AGalley
Slave" on last Thanksgiving night,
will no doubt go tomorrow evening.
| JOSEPH MURPHY.
"KERRY Cow will be given in the
Grand Opera House in this city, on
Tuesday next. The Chicago Times
thus refers to the splendid acting of
Mr.. Murphy in this beautiful ro-
mauce: s. II ~ ff
How much an able actor and man of
Judgment may do for a play has been
very well illustrated in the history of
.'Kerry Cow" This play as original.
ly produced about four years ago,
while it contained many passages of
real humor and few of pathos, de-
p 5nded- mainly for attractive force
upon a touch Of realism quite aside
| from any honest dramatic purpose
Joseph Murphy, by an unwearied ap-
| plication of that patient energy to
which his first success was due, has SO
changed this condition of things by a
deepening of the colors of his play, an
elimination yof-its undecided features,
| and the Infusion of q really serious in
terest as well as of really Hibernian
wit, that the points once strongest
have dwindled into com paraiive incon-
sequence, or at least have been so
modified by the improved quality of
their surroundings as to fall naturally
into place. The secret of the contin-
ued success of kerry Cow" and it's
constant growth in popular favor
| where other and more pretentious
plays have fallen into neglect lies in
| the fact that from season to season it
has grown more closely together. The
diaphonous passages linking it's essen
tial parts have become solid and strong
and the play has with time and care
attained continuity of interest Instead
of the rankly rebellious Paddy whom
Boucicault apotheosized in "Arrah ma
Pogue," and one or two other pieces,
he is simply a good boy. The suspi-
cion that he has objections to the
British yoke rather distresses than en-
bitters him. Yet Mr.. Murphy con-
trives by quaint and Irish wit, back
ed by Milesian readiness for knock
down, and an equally Milesian quality
of pathos, to make him not only enter
| tanning, but positively centre of sym
pathy. The old charge that the char
aclers are of the regulation Irish drama
stripe and number would still hold
good; but they have been converted
from so many soulless automata into
living persons, to whose doings a liv-
ing interest attaches.
There is one feature of the present
performances which cOmmends them
most forcibly. For the frs. time-prob-
ably the verT first since Irish drama
found footing upon the American
s.age-there were seen and heard a sci
of Irish characters speaking with an ac-
tual Irish brogue. An expert in brogues
might perhaps detect an anacronism in
the different dialects Of different sec
tioDs all spoken by persons presumed to
belong to one aud the same county, But
this slight slip may be overlooked in the
pleasure Of at least approximate consist
ency where never was consistency be-
fore. The company this season is by
far the best Mr.. Murphy has yet brought
with him to his favorite western city.
Mr.. Martin, whose striking characterize
tion of O'Drive has made him conspic-
uous in his profession, Mr.. Sands, and
two or three others, who distinguished
themselves in last seasons company, re-
main. or the new corners, the most
conspicuous is Miss YOung,a very hand
some lady, whose performance as Nora
Draw La prl atlY and instly admired