Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-20
THE DRAMA.


AhE OkkAMA.
IAN Arabian Night ut Fulton Hail.
Mr.. Augustus Daly's prolific pen has
turned out much that is vapid and inane.
and much indeed that is surrounded by an
Of positive immortality.
In view Of which the appear
ance Of his name on the posters
as sponsor for the new comedy of IAN
Arabian Night, which was produced at
Fulton opera house last evening, was not
at all reassuring nor calculated to inspire
much confidence in the quality of the play.
1t is therefore with pleasure that we are
enabled to commend the performance
last evening as altogether enjoyable,
and by long odds the best work Mr..
DAILY has ever done in the line of play
writing. The title of the comedy is suc-
gestive Of spectacular effect, and therefore
calculated to wholly mislead the public as
to its character. The general theme of the
play may be briefly sketched as follows
alexander Sprinkle, a retired stock-broker.
Notwithstanding the unpoetical nature of
his business experience, the fact of his
being married and settled, with mother
in-law, and in every way associated with
the monOtonous humdrum OF convention
ality, retains much of the youthful romance
of his disposition. He is constantly re-
lapsing into dreams of unreality and ad-
venture, and the consequence Of this in
dulgence in the realms Of fancy are often
of q commonplace and unromantic nature.
Haroun-al Raschid. the far-fsmed caliph #
the Arabian Nights. is the hero whose adj
ventures most delight his poetic soul. To
such an extent does he carry his admira-
tion OF the great eastern potentate that
the impulse to initiate him at times is
irresistible. While making railway
journey he has accidentally encoun-
tered young lady whom he finds
without the means of continuing her
trip, when to her astOnishment she
is extricated in the most princely man
ner by gentlemanly looking stranger,
who presents her with a through ticket to
her destination, and ON being asked his
name that she may gratefully remember
it, is given the classic title Of Haroun-al-
Raschid. The sudden appearance of this
young lady, who turns out to be as ro-
mantic as himself and who follows him into
his own house to thank him and repay her
obligation, throws him into a state of un-
enviable embarrassment, for JIrs Sprinkle
is absent from home Oh visit to some
relatives, having left her mother,
Mrs. Wdlla6Om Wee6les, in charge
of her husbands domestic comforts.
Hate Sprinkle, his niece, is hourly expected
from Europe, where she is at school, and
Sprinkle is reading the letter announcing
her coming when surprised by the visit of
the fair stranger of his railroad journey,
whose name is Rosa Muybloons, occupation,
bareback rider in the Greatest Show
Under the Heavens, and who figures on the
bills under the high-soundins designation
of the 6 Wild Rose Of Yucatan." So he
hits upon the idea of presenting Rosa to
the stern old lady as his niece Hate, hand
ing her the letter in evidence. At this
point Of the complications Kate Sprinkle
arrives and Sprinkle is obliged to hide her
in boarding house. Then lrs. Wefblfs
takes fancy to the supposittious niece and
endeavOrs to bring about match be-
tween her and Lafayette Noodle, who is
her sOft-headed nephew. Signor Hercules
Sermith, the champion cannOn-ball tOsser Of
tho world, comes in search of the young
lady, who had become tired of circus life.
and run away. Hrs. Sprinkle then returns
and the complications which issue can
more easily he imagined than described.
OF course there are innumerable comic
and ludicrous incidents in the development
of the story thus briefly outlined. 'Toun-
dertake to mention even portion Of them
would occupy too much space and besides
take away much of their piquancy on the
reproduction Of the piece in this city,
which it was announced from the stage
would be repeated on the Sd of April, and
when doubtless it will be wit
messed by large audience (the
house last evening was scarcely
nine than half full, owing probably to tho
unpleasant weather.) The humor is light
and frothy, but after quaffing the draught
one is at least not subjected to the un-
pleasant discovery of the sediment of i'm
purity in the bottom of the cup, from
which some of Mr.. Days other plays arc
not SO entirely free, and which SO frequent
ly constitutes bar to the approval
Of the modern society comedy. The
spectator is kept in constant merri
ment by the pranks of the Wild Rose ef
Yucatan, and the apparently inextricable
difficulties in which she has involved her
romantic "benefactOr." Miss CarlOtta
Evelyn made the character of the
circus rider about as bewitchins
and vivaciOus as it could be, while
Mrs. Maeder in the role of ''that
mother-in-law, was the living realization
of the popular idea Of this exasperating
parsonage. Mrs. ThOrne was altogether
charming and natural as Kate Sprinkle, as
was Florence Robinson in the role of Mrs.
Sprinkle Messrs. ThOrne and Josephs
were capital in their respective roles Of
Sprinkle and Noodle, and the remainder of
the cast was quite satisfactory. Rapid and
easy in movement, crisp in dialogue, and
bubbling over with innocent fun, can
Arabian Night may fairly be designated
as a thoroughly good play. The toilettes
of the ladies' were elegant and the subject
of no little admiration among the feminine
portion of the audience.
Argument Court.
In argument court the orphan court list
has been reached and the cases are being
argued.
This morning at 10 O'Clock the list was