New-York tribune., 1881-12-13
NUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MrcIrIInIrGH IN THE BONDMAN.


MCCULLOUGH IN THE BONDMAN.
This piecc-given last night for the first time, at
the Fifth Avenue Theatre--carries the memory
back TO tie misty days of Mrs. Bateman ana
"Geraldinc." when "by nv halidom hourlshed
" the springald." and "a benson or " q Madison"
"an il like your grace" could be had for the ask
ing-and sometimes without it. Those were
"halcyon days" with Fl. L. Bateman, " by COCK
and pve" to preside over them and right Justify
ccuId be swing his quarter-staf and right merrily
make the lagon dance. But it is like t' need
donghtler spirit than the Hon. Lewis Nlngneid
g yes token of possessing to restore those antique
times and manners upon the local stage In MS play
Of &" The BOndman there is port-culls, ana
there are many "varets ;" there is ancient bel
dame" who vocerates what che calls "a murrain" y;
and there is gay and villanous occlcsiastic-one
of the kind that we thought had perished with the
gifted MIR. Leffngwel-who says to his moro diplo-
matte adversary "You took me in" But unhap-
pv there is nothing inside of these shreds and tat
ters Of old-fashioned romance. reader OF slr
Walter Scott can enjoy and admire such
coIloguy, for example, that OF the ola
fatalist and Roland GraCme in " The ADDot
because the speakers genuine men, ana
participants in a real and deeply interesting ex-
perencc. Mr. Wngfelds nterlOcutors though
are thin and tedious persons who experience nothing
and come to nothing. but only Ia k composition OF
medieval iargon and modern slang, and fade at last
into the milky way of everlasting commonplace.
Much was expected of the play, because Mr. NC
Cullough had been found willing TO produce it; but
= drcarer piece of old tapestry has not in many
years 20. itself on exhibition and nothing but the
splendid exertons of the tragedan saved
il from derision Mr. Mccullough, however.
worked with enormous energy and SIN
cerc feeling, and carried it through 50 well
that the audience gave him six special recalls before
the curtain TO achieve this result, in piece that
contains scarcely single good situation, and not
sir gle good speech for tragic actor was u accom-
plish wonders, The actor gained his effects by
means of reprcSsed force, intense emotion both pa
terual and patriotic and by quiet sonorOus. signh-
cant delivery at all times omnous of the dangerous
spirit concentred and held in leash beneath calm
exterior II is the father, the patriot the ayenger,
and the champion Of the oppressed people that the
chief person in this pieco is called on to portray;
and il need not be said that such an ideal could
not bo committed 10 wOrthier hands. in
the old meodramatic tragedy of jack Cade'-
which was n classic compared with this-Mr Nc
Cuough was always remarkably line. lie did not
need to change his vehicle; he probably ha' done
sc only to satisfy al amiabe willingness TO give new
things trial.
Wo have aleady printed the authors synopsis of
the story of his piece together with his comments
ou tho historic aspect of the character and the cast
of the play There is but little more 70 be added.
| Mr. Wingtied has provided nothing new. The
| return of Morton from his exile in Holland,
| "a set forth in tho novel Of "Old Mortality
has ong been representative incident IN hctlon.
! Cade. IA the old piece followed ths fashion. and
! came back as DR.. Aylmerc. In " The Bondnan" he
comes bac, as De PG-iea-G In both he returns to
nycngo his slaughtered parents and liberatc the
| propl,. I'm both he WINS "a charter" and an
nounccs ireedom-which Is thought TO be fine
! thiur The freshness in Mr.. Wngiclds version.
| nppcars to consist in his escaping from prison,
! through the help of his son-in-aw, who saws off n
| r,sslye iron bar ~ if II were u sausage,
| and in his conducting an assault on old
| I ondon Bridge. whereof the defenders kindly
on,p their rates so that the rebels may speedily ac
| complish their hmc-hghted victory. ms erect,
considering thc small size Of the Fifth Avenue stage
| WAS wrought III highly aninato manner Lta.t
! uipht. but, with king john ana Henry v"
! nhr1l ot mm Mr. WinEield viii scarcely imagine
| that he is a Moses OF dramatic discovery. ms
single stage picture and the passionate energy or
! Mir MrCuliougls actng--wth lts grand back
! ground OF noble. Slucrre, ana mahSlNely gr&ctiu
! p,r,onalitv-wcro the sole radiance OF tns
! dismal production In the natural oiHgf on
! tbircs The picre would end with the climax
devised for closing act secondIw heiG If ,n11 ne
ms foe lv the throat. II Coines dangerously near
| to rios,ng. IN spontaneous mlar.ty, when. IN act
th,rd the frsIy priest produces his bundle OF docu
mruis from hs box of hones-a partial rcm'nlScence
| Ly the way. of certain machinery III Bglwer 5
! Harold Bet 1t goes on 10 the culmina-
| tou of a single combat, and makes the
! usuaI tiissomc bld for democracy. That SALT we
IrortIly believe has lost it's SAVIOR, even here. II
! movement could be started TO induce the people 10
! wash themselves. and leave oil splitting on the p9oi
| and trv 10 do their work honestly and well, It
! would advantage society TAR more than
| aII fLe talk in the world about equality and the
! Ii,,hts of man 4 play must have some
ring more III it than freedoms shrek, TO commend
It even to the frecst-and easest-people under the