, 1881-06-12
Success OF the Lo1y-Price
Drama at the Grand.
The Nimble Vokeses Capering to
Packed Houses at McVickar's,
Mulhooley and Mulligan On the
Stage at Hooley's.
Attractions This Week." Bellies of the
Kitchen y and h1ore Mull;gans.
Dramatic Jottings All Around the
Circuit-New Plays and Old
Actors.

LOW PRICES At THE GRAND.
Mr. Jay 1iial has been making an interesting
experiment. at the Grand Opera-IIousc, not that
the production nf ''Encle Toms Cabin Under
ornur: circumstances could bt called either
interesting or experimental. but because there
have hccn some unusual circumstances col,-
uectel with its production. First, the prices Of
admission have been very much reduced; and.
arcs,rslly. distinct and successful appeal has
becn nude for the patronage Of church people
md nom thcAtre-cocrs,-of Nil Glasses. When
:r. Ii:l's company was here list it played ut
Hayeriy's Theatre. The regular prices Of a.l-
mission were charged. and the attendance was
beyyariy. Last week the prices were hulycu.
ard the attendance WAS only limited by the
capacity vi tho house. 1t is probable that the re-
CENTS TT the reduced rates were double those
realized ut liatcriys OIL tho old scnic of prices,
10 accomplish which there mist have been four
times rs many persons III attendance. From
pecuniary point of view the experiment must be
adjudEcL successful. There could be no at1-
vantage in playing 10 poor houses ut regular
ra1cs for the name Of the thing anu for siyie'
which Mr. Rial did not enjoy i'll playing to !urge
audiences ut half price.
The experiment shows, moreover, that there
will before long TIC room in Chicago for 4 low
price theatre. where the best attractions can be
offered at half the ordinary terms Of admission
There does not happen to be in Chicago at pres
ea1 Il building exactly suited Tor the purpose
Me|ickcr's and Iuvcrly's must br for many
years strictly frst-c!ass i'll every respect incu,.-
Ing price: and ii should be said that tho terms
offered b. them in view of the quality Of enter
taiuuent they provide. nud in comparison with
those Of tlrst-cnss theatres in the East nrc low.
The Grand Opcra-Honse and 1Iooicy's are not
large enough to make the trial on the best
terms. The Grand 0pera-Ilouse in New York
o17t,.+
duccd. have immense auditorluins. and If they
filled 1T half rates any manager can get
profit ont OF the house. Tho big low price
1hcutrc is probably. yet to be built for
Chicago. The auditorium which 1iay-
erly has just abandoned would have been
admirably adapted f,,r the purpose m M Hut as the
arr. so the low-prlce theatres are usually those
which have failed i'll the euleAyoc To be nigh
body lSbo shall try to ser theatrical affairs
ah:tme by building great bnrn Of place like
BOOTHS, for the opportunity that is wanted
Jay Rints engagement was interesting, in tho
second place, us we have snid. for the effort
made to bring out theatre: xoerS, and ~: the
SUCCESS OF that effort. There Is large class OF
Just on the verge of Puritanism- They either
do the theatre ut alt. or they xo 50 sell
belief that their sin is Il very little one. Besides
those who hold or for Il point OF principle, there
are those who have little or no taste for play
acting. and prefer either coarser or finer
an1usemen1s. Great nroads were madc
upon both of these classes by .Plnaforc.'
and the class OF comic operas which followed
it. Some We're amazed to find that there was
such q commodity rs innocent mirth occaSlon-
ally p1ryeyed on the stage. and others that tnere
might De tlner and netfgr + ,ra1e IN f
prurient cxtravagances. The drafts made upon
both these classes are increasing ~ size IN
geometrica1 ratio. Uncle Toms Cabin " has
always had special claim upon their favor. 1t
has been popularity supposed to have :" moral :;
and tor many very worthy people morals are the
INIT TftAfN nf1.
out There Is aiwnys something amusing IL the
eager and Intense expression of IN incie rom ;
Gao fe aeae If sh
lives OF 4 million Of the truest and b1avest men
this country or the world has ever seen. could
not but sec there something to tx tho attention
Indeed, he must be an unthinking man VINO:
looking at ''Unclc Tom ugnin after the lapscof
few years. does not lind in the he representauo1n
and ideas in the old play which will have the
power to create Il monentary thrill we need
fancy egee IS @ 6g tue es9oa
there The tombstone of the play IS the tragic
insensibility of the poor blacks to their own
misery and degradation. That used to be plead
ed as Il reason for continuing slavery: VIC now
perceive that it was convincing argument Tor
emancipation. It was bad enough tilal !. men
horrible that they should be conteutcd ID tnelf
slavery. "Uncle Totn," on the stage, shows
that side OF the slavery question rs weA u.s. tne
than in the misery Of Etclc Tom $ own lifc
OF the play itself. or the particular version
presented by Jay lial's company. not much that
is good can be said. IT is scarcely play at all.
Il is rather Il series of historical 1nnicanx: ns:
The performance is good one as lar
rs it roes,-a tritle too realistic
perhaps, with its real bloodbounds and live don
yo1nR and incxperienced. The Jubilee singers
add very much to the interest OF tho rcpresen-
1a:ou. They are not limitations Of plantation
hands but the real thing: and neither their sing
Ing nor their dancing is so fancful us to destroy
the illusion Of the drama. Altosether 1t IS a
mcritorious production, though ny no means
great in q dramatic sense: and It deserves the
full measure Of success that 1t is likely to enjoy
throughout the country.