New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-29
THE LONDON STAGE.
NOTES on NEW PERFORMANCEs-A COR
RECTION.

The choice OF play for the roOpeuing night OF the
Hsymarket Theatre supplies whole commentary
on the state Of the English druma. Since the Ban
crOfts took possession Of q is theatre which they
remodeled and redecorated II divides with the ST.
James, the distinction Of being the home OF The
comedy of society as the Lyceum Is OF The classical
drama The Ro6ertsonian comedies are, IN the
most strict sense, played out Last years reyYa al
of Ours proved a success, thanks TO tho attrac-
tUns of Mrs. LangtrY. though the secret OF her i'm
mense popularity remained then unsupported To
that succeeded Odette.' which is purely French.
And to Odetts" now succeeds the late Mr.. Tom
Taylor's Overland Route" It Is perhaps suii-
cien mark of the merit of this piece that three or
four of the critics hit upon the word inyertebrate
as the best description of II they could give.
Whether TayloI's piece be original or Dot, can
not say. II original, it is the exception, not the
rule, among his numerous productions He Ike
the rest Of his generation and OF that which bas
succeeded it, got into the habit OF going to French
sources for his plots The Nemesis which waits
surely this habit of borrowing Is the paralysis OF
original power. IL has not waited long. There are
four or five theatres in London which would vel
| come eagerly new and really original comedy
and would pay Tor it literally. But this is ono OF
tho many cases where the law" Of supply and
demand breaks down. There a great aud con-
/
To whom the manager to turn who wants
play Of this sort Who is the English drama
fist who ranks with Angler or Dumas, or
| even with Sardor Gilbert But GOerts plays
were failures till he took 10 writing lbrett,s for
Sulliv1n's music, and be Las worked his one VEN
of oxtrava.ant drollery till It is II question how
long even Sulyan's music will keep 70 in vogue
Wills' Tie is the author Of many pieces, of winch
one, Charles H. lifted into success by brill
Iant mounting and acting at the Lyceum. AIbery
His Two Roses which brought fortune to the
managers of the Vaudeville On its production. has
already lived oul It's time. It's recent productions
at the Lvceum brought uothing but loss to the ex
cbcquer OF that prosperous establishment: Ilneroi
But PilerOs "Suuire" gave rise 20 lively
controversy a. to that very originality OF authorship
which we are in search Of Tennyson} Well. Mr.
Tenuysons is name which must always be mcu-
| toned with admIriug respect but the rlrt whi'h
his dramas have contributed to his fame is mimi
t,smal. | need not extend the list 10 might in-
cIude sundry successful playwrghts ANA Durl'sque
writer's but the motto or them all Is 20 take their
plays wherever they are 10 be found. And among
those named and unnamed, Of whatever degree oil
merit, hardly one la, seriously applied himself 10
the construction Of what | called % comedy OF
society. The thing exists in France and dors not
exist in England And 50 it is that the manager Of
Oh such play Is the Overland Route
II there be a note Of originality in tins piece IL ~
/ IN choosing r. and o. steamer as the scene OF the
incidents. Here aud there occurs an ingenious
touch but Of plot the piece has none. Of story none
of real interest none The attraction les IN the life
! on board ship in the wreck. and the reappearancr
OF the passengers the reef and In the 'erv broad
| comic business given to Mr.. and ltrs. LoNt00nd.
The latter is played with great spiuC and sGrencss
| of effect by Mrs. John Wood, whose acting ln It's
! kind /. still of the best 10 be seen on the London
STAGE It's almost thirty years since this lady up
| peared on the stage Of the Boston Theatre IN
soubrete parts in which she at once became a great
! fayorite So easily has time dealt with her that 40
the sight of this sprghty woman. 80 tull OF energy
and 20 and laughter is disposed to divide thirty
by three. Rpeness of style has come to her while
she still preserves for all purposes, the looks
and physique OF an aye far less than her own Mr.
David James played the husband with breadth ior
which the ffaymarkct Is hardly big enough. and
! tre part does not really suit this actor. whose
! humot is genuine and good in It's kind. Nr. Ban
! croft. who played last summer M "Odette " a part
| wholly out OF his line showed hardly les courage
| IN attempting that of Frank D.rtT. which Charles
| Matthews made his own The Ms. 'c,right OF
! the plav a flirting widow who has husband IN the
way and in the background fell to NIs. Bancroft,
! to whom nothing in pettcoqts comes amlss.
! There were other competent actors IN the cast,
which as whole was stronger than the piece. The
! mounting al.o vas of that elaborate and natural
! istlc kind demanded by the playgoers of the day.
AND vet the curtain went down on the third act the
first night 10 the music of scant applause aud SOM
! misses. The first act amused people The second
vas voted heavy, spite Of the acting and the well
: managed wreck In the third the anlless inco-
! hprence of the talk the total want of movement 70
! the story and the budding up OF the denouenent.
were mite too much for the goOd.nature even OF
hrst.ni2ht audience Notwithstanding all which
! In, plav ls likely enough to draw. The Haymarket
| il an extremely popular house the seats are CON
tortable there are no fees 1t is readily accessible,
the Baucrofts are liked personally and profession
| allie. and people easily Imagine in these favorable
circumstances that they are being amused
| The celebrated American actress, Miss Cal
| boun.v made her first appearance IN London on
saturday at the Imperial Theatre as Hester craze
| Jrook in Tom Iaylor's comedy. IA Unequal
! Match" If Mss Calhoun's manager had been con
tent To- allow her 30 offer her first curt-ey TO .
London audience with more modest heral lnG'
| her reception would have been not less gracious.
| The English critic. who keeps an eye on theatres
across the Atlantic, asks scopticallS when ana
where did Miss Calhoun become celebrated lie
! knows OF Sucu prbdcHu'Acu A@A.' IN 'i'""'- PtN
vent him preiudging Miss Calhoun on her merits !;
and that he would have done in any case. and has
now done il not unklndly
Miss Calhoun came to London last year. She had
I previously acted 1t was said. liz California, and
WAS the grand niece of JOnn c. Calhoun OF south
| Carolina Neither title would be = very positive
Recommendation - n London public. Oh California
the London public has heard. bu not as dramatic
nursery OF Calhoun.-w there may he Eng
lishinsn to whom that early apostle OF secession Is
k,,v, but they arc not numerous People were
,uor- interested in knowing that this young Lady