New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-27
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
BoUcIcAuLT AT THE STAR.


Versa" and in association with newly organized dram
attic company. An occasion comprising SO many ele-
ments OF interest could not ana did not fail 10 draw
together numerous and brilliant audience; and Mr.
BOucicaus re-enrance greeted with joyous salts
faction. He continues to be great favorite and his
shining talents and inveterae intellectual activity make
him an object OF incessant interest Society dearly
loves TO have somebody to discuss; and Mr. Boucicau
has ever been both willing and able to give something
talk about His play Of Vice Versa situated
in the border land OF comedy, but 1t may rightly be
described farce in three acts Its remote origin Is
French The locality of Is London and neighborhood
the scenery consists Of three different interiors and the
carried by fourteen persons In plot the
piece is twisted tange OF little complications and
these complications expressed by means OF ludcr0is
situations and piquant dialogue The essentially fare
zeal character OF the structure is apparent in many
ways and especially in the fact that more than once as
the action proceeds the Of one single prob
able incident would Immediately arrest the movement
and end the play The author however, has intention
ally made choice OF method for the treatment OF
his farce subject and the point to be Observed is the
capital skill and unhagging animal spirits with which he
uses it.
Uis DESIGN was 10 present q merry, careless Irish
gentleman OF midde-age and of gallant Harry LORE
qer disposition, and to involve him In series OF per-
pextes incident his relations with two ladies' This
person. Phenir CFtattery has, by precipnate night
broken off an engagement with number one. and he Is
about to married number two when the reappear
ance of number one creates CONSERVATION and comic en-
barrassment through which then he must make his way
bv effrontery good-humored impudence and ludcrous
subterfuge hastily adopted He changes places with his
servantthe change including Names clothes and en-
ploymen-and this reversal OF relations attended as it
is with sort Of general capsze, gives name to the
play and direction TO the current Of its frolc. Moth
ing be taken seriously 0fyatfery means no HARM
The widow from whom he Is running away and who
is made pursue him with expeditions vigor equally
q triner-ioly iippant, preposteroGs and charming
The servant Dodge just the Tapdnt OF old comedy,
the ready mendacious futtering. frOcsome raiet dc
eharaJre A formidable, pugnacious Russan,-CounI
PopoG-is introduced, the widows guardian and
sutton widows hand and this fierce parsonage Is
deity used the expedient for some excellent equiyoke
and also enable FaiterH in the character OF Dodge
to make 1t lively" for Dodge in the character Of
Flaey. for the Count Popor Is dangerously jealous
and he detonates like doube-headed cracker. Inc
ladys maid OF the trim aud taut STYLE saucy ana p-
quaint; like Susan Nippev, or Lucy IN " The Rivals
Useful character elements supplied by number two
Anqelne Hyde the betoted helress her father who is
wealthy tanner coarse as cowhide; and her cousin
booy who carries specimens Of leather in his pocket
and unnecessary bundles in his hands, and sheds smell
wherever he goes.
Specification Of the incidents Of this piece would have
the effect Of siiness They evanescent as echo,
and not TO enjoyed out OF their own atmosphere But
the spectator OF "Ylce Versa" will especially notice the
dexterity with which the author has connected the
different persons of his plot and the different parts OK
his machinery by threads fine gossaner indicated
with touch soft as silk. Not WORD H wasted;
ana in the representation last night there was scarce
dull Instant after the drift Of the piece became
obvious and OFlatery had got mo the streem OF ms
perturbatious and comic maneuvres. The reader VIII
easily divine what 1t Is that this piece exacts OF the
PLAYERS. They must be Dmbe as the hgHt, ana as
free as air and they must act aud speak throughout
all their pursuit of rifles with vital earnest
TIL al voaiau md Y %
man who chases his hat on windy day are not
more sincere and resOlute than must De tne
mood OF the comedian who would Drlhs
amu,ement and laughter out OF the cOmca perplexles
OF farce. Charles Mathews and Lester WaiacK are
familiar types comedian whom nature anu artistic
education have lifted shine in such situations are
here denoted Mr. Boucicault who is charaeteraetor'
surprised his audience by the incessant sprshtlness
the sustained force the ripping humor andthe
ready ayety with which he carried eather-headed
farce part, making the droll and impudent OFtdttey
almost natural aud steadily sympathetic even In stua'
ations Of the widest SStravagance
is not strange, perhaps since the realities OF human
life can 80 easily be distorted into ridcue, thar the
absurdes OF human life should, BIZ equally det treat
ment be made to seem natural Such is the province OF
the humorous JarceW-wbch of course, Mr. Bouccault
has observed and which he assumes not with any
thing alike the cOnsummate grace and absolute ideD-
uiication OF Mathews IN Trying 1t on" or Wallack
in The Captain o. the Watch"-for there is usually
trace Of the preceptOr in most OF Mr. Boucca ats act
iue-yet with delightful aptness and remarkable effect
No man better knows how t. freight an
epgram with pungeney OF tone, or TO
shade repartee with the right Cadence;
while his verbal hits are always delivered with crisp and
vigorous promptitudc aud without sen-cOnsoOusneSs
| mature made me susceptible" says OFtdfey; Il
Welded 70 Nature" "she was not q woman" he ex
claims "she was a Whirlpool" On being told that dis
erection is the better part of vaOr he answers IL is the
whole OF i-in my constitution" Another time he re-
marks that tine fools who prosper with the women
they give their minds it, Most OF the persons IN
this farce speak this sort OF text there Is no at
tempt TO discriminate al am ready TO turn my hand
10 ANYTHING" cries Ardbeitd. "Loyely hand"
excIa,ms old Hyde; 81 wish she would turn IL TO me-"
With similar terse arines Count PopoT arrsnges tho
plan of due 81 propose that we meet on the Dorders
Of Belgium and France you stand in Belgium stand
IN France the border line between u.s. F0pog might DO
. at Aleris in Fresh" There is touch OF travestis
of " Ruy Bias" and still another Of Claude and OF
Pauline iu "The Lady OF Lyons" Seldom does the
brittle smartuess of the text seem fOrced-as IN Old
B,de's saying that he heard an impatient
bottle OF champagne take an early cue
This vulgar tanner with his commonplace daughter
and odorerous nephew though grotesque come nearer
20 actual life than all the rest OF the piece
Much OF the mood in which Mr. Boucicaut wrote
Iondon Assurance" has survived in hm-the impatient
aversion dulness the relish OF sensu0usness tue us
position to satire. Mrs. Peach, In faron way makes
one think OF Lady Gdy IN the same remote sense
Hyde does of Mar and OFlanery does OF Ddsste But
"yice Versa is altogether frivolous 1t pleases Tue
Master OF the Reves invite US to feast OF laughter
and he has discarded al serious matters The piece
IA mere mirth and the mrth Is fresh and innocent
Il was received with frequent marks OF pubic tavos,
though not with much enthusiasm An agreeable inei-
dent was the first appearance here OF Miss SADIE MSr
rot-, chnrming actress, frOlcsOme and goOdhumored
i'm temperament dashng In style demure and mlscnea
ana Ry urns and evidently weil-schooled as wen -
rtisticnly tiscreet-ior kept witin tue line OF Dur
iesone 10 which Mrs Peach Is part that offers temt
lion, and showed tasleul control OF her animal spirits
The acung of Mr. Fawceu was quite fsuitless "'"o
Versa" was gwen with the following cast:
Nii' fi'0 Dion Bouclcanlt
(of the Foreign otce, and major Of tho East Putney
Royal Irish Horse Artllory.l 1900.
ClngstOne Peach MISS hsrtu'e
fIier iadY's maid. 81 pursuit Of the fugitive podgel