New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-18
nrsfO 4yD THE DRAAI.
STAGE AFFAIRS.

STAGE AFFAtkS'
Although the regular dramatic season ~ 'u 'na
CIV - drawing toward its close no less than
.' . 49,. 49, ,.sk and theatrical entertainments
are ottN 1'.' variety Nothing Of much ra-
-. nowever "a anywhere visible. Meodraihss'
sa.,,c ol.vs musical farces and burlesQues occupy
e.. stape ana will continue to occupy IL i"r soNiS
.reks when may be expecte1 q general cessa'ion VI
activity in this department OF labor No actor OF tue ufs'
ronk il now before the public of New-1ork nor Is any
-. ,as.io, ,g dramatic art now raised for the pub
~, 90, liberation We are on the verge Of the summer
,.u Restrn,re needed among all classes OF the busy
uarlers in tins captal-should no" DE conte
,,ated and among actors and managers there wa
naturally be reflection upon what has passed and thought
upon " hat is to come
The week lust ended sgnallzed by the presentation
nj auaptlry " melOdious under the name OF
MADAM Piper" ut wallaeks Theatre and by the pro
sYction OF A heavy Oufashioned English melodIama
entitled The Wages of sln" at the Fourteenth S-e
Theatre. The former piece is exceedingly n'ns| az
trivial IL makes, however, no pretehsioh' 'o'oH~
that OF being merry trife. It's scenes are gay anu
pnber Of pretty faces figures appear In them ana
s rrvtaes are associated with cheerful music. 1t was
noh, ont ON the 18th inst and it seems likely 20 enjoy
a trief RIM A tendency toward the musical our
lesane as a speciality Is one OF the signs OF 1he
dr4fs Of popular taste "Blnebearu Is prosperous
- = tnoa,ra and a revival of The.
DeviJs Auction" is announced at another; while the
l,ht operas OF Faks" AMI A Night in Venice sun
hold their place aud Messr Harrison and Gouray nave
had success with their musical force OF Skipped oy the
Igbt Of the MOonr II is likely that other pieces OF TINS
cisss will be produced the weeks slip by aad az NloO
they ar preparing renstte the spendors ana ohee
nj snectaele. with piece named 1.-The seven Ravens
No one OF these things be viewed as or serious I'M
nortanee Each will have it's little day and all, probably
win vanish when the great heats Of sumner decend upon
the city.
The meloarama Of The Wages Of SIN" at the Four
seenth Street Theatre followed hard upon The Pulse Of
Nev.York" at the Star. One at time. OF this
kind is as much patience ear endure and avery n'e
OF either of these pieces will satisfy any reasonable spec
tator Ia the former there IS an exposition somewhat
confused extravagaut but expediouS and sometimes
affective. % the IN which tortuous crime Is
pursued and hidden iniQuity brought 10 hghI IN
great eitr hairbreadth escape from railway acc-
dent remotely kindred with thai which was invented by
Augustin Day Under the Gasght" and an interrupted
burglary scene in churchyard kindred with that which
terminates Tom TaylOrs h1e drama OF " me ileAet-ol
Leave dan" the CHIEF points piaecay IA lois WOH.
But Tie story the play is tnn and 1t Is not clearly oG
and ur harmOre the play Is deficient o cn aS.eIs ',o
from a 6acurn and OminOus police oh'ef' me- ~
body ia it acted. nrl who cannot %eI the ll AZ
she loves because she aspects her putaYs athr 70 De
rsscal. has an oPpoTtuag 10 e1PesS n oria bas
this dilemma That Il al. The authoii MI 1OII5s. LIS
gpd has tried TO write a good play. sew
erll scenic pictures OF weu-knOwn places emoeluSu
l. AM Mr. George Clarke and Miss FIo@ Aie4 a,t IN IL
with lemons carefuneSs and earnest feeling Iat capt.
t actress Miss Caroline Hill also appears out IN part
. The WAGES OF SIM an English melOdrama, by MI
Frank Harvey, Is much the stronger drama OF e 40
II a. no preence generic character IL does not ain
IN Illustrate an exceptional phase OF any sort OF ne
civic rural IL simply Introduces SET OF eh
ters d tells story Of love and sorOW, SIN error ana ret
rfbUr,oD witt theatrical incident ana cUnl& ~ ~ nov"
ever made old material aud freghJed with te mora
It's typical sinner a sooundrei named Adle Wio nav
fog BETRAYED one GIRL Is eni Oed TO marry 1hOtheI ny
freac haral, Y fSisi1g his crime upon vrta)s rival
AMI ybo then ruRges his wfe INTO poverty anu Wetc-
edness drives her despair AMI theft ana Drulay "
her, til. at length ne Is sOuniIy tIrse ~
val clergyman, and finally IA shot ny the pQice
vhereup1u the clergyman, yindcated and triumphant
Tuar1ies the widow The moral Is that YOU must ne WI
tunus If you would be happy; that you mus
never act from pique; aud tAAs A. a.
son may chance have as mnch hSht
IN him as another man Mr. Denman Thompson par 'on,
who mfermits his prayer in order to crop TuHltniy
husband tsrOug n neignbOrng skycht, has lonS perh
aIalsp,ed Mr.. Eben PiymptOn is the muscular
Christian IN this instance. and he bears himself e4ceeu
fugiy " eli ~ a type OF the church militant. Mrs Agnes
ofh inpersOnates the injured WIFE, anu very pOWerug
IoTtravs the anguish of a suffering mother and the
rirafeous f,fry Of outraged and desperate woman
There is IT. Ong in which the wife curses her vi
laaou, husband. ana another N which she compass MS
victim to scOse his retreat Much emphasis IS ld uou
me MOI Al teachings of The Wages VI SIN put a mater
OF fact the moral o. sueh plays Is extremely
uiasr bas ever very much affected human cOhuuct ~ =
Character supplies the motive oil IeodS anu az 'a
a. dramatic ana pahetie human life results rom ne
snont anpOus conduct VI human beings acCng accoI-
10 Inc nabIre that is in them. There Is power IN re
oD TO affect the state OF but there Is no such
power in morality. D. III. -.-.
Changes or bill occur Monday night at six theatres
Nibio's Garden. the Grand Opera House, lHe lul-h
Avenue Theatre the Fifth Avenue Theatre, Tony Fas
tors theatre and the Peoples Theatre.