New-York tribune., 1885-02-08
THE DRAMA-MUsIo.
THE RECRUITING OFFTCER.

=
In the revival of Farauhars comedy AZ " rh>
Recruiting Officer" which was snected LAT p,s,X
~ DAYS Thcstre the most interesting feas,so
was an ingenious and audable perversion q
spirit OF tho original piece Mr. DAILY has changed t
form OF the comedy ceansed its chsrscters purified II
onc' ana pruned away the coarseness Of i languaea
ihs deodorzed rehabilitation result by no means
easy Oh accompaniment In its original state The Re-
crulsng Onicer 10 rank with sensuslty Its sceps =
the ancient city Of Shrewsbury England its mo The
period OF the Restoration Its story one Of amoro ana
ncentious intrigue ts persons, gente-foks military
men and PEASANTS contains fourteen characters and
more obnoxious collection Of mpudent and vulgar peo.
PIE could scarcely be conceived Its young women ere
grossly indecas. Its young reek with wantonness
ana deoauchery In Kite and Bazen it presents two Of
the most endacfous and flhy ruans In all the comedy
OF the time OF Charles H. Its county Justice Baanss
the father of its heroine while he does mueh
vile language Squire Western In Tom JONES'" 10 -
tns rull as grossminded and Its military hero
RUNE, Is an insensats bertine and aggressive rake
Its ladies'" Syria and Melinda, are, to be surs,
handsome and wholesome girls they are neither ~
nned modest,gentle, scrupuleus Rose Is smpleton
and wench. Lucy is huzzy. Mr. Worthy If les
dashing and more demure than Plume s libdin-
ous Melinda wayers between desire, coquetry, and
genuine spite and meanness. The country pumpkins are
simply such conventional bovine outs has ever been
usual to Introduce upon the stage for 70
s"o hoic nlfuDic-Wttou CuardcterS. xItm1
ana hte, In the r1ckery by which they outwit these
rustics and enlist them induce display of charactsr
and create an effect Of humorous pleasantry and K,
when he plays astrolOgcr expedcnt initiated by Far
quhar from Ben Johnsons filthy comedy of Tho Al
chynst causes abundance Of comic nystifcatton and
rockng sport The best Of these people is Sylvia for
though indelcate In her ideas and her language ana
more ardent than nice, she is honest brave; and
when she gets into boys clothes In order and
test her lover she not only peases by her sprghtncs
but sustans interest by her sincerity The author 1t ID
not to be denied drawing of these CHAR
acters. and in his telling of their story sure and
true knowledge of common human nature WHILE in his
management OF his sktsh lovers, nmbe adroitness
with which he makes their attitudes toward each other
continually change according to action Of doubt ca
price pique impulse, passion resentment he abun
dainty displays that skill in the invention OF dramatic
expedients and that power make fiction seem liko
truth, which, together have given him his unqueston-
able rank In literature Tie plan to keep two pairs
of lovers perturbed in tautazng perpexity because Of
their uncertainty to each Others devotion; to put
them at comic crosspurposes; to make them commit
comic olies and, at last reconcile them In happiness.
Farquha however, willing that the tone Of their
courtship should have a carnal Mr.. DAILY has
remodced and retouched the play make 1t tributary
to the bright results while redeemng 1t from tho
tat OF unchastty In this form 1t Is sparkling, without
being offensive but skill lift it to the level
OF those plays that cherished In the affections Of
rightminded people
The performance last night was remarkably
smooth and brilliant, considering the extreme d-
Guilty Of the parts imposed upon Mralys actors-who
suddenly taken out Of a. comedy OF to-day and
required to reproduce the manners, habiments, aud
OF society in English codntry town. than
hund.ei not to speak Of the swelling port
the gig" and the hamboyaDt ornate style which
authorized by tradition In the vein OF old English comedy
John Drews peculiar nonchaance and brisk action are
delightful, but Plume requires also abundance OF
ardor and 0riancy. James Lsws made the most Of the
astrological scene and converted Kite from bestal
harpy into humorous. good-natured quiz Miss Reban
bewitching In Sylrd, aud Miss Dreher as Melinda,
presented the ideal OF saucy and scornfu beauty
The troubled gravity and earnest feeling not untempered
with levity and mischief, I'm Mr. Otis Sknsers per-
formauce OF WORTH gave evidence OF keen intuition as
we'll as assured skill Mr. Fisher, of course, made old
Balance duly garrulous fussS and formidable But the
mating spirit OF the night Ada Rehan. In the
boys disguise this actress certainly presented most
piquant aud attractive aay, and her assumption
OF the staggering gallant Is to be recorded delight
10 her audience and OF the neatest and best
finished specimens OF her acting that have been seem
The general effect that Of exceeding merriment.
There u crowded house.