New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-19
THE URI NJ.
LYCEUM THEATRE-THE MAIN LINE

LYCEUM THEATRE-THE MAIN LINE.
The handsome and popular Lyceum Theatre
was reOpened last night ana a new drama canei A"'
Main Line" carefully staged aud neatly acted, had It's
first representation before a large AMI sympathetic
audience There is a tendency in this piece towart
excess of repraiuctOn OF actuL ~ ,hs common me-
sucn objects as cars steam en- yines lanterns. switches
railway signals, ETC., when employed IN dram " canno
ne regarded az valuable for their sake hu or course
should be suborlnaed to the presentation OF dramatic
ideas IL was Mr.. Crnies who made point OF IN ro-
ducing "real tubs" aud the present CrammieS
NJ London Mr. Augustus Harris, has set a race
track on tho stage Of Drury Lane; but thr
Crummlcs method Of pay-writinS has not yet been
universally accepted as intellectual or admirable.
Aside from the of mechanics. however there are
Obvious merits In Main Line" which last served To
commend 1t In degree to thoughtful favor; while
to most OF the spectators TINS access OF photography
mani.estly made It highly Agreeable There was en-
tusastc app aue particularly at the close Of the third
act and MIR Henry G. DE Mile AMI Mr. Charles Bar
nard the authors OF the play. were called before the
curtain. pleasant AMI, therefore, an auspci0ns &C
cepaon OF the drama may u; one" be recorded In the
story that this rcOunts there IA scarce any sub
stance a. all, but the Development OF IL Is
marked by at least extremely pointed ami
touching dramatic eXpedient ms occurs III
act third when tho lover OF rustic gri
who Is the telegraph operator at remote Western rail
causes hsr To transmit message OF recon
citation between himself ant another woman and to
receive and interpret the answer The rustic girl ovss
him. although tho feeling Is yet unspoAen between
them; and by this expedent Is provided situation OF
genuine dramatic signlhcancs The pay employs With
yarous mo- lncaons certain welknown tneair Cal de-
vices that have been used IN Mr.. Days Under the
Ga,liRht" ami Mr. Il Duciclults "AfIer DARK" and
"Rescned." The language is pleuurluy Desprlnk-
led with the language incl ientdl TO railway
managemenL The AUDITOR hears Of "througn
tickets end "open switches" etc, and in
Of Tho DrnIf yaf
SON is told Ill arGon OF ths railway 1t cannot, Of
course be supposed th,s tins WORK Is intended IA dis
tncttye picture OF character ami manners essentially
tho characters are quite coeress ana tue
manners ooorsn silly. Tho representative lady OF
the piece presented Ia apq ant sparkling manner oy
MIss Lillian Richardson, enertes from rawy trnin
IN Colorado, clad velvet tnl accompanied ny
a gorgeous being IN portentous new SIX N.Y. rs
love story, separated FROM car whistles and
station ia round be very slender. II rests upon
situt what similar to tnH 81 steerlortn, LILY.
lie Eluly aud Rosa Darte In David Copperheid -Oi
course With adherence. handsome aud Tall ant young
artist he'd rich arr wDOm lie does NOT rove
becomes rnauored of the ihterate daushter OF rail
Wv station master the far West AMI ln-
cautiously wins her affections In Which, however,
ms supremacy IL disputed by an anOrOus ana
mnr,Ierous brakeman the main line, the girl
is what they call rough diamond. In this instance AS
persouihed by Miss Eta Hawkins, she SLABS her thHns
taAs through her nose ard gives fair Imitation VI
Maggie Mitchell fdnchOH bal she contrlves to sug
Interesting PERSONALITY anu 10 i've aeae aaa
there sgnt Jouen OF nature The humor OF the piece
l.. kisn and forced. Much Ot IL urlenls upon tue
proceeing Of q lady, who INDUCES IN acclamatlons
such as Yankee stories and louud nowhere
else Mr. L. b. Macxay, the only real actor VINO
uppeared ON the stage last ni9h- IL tnfu-t
into characters OF religious hypocrisy personnea
A trayenns pafsou who mngles the vhlgar ehhor'a
tons of the Methodist cam, -inectlng with lne eh"us
g.nbe of the stock exchange This sketch, however.
Mr. Mackays consuuuIate aollity renders rosprctaDe
There Is another coWie pcrrormer whom tne authors
have con i.mnel 10 wretched endowment u wearing
nm yr- lass and family tumDug over cphr-, pat
forms and IN tmpednent'. AT the emu OF
c third the heroine has 10 choose "etween lraV
in her lover appa ent destruction and SAVING MN oy
inc wreck OF "A railway flied with passengers, ahh
her heroic sa ricc of lover brin-s down no house
with tremendous applause. Whle II co laps nucn .ns,
TRIVIAL THE Nam Line" EXHIBITS clever and effective
polnts It. roo grow, however. not IN tht SOL Oh
n,Aan natnr., that OF melO-lrainatc situatoh
II Will ~ it purpose bat " viii not ehuuro
md in the mean ~hir. ko many kindred COMPOSITIONS,
II vlu falacious Re ~ American ur"" io'
no better reason because ITS scene II Lara III hs
he, n. nomenclature Ia American, ami Its topic inc
,.yclonmrnt OF ife and love ong hue of American
ro.d Con siderable ingenuity Wts mantestei III the
wurkiL ~ miniature aud tie lmltNu OF unseen
locomotives. Thr cast OF parts Is appeh 'co'
Lawrence Ilaton. ID '..,,"n
~ ,i,fi t,w,ilv,i,utnp .......t f. Na,kay
,'' i,i, III. n, ..... ..... Ralph Deinore
Nun "a