Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-17
ADJUSTMENTS.
ssUncIe Tom,s OEbin,, PRODUCED at
the Los Ang eles.

dO dSS <AhkoAC6 bhS6toA wan OROACo
last night, with new version Of Uncle
TOMS Cabin as the attraction. This
dramatization is by F. E. Griswold, and
is said to have received the particular
appreciation of Mrs. Stowe. the authoress
of the story, as the nearest to q true his
trionic representation of her own con-
ception of the incidents in the book. 1t
certainly differs much from the other
plays based on that story.
The sffair in any form seems to be
perennial in its attractiveness for q cer-
tain portion of the people of the
North. For many months theatrical
business has been dull here as
compared with what it had
been for few years past. Notable com.
panies have visited the city and gone
away somewhat disappointed. When
Robson came here with The Henrietta, he
was surrounded by an unusually fine lot
of artists. The play is very much above
the average; but it failed to crowd the
Grand. The Duff Opera Company is
the best on the road, but it did not fill
the same house to sufocstion by any
means. Last night the Los Angeles
seats we're very we'll filed in all points
by an audience that simply went wild in
its enthusiasm over play nearly every
one present had seen countless times be-
fore. The cruel and exaggerated
incidents of the story elected
burst after burst of applause.
and yet it Is not strong cast taking ii
all In all. Those who have seen Stock
well play "Marks" must have been dis
appointed in Mr.. 6ommers. The same
is true to some extent of all the cast.
Yet the big audience was pleased to a
most remarkable degree.
It becomes an interesting psychologi-
cal inquiry how long this story will con-
tinue to exercise such sway over the
minds of 30 large q portion of the popu-
lace. It Was natural enough In anti bel.
lam days when the New York Tribune,
Wendell Phillips and the other Abolition.
lists kept the North in such a state
of mental tension on the negro,
that Mrs. Stoves book and the
dramatic versions OF it should be q sort
of political bible with its mystery plays
founded on it. But it is now nearly a
generation since the African in the
natiou's midst became no more q chattel,
out vei..ae.ae veia1.e man and BROTHER"
This great fact has been potent in driv.
ing negro minstrelsy from the American
stage. In the old slave days the planta-
ton melodies, with their weird pathos,
exercised potent spell on the minds
of the people of the States where slavery
was known only by report. The old
Christie Company in New York
was very popular entertainment.
This lasted until the war was over and
the negro free. At once the plantation
melody and the burnt cork artists lost
their charm. All sorts of fantastic ex.
pedients had to be resorted to in order
to please tbs playgoers of the country.
Thus came Billy Emerson, with his Irish
policeman, instead of sole Black Joe :"
and 30 johnson and Slavin came with
their ebony hued Hamlets, Antonios
and komeos of gorgeous array to replace
"Massa's in the Cold, Cold Ground" !"
"She Says Now Don't Be Foolish, Joe,"
and "Mary Blaine" But even these
expedients could not keep the breath in
the moribund body of minstrelsy from
which the soul had fed. The other
day Dockstadter failed from lack of
patronage, and had to flee to
Canada. johnson has been forced to
leave his favorite branch of his profes.
zion and teks refuge in comedy. Billy
Emerson is getting old. Charlie Reed is
doing Hoyt's plays, in which the negro
does not appear. No young candidates
for hietrionic laurels are seeking the
coveted wreath by means of the burnt
cork. In fact, the days of minstrelsy are
passed, mot 10 return, and it is time some
one wrote it's Last Lay" How long
will it be before the same influences will
Danish Uncle Toms Cabin from the
American stage2 From the cnowds that
throng the Los Angeles this week, and
make the ceiling ring with their applause,
the time does not seem very near.