New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-06
"A MIDNIGHT BELL

Mr.. Hoyts new play, called "a Midnight Bell
was acted at the B1ou Theatre last night for we
FIRST time In this city and certainly IL interested and
amused the large audience that assembled to see 1t
n such an inference may DO drawn from the excessive
whistIinR and vocifsraon with which Il was received
Al the end OF the second act the author was called
before the curtain and rewarded with applause and
flowers ana wreath OF laurel The piece Is an example
Of deadly medocrity It's persons are commonplace
its Incidents trivial It's dialogue Is inpid, Its
story Is thin, trite paitry and impossible and Is al
most completely overwhelmed with incidental en-
bellishmente and interludes. Tho popular eements,
however, are furnished IN these very embellishments;
the limbs and outward hourishes" become y tho
soul OF within so far az wit has
any soul In this case. These trappings
are the pictures Of the surface life In
New-England country village. Tho piece contains =
schooLrOom scene with real children, coasting slide,
sewing circle church choir scene, and many repre-
sentative types much eacatured. IN several cases. Of
New. England character at its worst of tiviaiy and
COMMONPLACE To anybody who knows what depths
OF tragedy ana romance exist beneath the anstere
liio of New England, such connection as
this must prove inexpressibly vacuons. 1t
viii, however, satisfy Trivial multitude
ia the country towns The work has
been done upon the photographs principle. No
sense Of selection Is shown in the OF materials
Life Is copied IN It's obvious phases, but never trans
figured, never made really interesting.
Tho Midnight Ben Is thA of the village church, which
being runr by m imprisoned deacon, frightens .
robber who has hidden his booty IN ne church, and
has there 20 take u away Sno mus ieaas 70 tne
vindicaton OF an innocent man; huen amasepeai
The minister's sister was sweetly unprecedented by
Miss Maude Adams-a girI o. unusual Iaient ana
cierSyman with fine dignity. Upon the Yankee
ennenfs az the performance the audience laid It's
ehief approval these being the most dlsagreeable
qualities OF tho piece.
pRoCToR's TwENTYTHIRDST. THEATRE
Tho frequently deferred opening OF Proctor's new
theatre was successfully accomplished last night with
YeIll burgess in The County Fair' This piece, writ
ten by Charles Barnard, Is BY far the best vehicle M
rCess has had for the exhibition OF his peculiar and
marked ability IN depicting the quaint, angular and
hot-tempered, but kindly, New-England spinster
While possessing little plot and no claims to literary
merit the play Is nevertheless pleasing for the truth
OF its transformations and the realistic scent and
flavor Of country life that psrysae its scenes and ine
dents
The first act needs considerable pruning, and the
| niece wiz gain greatly by compression. A hushiug-
bee In tho third act introduced fair chors end tho
aroupng and movement of the crowd were extremely
| cfcditable TO Ben Teal under whose direction the
| play was produced Archie Boyd and Julius Scott
gave clever performances of farmers, snd Charles
| Jackson showed talent IN comedy work and touch
lives ss to redeem lis past Miss Clara Thropp as daes
wait Is bright little actress, and her efforts CON
tributed mlHh TO the general success race.scent
showing real horses running al fun speed, tSs oiec'
being heightensa BY RaaSHrsa a background: Tht
approval, and win unqpestionahw have profitable
Il AZ