New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-20
THE DRAMA-MUS IC.
ON PROBATION.

ON PROBATION.
A numerous and propitlous assembagc, In the e'ac
Theatre yesterday afternoon saw the first
OF new piece entitled Probation written by mr.
Brandcr Matthews and Mr.. George II. Jessop. ana 70
ceyed II with kindly interest and frequent denotemehS
OF favor. This play Is comprised III fohr ao', anu
devoted To the exposItion-often amusing ana some
times notably skfulof story OF social lie III I~i.
and in switzerland. 1t introduces eleven PERSONS VI
whom five are Americans, two arc irish ana TWO are
English while one is Russian and one Is Brazilian lts
sceno begins Mt a hotel in Paris and presently shifts
m hotel at Inyerlachen, and incidentally includes
striking pro,ect Of the Swiss Alps. The dialogue is
nu.ntIv written. and for the most part In 1ocose
sr;rit, and the action Is abundantly suppheo "i'i
,iob, inc,dents Mr. Crane and his dramatic company
acted in t. and every needful effort was made, and
made with ability and success, to give IL haho'o"c
s,.oo eating and an effective interpretation
This work dsapponts anticipation OF comedy OF
tho higher class but it Is well adapted to please the
nubIc annette for comic foolishness Whether that Is
nm annette which ought longer to be ADDRESSED anu
whether IL ought to be addressed at all py SUCH an eA
cc,,ert writer as Mr. Brander Matthews-who is a
scholar and a thinker-may be questioned Ihere Is
a higher taste aud there IS better ncid thah nave
been considered in this endeavor NO one concerned IN
no viewed IN thoughtful spirit. Every important
ssumntion Of fact upon which it Is based is an i'm
nossihI,tv Each of the several dllemmas In which
its chief person Is involved Is rauonauy causeesS
Almost every effect that 1t con1ams Is caoho" W
means of caricature or exaggerauo'i' anu III i''
representation OF character 1t Is untrue 10
exccpt the necessities Of its own mechamcai ue'eop
ment It's Americans arc vapld, oquacoe' anu ni,o'eu
IFS Irish are Crotesquey dishonest Its English are an
in,rossiho knave and preposterous fool its brazilian
i a Iunatic. and its Russian Is wooden image.
The principal American, Jonathan siisoee' imper'
sonated with much rude vgor and detoha'"e emphasis
by Mr. Crane combines all those qnaities Oh intrusive
ness pertness vanity, supcrhuous acViViS poi'o'o"
apimalism and explosive ostentauon WHICH IL 10 "su'i
for satirists to ascribe to the American
Init which are only found in its most unlovely ana
.nroo.nt.,,vs snecimens In other words, the ex-
ccnton Is here again set for the type and nature ana
fact are parodied for the sake Of theatrical point euch
4, woman as Lady Frank Brooke never existed ana
never could exist. The conversations onae pass oo-
tween her and her lover, F1tzmaur'ce WHICH '"os e40
alone are merely insane. The woman WIN 'oi' "
man that she loves him. but that she nihsC haii'
money! and fife man who continues 10 ioVe her' hoV
withstanding this avowal, are persons not compre-
hended outside Of fiction Human nature may oe,omo
II does not 20 about and proclaim its degaaa
ton. ,,. ,.,r
The moment that the serious view Is discarded now
ever and the piece is taken as a fronc, all Is pam
sailing Jonathan silsbee, Of Chicago miiio'airo'
wishes to wed Mary Marowe, of New-fork' eo'eIno''
in his sisters family and they are betrothed buo Mary
has observed that Jonathan is susceptible ana INA. ho
hirs with every girl whom he meets and she therefore
makes a condition precedent-putting him on prooa-
ton, for one year. lie Is not to hirt with the srs
during that time. II he stands the test' she VIII
marry him. Meanwhile their betrothal is 10 Do hcpV
a secret and the family, including her lover Is 10
travel in Europe Jonathan tries TO Keep MS "or-
and fails Tho comic pepextes that ensue arc te SUD-
stap 4 ,e is
II has been worked out, in the farce part OF H. WIN
marked Skill and its current is frequently dVershed
with broad comic effect Jonathan meets with waiter
in Paris, whom he has known as a count IN omcaeo'
and tho waiter levies blacknail upon him by the
monstrous expedent of threatening to disclose MS
own successful rascaty and imposture. Jonatah
has kissed a young woman whose husband is furious
Brazilian-and this snorting stage bravo draws kic
upon him and fightens him into comic cohvuisiois.
Jonathan IS eadseed oy an irTn wSo csses many
trouble for him with his sweetheart. Jonathan Is
bold enough though to ss e1p ssS e e at cards
So 1t goes on,-tll, ultimately, Miss MariOwe consents
to marry her millionaire, and the frolc and the laugh
NJ Crane made use Of the part OF ss be- f9r
S he is rearEable and since
bold as lion and now as timid as sheep ne u;
hsterns POPULARITY with covering trepldation There
were moments when he seemed about TO turn INTO an
eating Major in "Lend Me Five Shillings' There Is
neat bit OF equivoke In the third act, to which the
comedian did abundant justice, and there is a neat
piece of stage business with letter and lunch-boX,
which he handled most adroitly At present the Inn
personation is somewhat formless; but as the new
piece is sufficiently successful to be Kept IN Mr.
DEFINITE identity with repetition The presnce o OF
dramatic episode Of the cardsharper ought to be
modified or dropped The reappearancc OF the rascal
who cheats at cards Is only ludicrous now Mr. Crane
had the utmost goodwill of his audience. The auxiliary
art of Miss Katherine Florence, Mr. Henry Brahanl,
MIR. William Herbert and Miss Hattie Russell con.
trbuted much to invest this piece with air OF
solldIty and authority. This is the cast:
Jonathan Silsbee OF Chicago, U. 5. AVN. II. Crane
Sir Maurice Fizmaurice, OF FitzmSnrice Castle,
Prince Ivan Karoskor, Of st. Petersburg, Russia
T. ID. Frawley
Senior Pedro Oliveira " Duarez, of Rio JanerO,
b. Benjamin Cox, OF Cheapside London ..........
Henry Braham
Eugene a cosmopolitan waiter. William Herbert
Lady Frank Brooke widow OF the eldest son Of the
Marquis OF Ascot................ Hattie Russell
Miss Mary Marlowe, a young lady from New-York
Esther Lyon
Mrs. Harmony, sister OF Jonathan Ssbee, wife Of
Judge Harmony, OF New-Yoik ..-..--..::..
Mrs. Augusta Foster
Miss Sadie Harmony, her daughter. Jane Stuart
SenhOra Olyera " Daurez formerly Klttie Van
Antwerp, Of Newly ork. Katherine Florence