New-York tribune., 1890-08-05
THE DRAMA.
1.-THE BALLOON AT THE STAR THEATRE

THE BALLOON AT THE STAR THEATRE.
In q theatre Frightened swept and garniShed since
last season and much improved in convenience and
comfort. The Balloon English farce comedy. by
George Manvlle Fem and j. H. Darnlcy. was seen last
evening to the accompaniment Of abundant laughter.
The night hot without. but although the house
crowded. the blasts of Arctic air that were famed up
from below through gratincS in the alSles. and the
gentle gales produced by the whirring electric
yentilatOrs, tempered the severity Of midsummer.
and made the Star Of the coolest August theatres
in America. The Balloon is a merry trihe well
fitted Cor torrid nights when the graSshOpper is a
burden and desire doth fail II is not in The least
stady Of character. It is wholly farce Of in
cdcnts No traits. novel cccentrCities, no mn
wOutcd Illustrations Of the possible vagaries Of the
human intellect and the mortal temperament can be
noted hec. 1t furnishes fresh portrait for the
great gallery Of mrth full already q famous stage
ncu.c, II Is play Of comca action. Of brisk move
mclt Of skfuy devised complications and cross pur-
Toscs. It. authors have shown small ingenuity in the
use Of their material 20 provide entertainment
ol a lively sort II lacks sarcasm ana biting VII
II 8 not strong enough TO be seasoned with such
elements. Iut In glowing raillcry. In sportiVe quip
end Jest, in pleasant PLAYS on woriN, ana IN uho
aDd interchange Of amusing phrases, IL Is successful
IN keeping an almost constant smile upon the faces
Q; the audiences and the smiles Of gayety are only
broken BY the peals Of hearty laughter.
All the scenes supposed 10 occur In the once
Of "a young English ply sitan al Dover, Who 10 t'o
centre Of tie Misunderstanding and embarrTls mets
Of the piece The management should have secured
q better equipped coudian than Robert Hllliard for
part on which 50 largely the interest 4 the piece must
depend Mr.. Iard has 10 genuine sense OF
lmmor or it would have been impossible for
him 10 make himself laughing stock 50 often,
both on and OF the stage, in recent EelIs.
lie has not the capacity for expressing that which
IS not in him. and his acting in the piece is chiefly
ulpc
acts hc cannot refrain from displaying the attitudes
and poses the airs and graccs which at an earlier day
set the giggng schoolgirls Of Brooklyn into rapturs
OF alteration and which in later times have excited
so much sneering comment during 'trolns hours
in upper Broadway. In the last act Mr. HiiaTd suc-
eeeded In sinking somewhat the conSpcuously IN
pleasant elements of his Individuality ana even CA
hibted some fair acting.
Mrs Gcorgle Drew Barrymore, in the part Of an
adventures who had once ensnarcd the young doctor
Of Rome, and had pursued him to Dover, was the
most successful Of the company in afOusing interest
and provoking mrth. she had part that Wa
wholly suitable her, and she made the most oi H.
she was the most agreeable and attractive person
in the piece Sidney Drew not amiss III his
dry, eccentric humor Captain Cameron. and Alfred
Maby the stage director of the production,
was entertaining as Aubrey FtzJohn. rascally
cochney, wholly without shame or -cfreSrant Miss
Jane Stuart was spirited ard deft a. Miss were,
but Mrs. Augusta Foster was far too bcistcrous 10
be truly funny as Miss Theresa Ftziohn In SUN
ming up it may be said that The Balloon sailed
away On what promised 10 be a prosperous trip
the mcrrimcnt and rattle Of The
Balloon, were preceded by dOlcful and
tiresome bore OF a piece called a come
detts in one act, and entitled A Woman Of
the World" Gus" Thomas is the ruthless author
of this erlevous ahiCtOn. What sins the audience
In the sta Theatre had been guilty cf, that tl,
burden should bc laid upon them, not explained.
I'M olod hon n 4
affair, Mrs. RarrynO had part that fitted her
as III IS il she were trying 10 play Lady Macbeth,
aud she made as complete a failure Mrs. Walk"
field IN AZ Woman of Il World" was her success
In "TAe Balloon