New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

sTAGE-LAND. Courious Habits and Customs OF l 1
Inhabitants NV Jerome X. Jerome ihus ,Isnru
by J. Bernard Partridge. l2mo, PIP loo. Henry
This is book the fun Of which should DE "iue's
appreciated for the curious habits and customs vi
the stsgelandcrs familiar TO all theatre soer w
there is not a great deal Of difference between ",o'e
Of the English and the American stage Ihe pe'"'a
manner In which the drama holds the mirror "p U"
nature, has often afforded ground for Jest 10 huoo"
observers As a rule perhaps, the droile'N vi uo
foreign stage conventions has most inpfesse" 1,"eo
saxon observers-as witness the delghu''N '','
description Of Dickens in France by ihd'Ho'"' O
occasion beine the performance of French adaptation
OF "Nicholas Nckleby." Dickens himself IN '"c
career of Mr. Vincent Crummle, presented 'ue oo" ar"
comic side of British provincial stage 'iHN o'
writers have dwclt upon the strange conN'"''"' "
have grown UP about the drama, ana nave '""o "
give law to the average performer ana 10 es'sons"
tvpes the characteristic of winch is their inter UNLIKE
ness 10 what they supposed 70 represent '''
Jerome has taken up this tempting subject, ana mas
handled n with no little dizziness and huIn0r ana IN
such a manner that the felicity OF ms description i
At once recognized. lie Classics the stage lhiisp'-
tants in accordance with tradition. ana gives pic''e~
of the Hero the Villain. the Heroine. the Comic Man.
the LAWYER the Adventures, the Servant "ri' eho
child the Comic Lovers, the Peasants, the eooo 'io
Man the Irishman. the Detective and the sailor
This is the Hero "The Stage hero never has any
work TO do lie is always hanging about, ana ge'uhg
into trouble His chief aim in life 10 be accused OF
crime he has never committed. and II he can mudcie
things I'D with "A corpse. in some compncateo way
so as to &c, himself reasonably mistaken for tue muir
dercr he feels his day has not been wasted " Inc
hero has his own way Of making love lie always
docs il from behind. The girl turns away RON him'
when he begins and he takes hold OF her hands, ana
treathes his attachment down her back" The pose
illustrated here BY Partridge will be instantly ana
Iaughnglv recognized Then there is the Villain
lean
that is how we know he is villain In real lie u Is
oten dnicut 10 tell villain from an honest man. ana
his gives rise to mistakes but OH the stage as VIC
have said villains clean collars ana smohe
cigarettes and thus all fear of bnnder Is avoicea
Again: He has power of rcpartee. has the stage
villain All the good people in the play say rue anu
Insulting things to him. and smack AZ him, ana SCOTS
of him. all through the act, but he can never answer
them back-can never think Of anything clever 10 SAY
in RETURN ia Ia, wait TIL Monday week" i the
most brilliant rctort that he can make and ne mas W
GET into a corner by himself 10 think OF even tha''
These are fair examples of the foong OF MI Jerome
II is no, rstraie and the style l. OBVIOUSLY
an adopted one. and not altogether donieS'lca'eo'
I'm, between he text and the cuts. most OF whch are
really very good. the little book is decidedly enter
tanning in light and pleasant way. and VIII heip 10
mass an idle hour perhaps than more peientous
volumes.