New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-13
THE DRAMA-MUSlC.
). \ PRICELESS PARAGON

~ Days theatre last night a new COnlcly, cdlNo
Priceless Paragon had its first representation.
and this with eager interest, frequent laugh
ter, and evident appreciation by large and distn.
uished company-the theatre being crowded in every
part. The occasion Of unalloycd and in.
ce,-ant enjoyment. within the rational limit Of in.
tclligcnce delicacy and good taste that the gain
Of the public. from Mr. Days presentation of this
piece is an opportunity TO comply advanageOusy
with the shake peareln Injunction
And frame your mind 10 mirth and merrlnient
Which bars a thousand harms and engthens life"
Placed in comparison with shakcspcare's lovely pas
oral comedy Of As You Like It, which it has i'm.
mcdiaely succeeded, this new piece seems indeed
trivial but the intention contrast and not
pari,on and the intention is fulfilled. There are all
sorts Of people in this world, and they are capable
Of many moods and Il is not expected that the stage
will constantly address the given sensibilues and
higher faculties Of the human mind. Mr. DAILY has
done his duty as an intellectual manager, and the
light play that he produces is entirely appro
pirate and welcome. 1t comes, likewise, at precisely
the right time Tor the season Of Lent VIII begin next
week, and those persons who visit theatres during
Lent have usually shown marked preference for
cheerful frivollty and this is the essential clarac
erisc Of A Priceless Paragon
The French original Of this piece IS " Belle Maman,'
By Victortcn Sardou which has been translated and
adapted, in three acts by Henry Paulton ana MoStyn
Tcddc The adaptation is discreet In plan ana hueW
course, a woman and in this case it IS motherin'
lava lovely and sparkling widow Of twenty seven.
The play begins with the marriage Of Victor serval
MI Drew 10 suzcttc Miss irving stepdaughtei
Of Dilah Faudelle the paaron, (ida Rchan Nlctor'i
best man Is Narc,-c Bunnrop danes Lewis, and
tie best man is loving follower Of the paragon
Victor has compromised himself with Vlctorine
Eo>amondc Cli,s chalmers. the sister Of di'.
reputable aGvcntuicr, the Chcvaler Rosamonde CNlr
Lcccrcql. and he has agreed 10 make periodical
payments OF money 10 her In the nature OF black
mall as an indemnity for breach Of promise 70 marry
her. II IS declared however that his relations with
this dccoy duck lave been entirely innocent, and
that all he has 10 dread, the sequence Of their
exposure. is rdicule This, however, he docs dread,
aud upon this trcpidatOn the whole structure Of the
piece depends. II is needless to intimate that in
the original Victor +, permitted TO have sufficient
reason for his anxiety, lest the new love shall ind
rut the Old one. Lack Of adequate motive
on tie part u the bridegroom IS the
structural weakness Of the adaptation; but since
tie comedy farcical this defect is scarcely noticed,
and certainly is not felt
Tho inopportune appearance # the Chevalier Rosa
monde however casts a cloud the bridal Of Victor
and -uzcttc but thi, PEELED by the adroit strategy
| ~ GuuuitrOp The play then proceeds 70 show the
ludcrou cntanclemons and comical perpexities into
which Victor is plunged. because Of the entirely
amIahlc. but altogether disastrous bundcrs Of his
I
ard Sulcttc have been absent from Paris, on their
wcddu, tour. the Paragon has sold VictOr's house AZ
"a great lY,- bought a moss home for him. fitted up his
hu-oNioe Ike ladys loudor allowed his business
letters 10 accumulate and remain unanswered. ana
tina, involved him IN numberlcss difficulties ana
having. by chance. made the acquaintance OF the
Cheyaicr E0,amoudc and Dis sister, she has crowned
lcr pyramid of naladrot proceedings by taking these
people into bis house tenants OF superiuous floor
~b. las also allowed herself e. De ured into some ot
Tie C.evaler Ro-amondc', fraudulent financial specut
t9n~. and She has acted mpwdcntiy, although inno
,crtly in permitting herself TO be and known IN
a..lol'ion with tn, rogue and his sophisticated SIS
! tcr Tic uiddle into which the bridegroom is thas
projected becomes necessarily both serious and comic
Victor determines % tight with The Chevalcr. as tie
prE uay ont - H. and the complaints depart INTO
Hol-rm. where they meet on a duel and the chevalor
! a., defeated and hurt. During Victor, absence us
! innocent secret as % VIct0r.ne Ro-amondc, d dis
covered Us his wife and his mother n law. and tho
hitter then take, legal action 20 obtain divorce for
her wron-cd Suzcttc. By this means the comic
complications OF the piece arc stll further au-mehteo
and Victor is well nsa driven frantic; but at me
last Az {, explained and the bridegroom Is both vim
dI,i-oi Boo te'cyc, Of the paragon and honoFei i'r
lt, championship ~ her cause. To those observers
who Ike Tire study Of dramatic form the pay 81
= Prcolc-, Paragon" is exceedingly reat N''
first called \fer the Wcddn- displays the characters
and the situation and starts the action Act 'e'o''
called After the Honeymoon shows the lndltFoHs
tar.e caused uy the Ga,hn- and delicious ndi'cre-
tons # the brilliant moherin law, and by one comic
incident after another continually increases the merry
,ge,t of that ilrcal snarl. Act third cailel After
the Duel c,i-ps the action al its height OF Iu-"'oe
development and deity turn, IL 10 the climax Oh
lnppv close The third act is not as tren'hant %
| thn other too. hut altogether tbs play not only
didu,c m,rrmeut but sizes the -cu,e 81 IS mmetl'
Tho, conception # the Paragon, 10 VIII Dee Observed