New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-03
THE DRAMA-M USIC.
" Mr.. POTTER OF TEXAS"

II appears TO be the belief Of most Of the dramatic
authors Of this period that whenever an American char
acter is to be created that will be suitable for repre-
senatiOn upon the stage nearly all the 0uensNe
attributes Of human nature that are easily possible Hss
be assembled in one individual The man who IS
noisy vain, illbred vulgar. intrusive. uncouth ana
all that is Implied in the obnoxious epithet sm'H'
is the representative American TO these au'
thondes.f only in addition 10 these qualifications
he j. furnished with what they call "a heart Ike
bullock is fabulously rch and Is audaclousy proa'
cal in scattering his wealth The customary scheme
Is to let this paragon loose among people OF NhEI
manners, and often as he puts his feet upon thf
table or baws for gin and water to glortfy in him
type Of Western viny and OF democratic emancipfuonS
from the shacles OF efcte This obstrcperors
Individual made his appearance again last night al IN
star Theatre, in the person Of Mr.. Potter Of TeAas}
This time he is tho pOrtentous creation OF Mr. A
Gunter and he is embodied with entirely adequats
coarsene,s and violence by Mr.. Frank MoFlaunt' Ha
wears topboots and broad bnmmed hat, and lie s'aS
that he also wears wg-becausc lie was scaped, when
a boy. by Comanche Indians. II they had tomahaNked
him also II would have been blessing lie was now
ever received with many manifestations Of tvor-hae
i 10 saw with frequent outlaws Of raptureby crowded.
semblace II must therefore, be Inferred that by many
spectators he Is believed ID be true and Is admired
ly them. Creduty often trsrscends Intelligence ana
people who look at the stage merely for amusement
are empty enough to be easily pleased. As matter
al
aay audience Of thoughtful Americans would Do
viewed and ought 10 be viewed as gross ana loa'i
some libel on the American character. There Is TO
finer gentleman in the world than the American eehe
man. and there is no reason why he should not %
found in Texas well as in New-fork or Masss
clmsets or south Carolina. But he is not the snort
iug rowdy imagined by Mr.. Gunter and embodied by
Mr. Moriauut and this travestic Of hm-to paraphrass
old Dosberry-ls proved already to be nuisance and
Will 70 near 10 be thought things 60 much iurteT
as they have been going of late.
with reference to the play in which the explosive
Texas cattleman figures not many words are needed.
The story Of Mr. Potter of Texas has been extans
for some time upon the book stalls IL Is detecuVe
story and it evlnces some little ingenuity
though not much-in first placing an nno'
cent man in the tolls Of unmerted trou0ie
and disgrace and then leading up to us
vindication Thu, play Is a verbose synopsis OF the
sory. Ii does not contain one single dramatic III
c.dent one young man, indeed, strikes ano her
young in the face. the end oil act third Uu'
this he without reason or Qualifications
and only 10 make ableau. the machinery ny
which the plot is unraveed is 10 machinery at all
bccaus. 1t is merely talk People come on In pain
or in groups and explain their circumstance
by cooquy. An evldSposed woman. VINO
loves young man, Is seen to be trying 10
separate HIM from his sweetheart. she has dlsco'ou
the secret that his father is convicted feion' lHo
audience knows this. and also knows that the father
innocent: but the OF the real culprt Is long re-
tanned In mystery. This is always bad art In a p1H'
however good art IL mas be in a novel. Inc se""'
mental cntan clements Of the piece absolutely oo'
mOnpace and 1t would be mere fOoery 10 dwell upon
them The views of manners in English anstocI'su'
society are such as might be obtained by gazing az
with the eyes OF kitchen girl through the KEY Ioe "
the buffers pantry one OF the young ladies Is ~
refined and well bred that she hides in closet IN Oues
10 oyerhcar conversations likely be personal TO e
self llumOr j. supposed Ia be provided by maAnE Un'
Of The young gentlemen continually elaculhe uV .h.
ycrknow which IS assumed to be the custom VI NV
English SWELL . ana skill.
4 lew messages Of the dialogue however, are sA,
fully written and in his delivery Of Mr.. Potters s.h
OF his own life Mr.. Frank MoIdaunt impaired p1
Of natur, and eNinced admirable sku in elOcutloh
side, Lcepng exactly I'm harmony with his Ideal Oh ~
,halactcr There was no lack OF ability In ths p,av
formonce neither was there in that OF Lady AnneIte1
by Miss Minnie selgmanan actress VINO mas loteo IN
ire and who gives the impression of unusual power ss
reserve Perhaps the most interesting moment Oh
piece is that In which Baron Lincoln, dlscreeus %f
by Henry Holland. agrees 10 undertake tne SaSHu
finding ont the truth about the branded f:tIoi taas.
Iuis Nayer who made his paIl Of Charles hlrVI Rns
antlv conspcuos in the play by his earnest ana sp
acting OF IT, was particularly impressive az ts
There is but little, however. that Will detain thousnch
attention. either in the piece the acting OF H. thss
act and later. are an mpertnence. There Is S tHs
foc OF words almost steadily prevalent thrOusho ria
niece Readers who like Mr.. Guntcr'S mover s ma, are
also TO see the play that he has made OF H. Hsht
fortunate, perhaps. II life comes TO them as 50 bh"
matter that they have time for either