Evening journal., 1892-08-27

~
3 s :::.=a: !. a. q. : s:
~ work can write n
successful play, especiallya high comedy
This has been accepted as true by most OF
the rank and hlo of the vast army Of aspir~
ing playwrights, and the violent upset
which the pet theory Of our most promi
nent theatrical purveyors has received is
bound TO exercise beneficial effect upon
shat torpid chrysalis irreverently referred
to as the American drama
Friends" was produced at the Standard
theater, New York last spring, and al
though It was the maiden effort of the
author, Mr.. Royle, it was pointed out with
unnecessary energy, after success had been
achieved, that that gentleman had been an
actor for many years. The temple of the
dogmatists had not been desecrated by the
vandal hand of the novice, and after bad
scare the old absuriity once more settled
itself comfortably upon the self erected
throne.
But Captain Lettarblairn was on his
way TO sweep away the misty cobwebs Of
uucombated prejudice which have very
nearly choked up the wellsprings Of Amer
lean dramatic inspiration, and, mirabile
dictu, be was started on his journey by
the weak hand of woman, an ex-teacher
/ in the New York Normal college, who pos
scssed little or no knowledge of the stage.
Aud the name of this unknown young
lady who has cut the Gordian knott
Marguerite Merringtonl
II Captain Lettarblair" were a strik-
/ ingly original story, If v abounded in sit
uations appealing to the violent emotions,
/ If it catered to the eye through the medium
| OF elaborate stage setting or ingenious
mechanical effects, OF il it involved some
new principle Of dramatic construction 10y
a bold departure from the trodden paths,
the cobwebs might still remain, for the
success Of the play, no matter how pro-
| nOunced, would be attributed in the re-
| freshingly vague manner of our great man
ayers, to "adventitious circumstances
But Miss Merrngton has cut the ground
from under the very feet OF these condemn
| in-advance critics. She has written a play
Ia which scarcely line is spoken above
an ordinary tone Of voice, the scenery re-
quired could be supplied by any village
theater In the country, there is not sin
gle manifest bid for applause, and the eli
makes are quiet, the curtain I'm one case
falling after the heroine has put her head
upon the knee of her trustee and has
begun TO sob gently. The plot Of cap.
tain Lettarbair" is of about the caliber Of
most of the Belasco-De Mile comedies the
same general lines are followed, the sub.
ject is treated practically in the same man
ucr, the comedy is evolved by similar
methods, but at the risk Of being consid-
cred audacious assert that in every re-
spect Miss Merrington's play is equal IN
subtlety. delicacy of treatment and nnesso
to any Of the recent American society
comedy successes, and is superior to most
Of them.
In other words. this lady has met the
old, experienced playwrights on their own
ground, fought them with their own wcap
ons and without a scintilla Of preliminary
training has held some at bay and van
Quished the others. Miss Merrington's
future as dramatist Of the best type Is as
surcd If she will but steer clear Of the
tempting pitfall Of writing pot boilers
Her dialogue is positively Sheridanesqu,
in its incisiveness and clean wit, and tn,
climaXcs are worked up to as gracefully
and effectively as Bronson Towards. Sin,
has all of Miss Martha Mortons dramatic
instinct and sense Of stage humor, beside.
possessing greater subtlety and immeas
urably superior style. Captain Lettar
blair will be f. II. Sothern's principa
play during the present season. and, by
the way, he is better in this piece than il
any in which have seen him.
OF the other New York openings tn,
most notable perhaps is Lady Lii" Will
Lillian Lewis in the title role. Lady Lii
, was written for the star 10y her husband
Laurence Marston. The play is n sort o
Camille out Camillcd, " or ia Tosca ont
La Toscaed," but 10 possesses remarkable
strength. a thrill TO every paragraph, an'
gore, or suggestions of il, in nearly ever.
scene Mr. Marston in his other plays ha
shown that he has read les Miserablcs'
and works Of a similar nature, and Their
! are those who assert that the same fac
peeps out coyly and periodically in Lad
! Lii"
o Jerry a play in which ]. W. Sum
$ mers is said to have appeared more thai
I 1000 times in the British provinces, wa
r. done at the Windsor thcater. The hero
tramp, and outside of the opportunit
3 Jerry" affords Mr.. Summers 10 do som
t very excellent acting the pieceis unworth
4 Of comment.
r "Fabio Romani," horrible concoctio
3 which somehow seems TO go on ioreve
e like the brook, opened the season at th
e Peoples. Charles A. Gardner's engag,
o ment at the Union Square In his new play
j "Fatherland,n was brought 10 an abrup
. close after one week. Broadway didn'
u feem TO want Mr. Gardner
= "rhe White Squadron produced 40 Oh
Fourteenth Street thcater is "a series q
s. elaborate and expensive stage picture.
y The scenery is beautiful and the grouping
z artistic. Although "The White Squadron
l. will not stand critical test as a logica
e play, and its literary merits are few, th
strong spirit OF patriotism which pervade
it and the superabundance of action wit
which il fairly bristles have served TO dra'
n large audiences. It is reasonably cei
u tain TO be "A great popular success from Oh
o box Office standpoint when il goes on toul
r Mervyn Dallas blouse on the Marsh
e proved 20 be a dreary. heavy melodram'
e fairly presented.
ii Up 20 the present time the rapidly opeI
y ing New York theatrical season has nc
= been exceptionally brilliant, if only tn
Il plays new TO The United States be consi,
y cred. OcrANUs COHEN.
e Wilmington to Atlantic City and Retui
&c for 0ne Dollar and Seventy-iive Cents.
- The dates arc August 9th aud 2sth, v