New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-26
THE DRAMA.
cAPDEN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS."

A three-act dialogue called Ghosts being one
AZ the most unpleasant Of the many unpleasant pro-
auctions of the Norwegian crank Mr.. lbsen,-was
obtruded upon the public notice yesterday after
noon at the Garden Theatre. where 1t bored a
small audience during several wasted hours. Ihe
Ghosts in question the raints of hereditary
disease and reference is made to them for the pur
nose apparently. of admOntion as 10 marriage
That subject obviously Is important; but as every
intelligent person is aware of It's Importance Che
necessity of directing particular attention 10 H.
more especially by means Of a dramatic perform
ance. Is not apparent. Physical disease producing
moral obliquity is surely inappropriate, not 20 say
obnoxious. as a theme for drama. PERSONS re-
quirng physiological instruction or medical advice
should go to the doctor. not to the theatre Art Is
,or the mind no. for the body. ard L. should not
concern itself with sanitary investigation Inc
ouestion Of sewerage may wisely enough De lett 10
tho Number Drama falls very low when 1t can do
No more for the service Of the community than to
suggest that contemporaneous indigestion Is at
,rilutabo 10 prehistoric cucumbers or antediluvian
buns
In one OF Mr. Ibsens odorlferous compositions
a., Dolls House." there was a SICK person. most
approprlately named Rank, who hobbled about
szhing for his friends wife, and bemoaning the
fact that he had inherited decaying spine. In
:.t;hosts' there is an amorous but rckety youth
wh% has phSsa OF father and spec
iator OF that sweet creature views MN MN as HHe
-
rather by a servant girl. That horrible mess com
mingled with even more nauseatihg stuit apout .e
hov's mother and a sentimental ass OF Gerry
I'm who was in love with her was SET iorth LOT
,ha ieectatOn Of a company chleiy composed Oh
,,nS,r@ Uomen.-and very much asionished they
y,ors, have been when they saw ana nearu H. anu
wonderful indeed must be their ruinitatlois o.tr
what they remember OF IT, The dlaiosue OF MI
r., is often eXprcssively written. so that, al
;pouoh prolix and plattudinous, II MANAGES IN ne
course of time tell story. Inc uoupie WIN WIN
:, il that IL nearly always relates TO soinethhs IKE
rrSo,ten Holsters and has nothing more important
80 Communicate than the fact that IT Slrl Is
nyc TEN Dered her great grandmoher ate 700 MANY
E1i"sjes .;Ghosts" is the of play that requires
One of the actors yesterday, Mr.. Arthur LaWrenCc,
n very capable performer was taken Win the slIP
and M wonier The rest Of them. as the per
Torrance proceeded. seemed In falr va! 10 nay
chills-if one might judge from the tone Vi "e
Wr ibsen's abominable stuff, which is both dull
ond dirty will never prosper in TINS captdi, IL
NAV Obtain here and there in corner nv ;oIr
Ton of those uneasy persons of no sex In parucuai
Who hang limp upon the fringes of nastness ana
think that everything Is bold and strong ! N,!Ine,
tbaX, commonly call it) which happens TO be shame
less and mpudent; but the health anu soou Se!Se
- The American audience will never accept the
uausaous ofral Of Mr. Ibsen's dssectnS table as
a,,hsr literature or drama. The man Is man! years
hnhind the progress of independent thouGhl III tha
Comntrv Mrs Ida Jefreys-G oodfriend. MI Cour,
Fisher and Miss Olive Oliver participated III ue
performance yesterday and al o. them were
}ocbrvmose reverberant and insincere;-as people
.a,s, necessarily be who know that they are APP
raarng 10 the greatest disadvantage. Inc thhS
Vas a bad failure in every way