New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-16
THE DRAMA-MUS1C.
A NEW PLAY AT THE EMPIRE.
.MJCHAEL AND HIS LOST ANGEL"

A NEW PLAY AT THE EMPIRE.
.MICHAEL AND HIS LOST ANGEL"
The management of the Empire Theatre a'housh
energetic and alert. has not at any time oeen char
,cerzed by that conscientious intellectual purpose
md that scrupLlous consideration for the public
good which ought to prevail In the administration
" the arts and therefore the productions accom-
ol!shed at that house of somewhat less I'M
uortanc. TO the public than TO the persons VINO
,ffer them Mere shop-keeping cannot De expected
10 interest the community. otherwise IMAM as one
form OF contemporary Industrial labor The COM
r.odity venled at The Empire Theatre Is the morbid
drama of intrigue and domestic trouble.-the drama
hat Is typifcd by such plays as The Masquera-
iers" John A Dreams" and Carmen.
II Is a commodity that some people like-just "a
,bev like r,mb,rcer cheese,-but it is not one that
can be considered agreeaby fragrant. and 1t Is not
ono that can reasonably be expected long to de-
tain thoughtful attention. The plays that are I'M
,ortant to the public those that cheer refine and
ennoble disappointing to its best feelings ana IN
stincts broadening its vision. improving its taste,
and augmenting its happiness. Such play as
"a Pair of Spectacles." now presented by that rare
comedian Mr.. John Hare, at Abbey's Theatre. Is
worth whole hecatomb of "MasQueradcrs' and
Mrs Tanquerays" The plays Of the other kind,
however. are more numerous. and since shopkeep-
ers are more numerous than genuine dramatic man
ayers the plays Of the other kind are more fire.
1uently produced. But sound principles are not
nvalidated merely because they happen to be OPP
posed by numbers. The importance OF play 10 the
spectator is precisely commensurate with its right
lnfuence.-in other words with the good that he
IAN take from IL.
a fresh specimen Of the morbid drama OF Illicit
love and baleful consequence disclosed at the
Empire Theatre last night with the title OF Mcnaei
and His Lost Angel" 1t comes from the pToiiHc
pen of Mr.. Henry Arthur Jones' who has set up 10
be moralist and gone regularly into the business
If reforming mankind. The diligence with which
.hat, 10 cd in
be thought 10 imply q great need for missionary
labor in that capital There Is no need OF II mere
People he found In America who VIII run AFTER
anyihng,-even a street-sweepng machine.-pnt the
representative American public does not Ike pays
nasty subjects, and does not want them' MI
Jones's latest effort will have its day. but also 1t
will very cease TO be. There Is some talent III
the construction of it. and there is eXpertness IN
of the acting wiki which II is interpreted MI
Jones is a skilful dramatist The author capable OF
writing Judah" and the second of The Middle
man" knows his art. Miss Viola Allen, Mr.. Miller,
Mr.. Dobson and their associa les are competent per
formers. If those considerations were authorita-
tive the production of Michael and His Lost
Angel might be viewed suspicious for the COM
mun,y
The influence of the piece. however.-a morbid and
depressing influence arising out of Its tainted and
painful subjects distinctly bad. and that VIII
righteous priest by an under-righteous woman. At
daughier. had been misled and betrayed to go
into church and make public confession OF her sim
whereupon the secretary Is ravaged with grief and
the priest has been fascinated by an impairment LADY
who is supposed to be widow from Australia AT
the end of act second the priest. whose name Is
Michael. and his angel, the widow. having been left
over night a desert island. have become sinners
AZ the end of act third the sinners learn that their
secret Is known to the priests secretary ana ais9
OF act fourth the priest has made public confession
At the end of act fifth the lady has died. the
priest wishes 70 die and the audience mas me sae
Letter" and The Silence of Dean Maitland" and
1t is heavily freghted with the notion that al
and tell everybody. about it-from which II may
be inferred that he Is an author who dweils among
is moved and seconded by Mr. Jones that we are
al miserable sinners. and that many OF us are
whited sepulchres only we have not yet oef en-
found out, and that therefore all ought TO be
This will be unanimously carried. by all men OF
experience, but IL scarcely worth while TO write
such a self-evident proposition. Great stress was
laid upon the Importance Of love-a subject upon
which there is room for some difference OF opin,
much please the devotees OF that passion; and Mr.
Miller the parson. preserved the imnobilty OF a
wooden image together with the ponaeTous gray raw
part In highly effective manner. The scenery IS
nne. There is complete church scene,-disgraced
with inappropriate love-making,-and choral ser
vice.
Sir Iyolf Favershan ............... W II Sr9inpton
tatner hnary F. BoSson
The Rev Mark Doorway ..-........,...' Robert Weed
Withycombe baeS Gus
Rose Gbbard No1ues
Mrs Csnelo Annie AuatS
Fanny Clover p i- vh,, nan