New-York tribune., 1896-04-14
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
ANOTHER NEW AMERICAN PLAY.
THE VILLAGE POSTMASTER" 4"

A new American play. called The Village Poes
master" written by Miss Alice E. Ives and Nj. u
rome H. Eddy, was presented .ast night In ~
Fourteenth Street Theatre.-a house which stands
much In need Of a short and good tItle.-and II wss
received with attention. and with denotements It
favor. by friendly audience and jealous claquA
The object sought by this piece is the portrayal Of
village life In New w-Engand. about fifty years aga
The subject is not In itself, alluring and II has nos
been invested with enchantment In this play Notn'
ing could be more trte than a portrayal OF tenn,
porary Misunderstanding between two lovsrA whose
letters to each other are intercepted by nsc1
In the postofice. but whose matrimonial union
only deferred. not prevented by that transent -
vers!,y. This plan II as common as New-Enghn0v
bean. and as venerable her doughnut NO ~
tempt at invention appears to have been cois,oetss
essential. but much industry has been expenos
upon the accumulation OF sketchy types OF cns"
ac,er and upon the introduction OF popular Gus
toms The types. however. are super1cial ratn1
than radical and representative. and the customs
are Of that commonplace order which presents NJ
element OF quaintness or piquancy. There Is
tart old maid, old minister, oao ooy'
hired girl" and "deestrict politician. VINO tam
about the "Consttooshun'' and Il "wuth money
You always say "wuth" II you are an American
especially In an American play There Is drum
and FIFE squad, productive Of much h!deous noise;
there is church choir: and. incidentally. there sfs
trivial and tumuituous proceedings by "a DONATION
party at the house OF the minister New-EnSlano
in the time OF Franklin Pierce and Nathaniel Ha~'
thorne presented much diversity OF rich cnarc'et
and also various romantic aspects or society u
must be a singular vision that can look BACK
that time and see nothing but drum ana nle "
scamp stealing a letter, 10 defraud an acquaiDs
ance OF his sweetheart But the average Amene1s
play like this-the play devised to copy comm.
things In the Yankee Doodle spirit,-pursu@
familiar track and one that 1t would be use'sA
follow In earlier days. lured by the I IemarSss ~
art OF John f.. Owens people ran al,ei '11nosstM
gie-an old person who chewed tobacco, repesS ~
spat upon the floor. said that ne had Dsem
Clans. and asked judge 70 lend MN a Iolpsd pc" nv
which to pick his teeth That was suiposJI' ip'I .nd1
American" Now the taste Is for the ruraI SvM IL
who wears b.ue yarn stockings ana Sy.,os1
boots In the drawins.room. or for me .Mccjftsia
legislator who can talk slang ana NIX sv ca Ssve
:.fhe Village Postmaster" will probably y,,r ~ inof.
caresr as a variety piece. 1t Is completey .n,,n.
fensiye and IL contains number OF Gun Gun sfcept
trvmen such as never seen on EARN, ~ ths
in an American play together with seyeis1rS the
adiuncts OF an actual farmyard. inc!u.snf NJ
horses 1t was very well set and neatly ac.eS Ma
Forrest Robinson. Miss Amelia Bingham q, ~" n he
i3ertha Creighton saved the serious portion ~ me
niece by specially felicitous treatmenrta nraaw v' NJ
Passages of sentiment Miss Ives. Mr. EES Eus' sitee
PresbTey and Mr.. Rosenouest were caieaa sav1
the third curtain when Mr.. Robinson nssns nSn sns.
Miss Creighton from falling into tnrsshtte ~ moth.
chine There were several hymns. appos'e W Nv