New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-01
THE DRAMATIC NIGHT.

The events OF the night were not particularly I'M
portant. Mr.. Sothern whose present engagement
at the Iyceum Theatre will shortly terminate
made a change Of bill and produced a fragile COM
position called "A Colonial Girl" Miss Julia
Arthur made her re-entrance at Wallack's The
atre presenting the foolish and tainted drama Of
"A Lady of Quality Mr. Chauncey Olcott came
back to the Fourteenth Street Theatre. in re-
vival Of Sweet lnnscarra." play called Con
fusion" was represented at the Murray Hill The
atre and play called Tempest Tossed per-
formed at the Grand Opera House. In Boston
Nh Days presentment Of "Cyrano de Bergerac"
was displayed. with Mr. Richman Cyrano and
Miss Rehan Roxane
TIL" public gain. In the drama OF "A Colonial
Girl" Is the momontary enjoyment OF few well
worn theatrical situations which in this instance.
are obtained by incredible incidents and by the
completely caprlcious and arbitrary use Of i'm
possible means. Handsome Colonial dresses and
interesting Colonial household decorations are pro-
vded in abundance. but portraiture is vouch-
safed Of Colonial manners. and neither In the man.
aeement OF plot nor the deneation OF character
does the piece take account OF either proba bility
or nature. The time is that OF the American
Revolutionary War, and the scene is laid in
Ncw-York home which is full Of holes
rabbit warren. and through those holes the various
persons Of the drama scuttle Ike mice The story
relates TO episode in the life of young man
who finding himself tilted by faithess sweet
heart married a romantic girl. after a courtship
of five minutes. and then was unhappy because
his wife believed that he had welded her from
paue and not for love. The situation. when once
contrved, yields two or three pretty effects. but.
With all respect to the ladies who have CO.
operated in writing this play. 1t ought to
be said that do not and never
possibly could behave toward each other as
the remors afu sweetheart and the honest wife are
made to act. In this queer fabric of needless
caprice Women are much too keen for any such
laundering as thai. The wife would have seen
through her rival In half second. However. by
dint Of gathering up stray bits from ITO Marry or
Not to Marry" She Stops to Conquer" THE
Inconstant" etc..-not knowingly or with inten-
ton but quite people take umbrellas,-and by
making the British officers mostly blackguards and
fools and the valiant and ubiquitous American spy
n patriot and hero the authors have created
certain moments OF suspense and made n few OPP
nortunitles for spirited acting Mr. Sothern
wildly anpllude1 His experience has made him
a flexible executant but it does not appear TO have
aroused in him any latent reserve Of sympathy he
WAS as hard as a barrel OF horseshoes. and his
harsh and dry vocalism in the utterance OF feeling.
would have chilled an ice-wngon He par
ticularly clever except in the assumption OF fan
tastlc ackadaisca foppish disguise In the closing
scene-wherein the hero rescues his wife from
rufan and is himself rescued by the opportune
arrival of General Washington and the whole
colonial Army W. W.