11

Haverly's Brooklyn Theatre.

Last week, the patrons of Haverly's Theatre
were treated to an excellent performance of
a well written drama, descriptive of scenes and incidents
peculiar to border life in the Far West.
Last night the curtain rose on a representation
of another phase of the history of the progress of civilization
towards the extreme western section of the
country; but this time the dramatic story was presented
in a very different form, being told in mediocre language,
while its characters were performed by a company
no better than the play they appear in. The
"Prairie Waif" is a drama written expressly for the
Western hero, W. F. Cody; it is simply a gallery play,
and of an inferior order at that and the "boys" who
worship at the shrine of "Buffalo Bill" seemed to realize
the fact intuitively, for they crowded the gallery to
excess. But this was done at the cost of a meagre attendance
in the parquet and dress circle - the lower
part of the house not being half full. The play runs
through four acts, during which three attractive set
scenes are pressented - that in the second act being a
very pretty picture. There are two redeeming features
in the performance of the tragic comedy, and these are
the presence of the Indian guide and army scout,
Buffalo Bill whose manly and handsome physique is
seen to advantage, and the appearance of the Cheyenne
Indians - there are two of them and an interpreter.
The former imparts interest to one act of the play by
the exhibition of Buffalo Bill's skill with the rifle, and
the war dance of the Indians in the last act are attractive
novelties. Beyond this the play drags wearily, except
to the gallery audience, who are gratified with the
rather common variety business introduced, and with
the stereotyped blood and thunder business which
characterizes portions of the drama. The actors played
only to the crowded part of the house, and one of them
pitched his voice as if he desired to be heard in the
street. Such a play and such a performance following
in the wake of the "Danites" and other attractive
dramas which have been presented at this theatre
this season so far, naturally cause a reaction which
must necessarily tell badly upon the receipts at the box
office. Variety in the make up of a theatrical season's
programme is an essential requisite; but due regard
should always be had to the nature of the representation,
so as to keep up the high standard of general excellence
aimed at.