Foul Play

“It will be produced tonight minus the ship scene. Another Foul Play will also be given at the New York Theatre tonight. Many of the important features of the show will be different. This is a good opportunity for theater goers to compare the two companies.”

“This week we are to enjoy the pleasure of a dramatic contest which is to decide by whom ‘Foul Play’ is fairly played. . . . Between the two representations the public will have a fine opportunity of seeing a play which, with all its faults, is well worthy of at least one visit.”

No mention of music.

Description of the scene involving the arrest of the lead actor in Foul Play over rights to the production. The Sheriff and his deputies made the arrest during the play. Shots may have been fired, and some audience members were injured in the violence. The “prevalence of the low drama and indecent sensational spectacles” are demoralizing New York society.

“The lamentable fracas at the Broadway on Monday night did not deter the management from prosecuting their enterprise and last night the play was produced with Mr. Harkins in the threshold characters of Robert Penfold, James Season, and Mr. Hazel. Fortuna, or fate cast him away on a lonely and barren island in the Pacific in company with Helen Rolleston. If the latter lady were but half as handsome as Miss Louise Hawthorne, who presented her last night, most men would have been willing, nay, glad to take his place. Miss Hawthorne, is not good-looking alone, which would be a poor recommendation by itself, but she evinces such crude talent, requiring only training to develop itself into something that will be appreciated. The best player on the boards is Mr. W. H. Whalley . . .The scenery is respectable, the music fine, and the audience was good.”

Compares the two productions (no mention of music). “The rumors about ‘injunction,’ which have been broadcast for some days, are without foundation. Mr. Palmer and Mr. Sefton, who have the interests of the English authors in care, are enjoying the rivalry, the fist-shakings and the fun, and quietly pocket $50 per night from both parties.”

Report of incident in which a clerk of J.T. Lloyd served a summons on Mr. Harkins while he was onstage during the third act.

“Crowded and fashionable audience.” A judge has awarded the New York Theatre with the right to produce the version of Foul Play by Mr. Reade and Boucicault. The Broadway Theatre, therefore, is putting on the earlier version by Boucicault alone. This is the version that was performed at the Holborn Theatre, London. It is not as good as other pieces by Boucicault, but it does have a good plot and 'sensational effect.' The audience applauded loudly and received the play well. Mr. McKee Rankin as Arthur Wardlaw: He is a young and promising actor. All of the actors did well in their roles.

The play was performed without incident. Mr. Harkins appeared at the end of the second act to announce (in accordance with Judge Barnard’s injunction) that the play would be performed as enacted at London’s Holborn Theatre (not as at the local New- York Theatre).

‘Foul Play’ was withdrawn last evening [Aug. 28—the last performance was Aug. 27], and the theater will reopen on Monday under the management of Mrs. Lander.

Correspondence between Barney Williams and D. H. Harkins (dated Aug. 28) indicating that the theater will be closed for the remainder of the week (conflicts with other ads announcing “Foul Play” through Aug. 29).

Two separate items on this page about “Foul Play.”

“No more ‘Foul Play’ at the Broadway Theatre.

The Broadway theatre [sic, throughout] is closed, an now but one theatre in the city monopolizes all that there is of ‘Foul Play.’ In consequence of the refusal yesterday on the part of Judge Barnard to remove the injunction which had been granted on Wednesday last against the drama of ‘Foul Play’ as performed at the Broadway theatre, that establishment was compelled to keep its doors closed last evening, and its patrons were obliged to solace themselves by finding amusement elsewhere. It was not known until late in the afternoon that the injunction could not be removed; too late, in fact, to admit of another play being substituted for the one under the ban. As the company had been engaged to perform in that particular piece and could not be brought together until about a quarter of an hour before the usual time for raising the curtain, it was deemed advisable by the manager not to open the house, as it would be impossible to give a first class performance, such as has always characterized this theatre, on so short a notice; therefore it was that hundreds of our amusement loving citizens last evening were doom to disappointment. The house would undoubtedly have been crowded to excess had it been open, for long after the customary hour had arrive dfor commencing the performance hundreds of people continued to flock to the theatre in carraiges, in omnibuses and afoot, only to find the great lamps in front of the house, as black as Erebus, and the iron railing that guards the entrance to the vestibule locked and bolted. The theatre will remain closed until Monday evening, when Mrs. General Lander, the great tragedienne will appear in the rôle of Mary Stuart, in the play of that name.”

Lloyd, who is leasing the New York Theatre for a production of Foul Play, got an injunction against the production of the same play at the Broadway Theatre on Aug. 24.

“Foul Play was performed at the Broadway Theatre and at the Worrell Sisters’ Theatre each evening the past week. At the former place it was given under the direction of Mr. Harkins, and, with few exceptions, by the same company as when originally produced in this city at the New York. Mr. Harkins produced Boucicault’s version as oftly given at the Helborn Theatre, London, while at the other theatre Boucicault and Reade’s version was presented.  Mr. Harkins appeared as Robert Penfold in the prologue, and as this version differs from the other, he does not appear again until the second act. It was just as the curtain was about rising on this act on the evening of Aug. 24th, and Mr. Harkins was to appear, that the outrage perpetrated and noticed elsewhere took place. After order had been restored, Mr. Littell—a gentleman formerly connected with the Arch Street Theatre, Philadelphia—appeared for the first time in New York and finished Mr. Harkins’ rôle. On Wednesday evening another interruption took place owing to an injunction having been served restraining the manager and Mr. Harkins . . . produced the injunction was thought to be not in force; the piece was played on Thursday evening, and everything passed off quietly, with Mr. Harkins in his original rôle. In this version the sinking ship scene was omitted, and altogether it is a better acting drama than the other. The attendance throughout the week was not great, the house only being about half full any evening. At the Worrell Sisters’ Theatre the Boucicault and Reade version was given with almost an entirely new company. The prologue was omitted and some changes made in the sinking ship scene. The attendance at this house was no better than at the Broadway. As a matter of record we give the casts of this foul piece as presented at both theatres.”

“Mrs. Jean Lander commenced an engagement at the Broadway Theatre on August 29th in Elizabeth. With but few exceptions she was poorly supported. Business was only fair to middling.”