Lucy Rushton’s Theatre

“Miss Rushton has, of late, been pursuing a wiser policy than that with which she inaugurated her theatrical career in this city.  Of late the pieces presented at her theater have been of a light and vivacious description. . . . One thing, how be it, is absolutely essential.  The theatrical company must be largely strengthened.  At present, it contains but three members who are notable for any talent at all—Miss Rosa Cooke, Mrs. Mark Smith, and Mr. Harry Pearson.  The others are dreadful sticks, whom it is painful to see and misery to hear.  Such players would spoil the best play that was ever written.  We wish every possible success to ‘Giralda’ to-night, though we cannot banish a foreboding that the piece will be mangled.”

“Although there is no monopoly in plays, and therefore no reason why a piece which has been given admirably by a first-rate company should not be attempted by another company of less merit, there is, or should be a restraining measure of prudence in this hastily challenging comparison between the renderings.  Miss Rushton erred gravely at the opening of her season in playing comedies which squarely exposed the weakness of her company.  She is far less judicious now in reviving ‘Giralda.’  This well known drama has been played many times, in many shapes, and as many theatres.  But it was made memorable in the version prepared by Mr. Boucicault and played at Wallack's Theatre.  The cast included many of the best names known to the American stage, notably: Mr. Lester Wallack, Mr. Charles Fisher, Mr. Mark Smith, Mr. George Holland, Miss Mary Gannon and Miss Fanny Morant.  Against this array of names, famous at least to New-Yorkers, Miss Rushton gives us (we follow the bill) Mr. H. Pearson, Mr. W. S. Higgins, Mr. C. W. Clarke, Mr. W. A. Mestayer, Mrs. Maeder and Miss Lucy Rushton.  Is there anything to be said?

Apart from what we regard as an indiscretion, we are compelled to add that the version of this exceedingly amusing comic opera played at Miss Rushton's theatre is a disgrace to a decent community.  The part of Gil, in Mr. Boucicault's drama, was cloddish and amusing.  In this it is the medium of the grossest obscenity.  The play, at best, cannot be analyzed, but talent can make it endurable by attempting to soften over intrigues, which, in a general way, are offensive to public morality.  This attempt has not been made at Miss Rushton's theatre.  The version played there is gross beyond belief.  The sanctities of the marriage night are blurted out and bartered by the persistent fool Gil, who neither knows when he has said enough or made enough.  The constant recurrence to a theme which is sacred to every thought was sickening.  There is hardly anything more to be said.  Miss Rushton played her role of Giralda in a melo-dramatic vein, and therefore wretchedly.  The rest require no notice at the hand of a journalist.”

Brief review; music not mentioned.

“The majority of the performers did their utmost to make the play a great deal worse than it really is, by making the double entendre more palpable than was intended by the author.”

“Rosa Cooke was one Cooke too many at the Parsonage, so Lucy Rushton has dismissed her. Rosa was not spoiling the broth at this house—on the contrary, she was adding to its quality, seasoning the nightly bill of fare by her services—but somehow or other she gained a great deal of applause which, in her absence, might be given to others, so Rosa was requested to ‘walk the plank,’ or, in other words, she was dismissed the service.”