Springfield Weekly Republican

The Different Kinds of Modern Drama.

There are, these days, three sorts of drama extant, to wit: The leg drama, the fire-proof safe drama, and the supernumerary drama. The former may be defined by the absence of essentials in it, such as skirts, arm and bosom draperies, and decent conversation. Its chief popularity is the plumpness of the actress who essays it. In this role our Westerns, Rushtons and Reignoldses are "queens." Their "starry" splendor re-fires the sexagenarian heart, and makes opera glasses rise to the highest premiums. The patent safe drama was Tom Taylor's fee simple, but the cheaper dramatists have appropriated it with wonderful unanimity. Its personages revolve about a forged will or missing bond, and after a couple of hours badinage, the funny man of the play relieves the dramatist and marries all the virtuous couples in the cast—often not a numerous number either! The third and last species of ye modern drama is Boucicault's style—the supernumerary—whose sole recommendation is in pleasant arrangements of stage furniture, fine dresses, dancers, funerals, fun and frolic, forced upon the delighted audience as "dramal" So much for sensational stars and "sich," back through the states.