The Vault at Pfaff's

An Archive of Art and Literature by the Bohemians of Antebellum New York

Dramatic Feuilleton

Dodo [O'Brien, Fitz-James]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press, October 23, 1858, 2-3.
Electronic Source Available
Type
newspaper
Genre
theater criticism
Abstract

Dodo begins by describing the play he intends to have produced as soon as he can find a "weak minded manager" to do so. His proposed play would defy the current theatrical conventions. This discussion becomes a segue into Dodo's review of Laura Keene's company's production of Tom Taylor's Our American Cousin, a play that conforms to the conventions Dodo criticizes and whose only saving grace appears to be Jefferson's performance. After giving an in-depth review of the play, Dodo briefly discusses the current performances at Wallack's and other dramatic news.

People Mentioned in this Work
Brougham, John [pages: 3]

Dodo mentions Brougham's "amusing burlesque" of "Neptune's defeat" (3).

Goodrich, Frank [pages: 3]
Jefferson, Joseph [pages: 2]

Dodo writes in his review of Jefferson's performance in Our American Cousin that the "highest praise" is "to say that he made so utterly worthless and conventional a piece pleasing to the audience" (2).

Keene, Laura [pages: 2]

Dodo mentions that Laura Keene recently produced a Tom Taylor's Our American Cousin, a three-act comedy. Keene's performance in the play is described as "vapid" (2).

O'Brien, Fitz-James

O'Brien later reveals himself to be "Dodo."

Sothern, Edward [pages: 2]

Of his performance in Our American Cousin Dodo writes that Sothern's performance of Asa Trenchard "was, perhaps, all that the author intended" (2).

Wallack's Lyceum [pages: 2-3]
Wallack, John [pages: 3]

Wallack is reviewed here as "Mr. Lester" (3).

People who Created this Work