Title:  Representative Plays by American Dramatists:  1856-1911:  Love in ’76 An Incident of the Revolution

Author:  Oliver Bell Bunce

Release Date:  April 1, 2005 [EBook #15519]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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LOVE IN ’76

AN INCIDENT OF THE REVOLUTION

[Illustration:  Oliver Bell Bunce]

OLIVER BELL BUNCE.

(1828-1890)

The name of Oliver Bell Bunce is not prominently connected with the American Theatre.  Authorities have taken little or no trouble to unearth his association with the plays and players of his time—­the mid-period of the nineteenth century.  Yet they all agree that, as illustration of “parlour comedy,” his “Love in ’76” is a satisfactory example of sprightliness and fresh inventiveness.  For this reason, the small comedietta is included in the present collection.  It challenges comparison with Royall Tyler’s “The Contrast” for manner, and its volatile spirit involved in the acting the good services of such estimable players as Laura Keene, Stoddart, and Ringgold.  In the cast also was J.G.  Burnett, author of “Blanche of Brandywine,” a dramatization of a novel by George Lippard, also produced by Laura Keene.

“Love in ’76” was given its premiere at Laura Keene’s Theatre, New York, on February 28, 1857, for the benefit of the Shirt Sewers’ Union; and was the second offering of a double bill beginning with “Faust and Marguerite.”  Though the critiques of the time recognized in it a “nice little play,” they balked at what was considered to be a foolish nomenclature, “Comedietta.”  What was liked about it, particularly, was the absence of patriotic fustian, for the national drama of the time seems to have been loaded down with long flights of fancy on the subject of liberty.  Others hailed it as smart in the social sense.  As late as March 31, 1892, the little play was revived by amateurs for the benefit of a monument to be erected over the neglected grave of Washington’s mother.

This was not the first time Bunce had appeared as a playwright.  There had been seen, on June 10, 1850, at the New York Bowery Theatre, a tragedy entitled “Marco Bozzaris; or, The Grecian Hero,” and in the cast were J. Wallack, Jr., and his wife, together with John Gilbert.  It was not based on the poem by Fitz-Greene Halleck, but, for its colour and plot, Bunce went direct to history.  For Wallack he also wrote a tragedy, entitled “Fate; or, The Prophecy,” and, according to Hutton, during the summer of 1848, the Denin Sisters produced his “Morning of Life,” at the New York Chatham Theatre.