New-York tribune., 1884-01-08
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
MRS LANGTRY.


-, Ions been known. When French theaere
istcd in this city, the French original was often
,ote5 here and as long ago as the autumn OF looZ
Ar Wallack brought Out at his theatre, Horace
yI-;o,Js odaptation of It, which had been given In
toIo,d pndcr the name of Friends aud Foes
hut which was now called Bosom Friends" MT
U,lla,k M Gilbert, Mr.. Fisher, Mrs. Hoey' MrS
Vernon. Mr. Young Mr. Reynolds, Mr.. Sefton' and
Mr. Norton were all in the cast on that OCCASION
and the performance perfect The piece perform
dlost night distinct from previous versions alike IN
81, q nomenclature and English text, but,otcourse
essentially. il presents the same old dramatic
essemblage and hypothesis which were long
since made familiar in Sardous work.
rcrc again we meet With the cOntding, generous
Upsuspicious husbands the tempted, mdlScreet
innocent and much-harasSed wife; the idle, valn
pleasing obnoxious, dTawing-room cavalier nan
libertine aud half good fellow, who would lcad
that wife astray; the good and true Trend 10 each
Of these persons whose cynical humor and cool
sagacity avert a catastrophe and preserve the
honor and peace of all; and few, at least, OF those
exaggerated personifcations of selhshness which
the French dramatist ranged around these prOnn-
nent actors as emblcms of the various false trlenu
ships with which goodness, frch and liberal Is out
too often afflicted in the common experience OF IRE
Iptbc earlier version it was Mrs. Union who had be-
come somewhat tired other unsentmental husOahn;
II was Mr. Frederick Ferrid who lured her fancy Win
ms Establishments till he had placedher ina comprO-
missing position and it was Dr. Bland who adroltiy
secured her escape and rc-adjusted the disturbed
circumstances of this family. In the pres
snt niece il is Lady Ormond who grows
weary of her good husband Sir George OTHoRd 1t is
CaDqu bradford who tries to ensnare her. and II Is
Dr. Thornton who rescues her and relieves the SIM
ple and kindly Sir George from an incubus OF faise
friendships The play is in four acts; the material
has been very judiciOusy cut and modlhed; ana lhe
dialogue is crisp, pungent, and eadiy appropriate
and effective. Now, as before, 1t Is an interesting
plav; most subtle and truthful in its analysis and
exposition of unwholesome amorous sentiment ana
of the peril of an empty, languid domestic NE;
most satrical of hypocrisy and seshness IN lis IN
teUectua drift: strong and feliCltOus III SITUATION;
and relieved and eniyened by traits of eccentric
character and touches of playful humOr Ana now
as before il DISPLAYS grave faults for its topic is
uDpleasant certain of its characters are out OF
likelihood if not of possibility; and at certain plN-
otal points its action is distinctly felt 10 be strained
away from nature Nohusband could ever be so blind
as Sir George OTmOHd is, 10 all that Is passing uhder
his very nose No man of honor would accept
and act upon such a warning he is made TO
take from his OfioiOus vulgar and lmpeTtlneIt
friends There could be no such thing as a truce
still less a kindness between Thornton Who IS gen
tleman and Bradford, who, with all his alnlable
e1aces is a scamp Aud even the most selfish OF
mankind, when preying upon human generosity
through the medium Of simulated friendship VIII
at least have the discretion to seek their own ad-
vantage without absolute, bOorish rudeness. Mr.
and lhs. Cr0ssley Beck and Sir Uo0dbine GrdyoH are
doubtless possible pcrsons-bu not as guests in the
house of gentleman. Not little Of the incidental
fun however is obtained out of these farcical ele
ments and il must be conceded that the interest OF
the comedy is of such exceedingly feverish sort
that the spectator is grateful for the relief of even
the touch of farce. Not since the day Of still
Waters Run Deep" has the stage offered a more
significant and effective piece than this, relative to
this special subject and of this peculiar kind.
Mrs. Langtry appeared Lady OTmoDd, and
she was welcomed by a full and favorable
house. The part is not star ," part
but one Of a group, and the performance
was offered and is to be considered, IN its relations
to others In ideal il was entirely true; i'll exccu
tIon it disclosed many beauties Lady OrmO"d
should have inherent grace and fine manners;
should be stately, yet tender; should be slightly
constrained with the peplcxity of a vague
trouble; should be absolutely innocent and, for
while. unaware of danger; should be true III heart,
and at a CLIMAX OF perllous surroundings should be
capable of passionate sCOTn, splendid seiCUIuuand,
and the noble pride and anger OF a true woman
Mrs Langtry, in her presentmcnt Of Lody Ormond
was harmonious with almost all the elements Of tho
personality thus suggested
The earlier scenes of the comedy require only
sort of quiet loveliness, enhanced by opulcnce Of
attire and mellowed, as to expression by an air of
almost tender solictude and Of anxious suspense.
Through these the actress boe herself with the
Of perfect comprehension and spontaneous grace.
III the third act there is situation which cXacts the
semGlance of a great variety of emotion, incesSant
play of the face and voice, and very vigorous dru-
matc movement. Mrs. Langtry was here more sue
cessfu in the plan and idea than in either the action
or the vocalism. Her growth in the power TO con-
troll and conceal sefcOnsciousness showed itself in
signal manner. The display Of feeling, likewise,
was surprising but this not controlled with
skill. 1t Is at precisely such points as this where
the emotions are conflicting and desperate. that an
inexperienced actor is apt to 20 to pieces in rapid
noisy, hysterical speech. The object 10 be accom-
pshed was seen to be accurately comprehended the
means ncedful TO its brilliant accomplishment were
not shown to be entirely possessed. In fact Mrs.
Langtry evinced here an excess Of feeling, with
little OF no art TO guide it-whIch was exactly the
opposite display TO what might have been expected
Excess of this kind, however in an immature artist
is a good defect and, through the very dIscord and
rawness of the action strength and depth were dis
cernibe that had not been expected. a miscalcu-
lated fall, at the end of tins scene considerably
inarred its due effect, and considerably discompOsod
the actress. Nevertheless she was recalled with
emphatic applause-and this compliment was richly
merited Players of ten times the training possessed
by Mrs. Langtry have proved unequal 10 such Il
situation Sardou has here devised IL is wonder
that she bore this ordeal 50 we'll
There are other impediments in Mrs. LanEtrys /
way that need not have occurred aud that Of course
Will desperation several of the players were Iu-
perfect IN the words that scenes which ouult 10
have been given with CELEBRITY snap and sparkle !
dragged slowly and missed their legitimate POM. |
Mr. Charles CoghIan almost redeemed the character
OF BYddford however, by the charm with which be