The evening world., 1888-10-02
1.-THE QUICK OR THE pEAp7"

IT Is not at all certain tina, Barbara Pomfret, the
heroine OF ''Tbe Quick or the Dead? ~ would have
proved even mildly interesting II Miss Amel.e
Rives had drawn the curtain OF discretion over her
dominant sexuslity. But Miss kives was wonder
fully candid, %and.her publishers have been reaping
the result and pleasantly counting tho incoming
ghekels for a long time.
In THE Quick or the Dead ~ there il hardly 4
situation that could be successfully transferred to
the stage. No book could possibly be drama,ized
that has In 1t 30 little OF the essence OF tho drama.
Yet Miss Estelle Clayton has taken the Fifth Ave-
nue. Theatre for four weeks, aud began her ten
ancy last night by appearing as Barbara Pomfret
In q stage version Of Mis-, Rivess novel.
without further preamble l may say that Miss
Clayton made q decided mistake. In the nrst
place she does not answer even the physical re-
quirements Of the heroine. Barbara was largo and
rather heavily built, not the dainty, nnpickipg
little lassle Niles Clayton impcIsonstes. Miss Rose
Coghlan or Miss Kate Forsythe would have been
thoroughly suited 10 the part from q physical point
OF view, but 1t is not likely that either Of these
ladies would have erred In imagining that Bar
bara's not very delicate emotions could have been
dramatized.
This does not mean that Miss Clayton has at
tempted to depict Miss Barbara's remarkable
frenzy. The stage version OF "The Quick or
the Dead ?" Is eminenty proper. There.s not 0
suggestive line In 1t. Miss Clayton Ia as demure as
a schoolmistress; Barbars's passion, az she under
stands 1t, is merely an amusing superstition. She
cannot forget lher dead husband. She evidently
wishes she could. ct Is an awful nuisance, dear
boy, " she might be saying to the ardent Jack,
"but l can't possibly forget Val. l should like to
do so. and marry you; but under the circumstance
! trust you will understand that there Is an open
grave between rs"
Contract this with the RtOrmy emotion Of Mas
Rives's heroine, who goes 30 for az tn rapturously
embrace the stump Of one OF her husbands old
cigars that she nnds.
This play is tediously talky. How could II be
otherwise When BARBARA and Jack are not mo-
nopollZing the stage q number OF stupid comedy
people are there. Martha Alien, the colored ser
want, Is 4 horrible bore, and Col. Sam Buzzy, who
tells stories about his uncle, imply wearies the
audience. A little colored boy does a song and
dance with good effect, and this feature 10 a posi-
tive oasis In a desert OF s%oporino verbosity.
The audience Uttered last night at the end Of the
third act, which was indescribably primitive. Bar
bara hears that Jack has been injured by the fall
OF some buildings In New York. She sends a tele-
gram to him, hut he has already come to her. She
Immediately throws herself into his arms and loves
him.. She does this on the style made popular by
the heroines in " The Girls own Story Book " or
in - Slush for the People," The result ID laugh
able,
T. D. Frawley was Jack Deeriug-a modern,
mechanical sort OF a Jack. He looked perpetually
surprised at himself, but he was certainly Us
passionate an adorer as this placid Barbara de-
served. Mrs. d. b. Van Deren made . con-
ventional sketch OF Aunt Fiisby: Miss Alice
Mansfield overiid Martha Allen; George W. Park
hurst was extremely good as Buzzy, and John
Vsrrey seemed anxious to make the Rev. Mr..
Trehunc farcical. ALAN DALE.