New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-21
ROSE COGHLAN IN "DOROTHT'S DILEMMA


1t has been announced that Miss Rose Coghlan in
! tends hereafter 10 play only in light comedy. The
| suppOsltOn that serious dramas and comedies OF
standard literary value, such have delighted genera
tons of playgOers, could no longer find welcome If
| interpreted by artist full of dramatic power
and spirit well equipped in the techncalites OF her
art and the appreciation of its masterpieces, and en-
dowed with such superintendent energy and vitality
as Miss Coghlan would imply much deplorably
degraded condition of the public tasto than IL has yet
reached But il Is doubt true that actress rich
in charms Of wOmanly fascination will find more SYM
pathy in her audience when she appeals to it through
the medium of brilliant and graceful vvacty, frolc-
some good humOr, and amlable and generous qualities
of mind and heart than when she appears the con-
ventlonal adventures, longing for yet untrOdden
paths of virtue ard peace, while the errors of earlier
life remain uneXpiated.
Miss CoghIan gave an earnest Of her policy last
night at the New Park Theatre, whore she presented
for the first time play called "Dorothy's
Dilemma adapted by Leopold Jordan from German
original by Won MOscr, which has been popular for
many years. 1t departure from the
| styles of tho drama in which Miss Cogh-
Ian has been best known, and everybody on
the stage and in the audience felt it to be So This
gave the performance the not altogether pleasant
air OF a laboratory experment-an experiment which Is
watched by the demOnstrnt0r with an obvious anxiety
for his reputation and by the students with an uncer
tain expectancy, as they clutch the arms of their
chairs and wonder whether they are about 10 SEQ
shooting stars and rainbows on the explosion OF tho
retort. In the company this nervous feeling was
noticeable In everybody from Miss COghlan herself 30
| tho horse which she rides like man-and like man
who is good rider too-n the second act. All this
must disappear as 1t no doubt WILL in q night two,
before the play and the players can be appreciated
| at their true worth The play also needs little
cutting and polishing The beginning of the first act
dragS; does the beginning Of the second. little
pruning of the dialogue and q little moro confidence
pontaneity on the part of tho actors viii amend
much II not ALL of this. The play too, is episOdical
and its episodes sometimes of kind to indicate
that the incidents were conceived first and joined
together In sequence Instead of taking their rise
apparently matter of course from the dramatic
necessities Of the central plot. This viii not be so
easily changed, but to offset it the language
is clear, clean and bright and the humorous sit,a-
lions reach their climax in the last act. This
should be the case in every play of this class but Is
the seldom that it is worth mentioning There
is enough In the piece that is clever and amusing to
give it popularity when 1t is allowed to stand out in
clear relief.
Miss Coghlan has a part that is intended to show
her In variety of moods and ulses In the first
act She a woman whose contact with the world has
left fine surface but has polished il and
brought into clearer view the spark OF fire within
In the second act she is disguised dragoon, and
accompllshes the difficult and always needful end OF
seeming the woman while she plays the man.
The part might easily be ruined If IL were cumslly
played, If it fell to the lot Of an actress Of deli
cate dramatic instinct than Miss Coghan possesses But
she does not allow any to wonder why the women
trust her settle their love affairs for them why
the men fascinated by er, why her chd-sweet
heart has grown up into manly young soldier with
ont forgetting her ceaslqg to love her he
remembers her. In short pettcoats. The actresses art
that never falls her, gave her this advantage yet there
was feeling of something lacking, want Of sympathy
the part Of the audience relieved only at moments
til the middle Of the second act 1t then that
Mr. Sullivan appeared tho stage for the first tme
and clever dialogue between him and Miss COghlan
put everything right. and an understanding with the
audience established that lasted through the
OF the play
John T. Sullivan may be said to have appeared to
unusual advantage though he has done many excellent
things before. and a largo part of the pleasant i'm
preston left by the piece due 10 him. His part
not long one, but it played with per-
feet Of the place In the general picture that be-
onged to It, ana part 50 presented Is more refreshing
than pages Of speeches delivered In the middle OF the
stage. most charming piece OF comedy was FUR
nlshed by Thomas Whifcn. whose dr0llery Is ire
sisble as IL Is easy and graceful. The spotlve OLD
momber OF Parliament whom he represented is by no
means figure on the stage, but 10 cannot be an
old uS@Te as long as w.t. mas as th ar Tp
legislative reprobate also given with some delicious
touches Of spirit and feeling by Miss Helen Russell
William Rcdmmd Is always dgnlhed and evenly com.
peent and acceptable. but an Infusion OF energy ana
conviction Of purpose into his present % Wna
clever In the part Of French maid. which ought 90 be
shortened In tho first act and Edward PEPPER John s.
SITUATIONS Of parts that do not call for especial com
ment. The incidents Of song and dance by Mr. "mnen
and Miss Palma and Miss SoSnlans mounting Ua hs
by her friends and at the eid OF the second ACT ue
stage was covered with nowers~