New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-17
THE DRAMA.
TIE I,yCEI -N-"LADY BOUNTIFUL."

Amid general joy and many glad expressions Vi ~
the regular season at the Lyceum Theatre was ope,e
last night, and a comedy called Lady Bounu1ui iau
its first representation In America. Inc Lsce"i
Theatre which from the first Of his management mas
been conducted by Mr.. Daniel Frohman with energy
ard discretion steadily advances in the pubic faVor
and has reached the front rank OF esteem. II Is the
home OF good stock company which Includes, In MI
lie Moyne, one Of the few select and representative
comedians of the tme The plays that are produced
in il are plays usually OF superior knd-refned In
quality and ambitious in purpose; and those plays
are set upon the stage in careful and tasteful
manner. The field OF the drama that has habitually
been explored is that of amaory interest and domestic
sentiment and for explorations in that direction there
is always an audience. Young people, in particular,
Willingly bestOw their attention upon love- courtsip,
marriage, and the felicity infecty of the state OF
wedlock Mr. FrOhman knows his public. The
sembage last night typical. in marked degree, Of
the youth and beauty OF the city and OF Its circles of
juvenile fashionable llfc and with much of what it
saw it manifestly pleased.
To an observer who has looked long and carefully
upon the world contemplating the vicisstudes Of
fortune and theo ngular consequences that ensue from
the operation of the passions upon character this
comedy will commend itself fOrciby than it can
to the average public comprehension. by its fidelity
not absolute but often eXactto the sad truth OF human
experience. Here is a picture OF persons who arc
generally vertabe. and OF such possible Incidents in
sentiment and its pathos. and perhaps sautary
admOnton that independence OF character should be
sacredly preserved and that marriage should DO
contracted. even contemplated from any other
motive than that OF genuine and mutual love- Such
picture could not be expected deeply to impress BY
its significance The meaning Of II is trite. For It's
Potentially therefore, the thinker must examine its
texture and Its details. The merits OF the piece are
solid and considerable. It's scenes reflect pleasing
peculiartes English domestic life, together with
many marked traits Of English character-notably its
elemental tendency to grades clnsses The style is
smooth brisk and "ivacious The story is allowed 10
display itself by of incidents and TO advance by
Implication. I1lc situations dramatically ex.
pressive-that IS they please the and arouse and
stimulate the mind The persons clearly and well
drawn. The suggested moral is cogent and whole.
And best Of ALL the work is full Of human
feeling.
The posture of the plot recalls models that have been
long known and often used The story OF David Copper
field Agnes and Dora Spenow may be named as one:
the story OF Give Newcome Ethel and Rosa Mackenzie
another The similarity inexact, but tfs present
A young man loves young woman, who also loves
him. but he does not marry her; he marries another
and when his wife has died he returns to his first love
She meantime, although wooed by deserving sutton,
has remained unwedded but she is about 20 yield to
persistent Importantly when her old lover seasonably
arrives and her weak and wrong consent Is annulled
This manfestly, Is common mould of love story.
Many writer's have used it. and have used 1t many
times. The circumstances however, and the method
of displaying them, be varied. Mr.. PnerO's in
gcnuity shows itself in the fresh setting that he has
given to these old and hackneyed materials and
which Is to the purpose-Mr. Pineros rather I'M
usual knowledge Of womans nature shows Itself in
several situations which he has arfuy cOntrived for
setting his woman characters IN contrast with each
other when possessed and influenced by the passion Of
love- and By the acute promptngs of cOmmngled self
respect dignity duty, Jealousy, solicitude and pride
The essential strength OF the piece abides In this
These words it will be observed describe a compo-
sition that Is more pictorial study OF life than
II Is q play. 1t lacks action, and IL lacks dramatic
zcst. II attention be concentrated upon the ndi-
viduas who are displayed In this piece, ii finds not
any enc Of them whom,-for the purposes Of drama.
chief among which is eirect-exceponal attributes OF
character or a fine singul.-y of conduct any
usual excellence raises above colorless mcd!ocrty
The only striking figure Of the group is that Of Rod
ercl Heron the selfish, cOmplacent,' ELUSIVE and
jocular swindcr. and this person derives whatever
effect he may be able TO produce from the fact that lie
Is saiicature and from the additional fact that the
associates implicated in his life arc made to act in
such way as to expedite his parasitical and
10 emphasize his ludcrous prominence. No NAHUM
less lie were an intentional and ccnsummatc rascal
could in actual life manifest the stold, cruel nsensi
billy OF Rodertck Heron. The type Is true, but tho
particular instance Of IT is ovcrchargci and in order
that he may be kept afoat and with rather cynical
expedients Of humor, be made amusing, his niece be
comes fooshly and stipdly indulgent his proves
almost wickedly tolerant and the old stablckeeper,
whom he swindlcs. is 10 lapse from intelligence
and dscernment into sheer imbeoility Mr.. Pinero
avows the character to lie reminiscent OF Harold
sklnpole. II seems also not wholly devoid of re.
semblancc to Dgby Grant in Mr.. Mbcrry's comedy OF
1.-The Two Roses 1t played in perfect man
ncr by Mr. lie Moyne. to whom. and TO Miss Elfc
shannon Mr.. walcot. Mr.. whitfen. May Robson and
Mr. Kelley, tho laurcls Of this representation were
awarded.
land, proceeds In riding school and In squalld
lodging In London, and ends in old church near
the house wherein IL began. The chief figure In II.
Camilla Is called Lady Bountul' because OF her lib
crafty. and II Is her story that the dramast has
especially desired 10 tell lie probably chose t. dis
regard the that she is not actor but sufferer
She does not say much and she does not do ANYTHING
In act she Is dspleased because the youth whom
she loves has not displayed energetic self reliant
two she is 10 he pinng for him. and she is over
whclmed by the spectacle OF his rash berothaI TO an
other In act three she visits him aud his wife
and baby, In their poverty and distress, and manifess
lovely sweetness OF disposition and OF sympathy.
In act four sho has become elderly and resigned and
first In her acceptance Of her unlovcd sutton, and
then, In her interview with her old lover and her re-
solve aud endesvor 70 keep her word and " act fop