New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-06

iX(ErM TIL ATRE-SARDOU'S NEW COMED1'
MERlCA ANS ABROAD"


pulse OF huma affairs and certainly 1t Is Inc h'o"'o
which explain much conduct that otherM'7' "Vl
seem inexplc' le force that enters ~ i'i ,;o -,
life will, natu. lily, make continual "i""'' .a.~
itself In the drana-by which life Is po'""' an,
cured TIL observer may grow weary Va ,,i
sometimes do Characters that operate
from pbysio )gcal centre do occasionally Sce" nv
noto,o,s ,ornnctorv and undignfed, and the per
re,pa, ,a,ustment NJ amaory relations Involves potent
possibilities A. a colossal bore. The sa!iis Po"o Va
amatory motive IN the drama however, y "
and to many persons it appears 10 NO "s ~ -.
Mr. Sardou in his new drama called 1N'heri'ais
Abroad -prCluced last night. Win I'LL 'i'' "o' "
the Lyceum Thcatre-has struch "P'" ,,,ia
familiar string and has sounded the ou' h'ihiii"
no,e HE n;ece nresents-with that facile deXterty
q, treatment and that ncxiblity alike OF action ana
O, dialoge that are possible only to the accredited
artist and veteran In dramatic compassionate neat
and plauant story Of love that was peisecu'cu pS
alice but that prospcred by s'ra'asc"' ms pcioh'
a,d his theme are absolutely drcumscribed py the
lvlro mcnt amatory propensity ana OF amatory
I oncnsltv II lis sentimental period. The tone Is
gay. the tee ng gentle, the hunor PLAYFUL tue GAt
edsn ons 4, cont the general effect pleasant The
Incidental r ture OF manners. indeed, displays traits
OF e>ce. exaggcration. The idea mat
Am.ric, ps -pecially American wOmen-who wander
O. diva, Franc, are unconventional persons has
bren W It. and firmly gaeP'u ny uc ""io "hliu
I'd q no rot failed TO effect a lodgmcnt In the
ind IN ;ardou In casting the American banner
t.hr FIR this comedy written expressly
r. nm Theatre and the American market
&c do Il lie dramaust mas CAST ''P'o"' "'''9"''
, n ,bo, along with II. The Americans whom
he y, ,bled al Cannes and at Paris have been
made to ave in a manner that much more liberal
Observers Il Mrs. Grundy, whether in America or
Eurote, I'D consider remarkable American ladies'
DO not III about France hunting for lovers. nor do
4. &c diane
ca pture ter favote SWANS neither does the Amcri
can millionaire. when pervadng the gay capital pre-
tend for any purpose that he Is pauper. Mr.
Sardou's Americans eccentric. Yet IT is to be
ION tered that without certain measure OF eX-
agger ition many Enthusiastically this one-wouli
be p.ntless and impracticable upon the stage. The
purpose Of the French author was 10 make cleanly
and bright piece that should exhibit 10 advantage
the vsrOus talents of blight theatrical company. and
he his &c omplishcd that purpose by pushing the
deve pmer OF eccentric American uncOnventionllty
huino ousy and senumentally 10 extreme limit
The play free from faint and It Is frcigtcd with
what peri. ps ought TO be regarded as p.odigious
conpimeH- the admission that there may be an
American girl who Is completely Indifferent to n
foreign : OF nobility. There In the fabric Of
tho comedy few touches OF farce. such as in Paris
Mr.. sa.deu probably would no; have rissed. There
was. Ia The breakfast scene, touch OF consequent
Glowing among the actors.
"HmcricSns Abroad written In French. Mr.
Fiohman has somewhat modified the translation Of
1t in fitting II 10 his company and to the American
hea,re.-wthout. however. making radical changes In
IS structure. Full justice is done to the French
authOr. The Americans are Richard Fairbanks Mr.. II
Noyne) Jessie Fairbanks his daughter MISS Erc shan
non); Florence Winthrop, his niece (Mlss Georgia
Cayvan). and Gber Raymond an a-tis. (Mr. Herbert
Kelcey). The prin,lpal part Is Florence Winthrop.
In the original the artist Is Frenchmac. Nr. Fair
BE- ks va prodieiossly rich. 50 was Mss winthrop
N RAYMOND vas genius, but he WIS poor. Miss
Mint Op had many suto:s. all OF whom,-as she T /
and declarcd,-were covctous Of her money and mind
less Of her heart Miss Winthrop. like the Lord Of
Buregh desired to loved for herself alone She had
casually. mt Mr.. Raymond while on solitary sketch
ing trip. and lad imblbcd the impression that he was
the best adapted satisfy that inspiration. She
especially annoyed upon discovering the impudcnt
machnatoLs of a certain Baroness dc Beaumont Nlrs
Wa.eot-descrbed as " a society bToker.'-wh0, Tor
commission. was manoeuvrng 10 marry her 10
titled paupe named Prince De La Marco. Thercnpon,-
Ike Miss Betsy Trotwocd, In david COpperleld, -
she 1cternlaed u make exhaustive test Of human
ty by pre- ending 10 be suddenly Impoverished.
and 81 implicated her wealthy uncle and cousin rs
sarticil nts in I at scheme They lad been living
Ia luxury at Car They now went 10 Paris and
lied In cheap j igDgs and n studio. There Mr.
Raymond ound t. en-, and there genial intimacy
de Beaumont found them, and suspecting tl,ir
masquerade, resumed her intrguc-aiming 20 win the
hant ~ FlOren'e for dandiiIeI BOBBY named
Cariair Laioly OR. Fritz Williams. or al least 10
mar ter happy ASSOCIATION with NJ. Raymond That
artist was somewhat slow In proposing marriage but
when al length is had sold picture for good
price privately pad by Mr.. Falrbanks), and felt
justified Ia entering up that happy State lie offered
his had AID ,pcd Mr. Fairbanks. mean
while living ~. no other purpose than 10 humor the
capriccs Of his niece and his daughter and TO for
ward their love affairs. had privately housht villa
In the suburbs, and had cOntrivcd that he should
himself be employed the custodian Of II. and that
Mr. Raymond should be employed 20 decorate its
pa.atial rooms removal 20 that villa ensucd. and
now /. only remained for Florence 10 reveal the
secret Of the innocent deception, and inform her
aflianccd lover that ahe was not poor, but rich.
At that point she hesa'ed and before the secret
could be tod. she suddeniy-anh very foolshly-
became persuaded. upon the Authority Of cable dis
patch forged by tie Baroness de- beaumont that Gil
bert Raymond was soriid fortune hunter. lac the
rest OF her admirers The avOwal Of her wealth was
thereupOn accompanied with an avowal Of her anGr,
resentment and Her lover readily justified
himself. and them very properly, left her. aud II
WIS OILY through the aitfI Intervention Of her
Cousins lover Landolphe on. + J. Eatclinc) that
he was brought back, ara that every discOd was
finally merged and drowned In the music Of the
marriage bells.
Narrative is not drama. There mast be action. In
Mr. Sardou's play all this IS acted. not told aud the
chief charm OF the piece is the lGhn"sS the ease the
felicity with w:fch It's persons are made to display
tL,r characters and ten their story by cher move
ments and deeds. NOu have derived notGing from
IT, when 1t Is MI over except the reminder mat rove
is as lively as in the affairs OF TINS Wofu' Du'
YOU Rave passed little time IN IN society VI Pc'po
who are for the most part. clever ana sprsh'iy N'.
,,ve hoon amused ny various neat stratagcms' and
Won have seen a sensible gil almost wreck he
happiness By acting ri5Ely. on uddch ana un"oru'
suspIclon. Above all. you have seen rc',' pi"'.
Mr. lie Moync as the American mlhoha'''' '"o No.,
before YOU the imnge Of shrcwd capao'e' q"~~'' ,
humorous man Of affairs. fertile III resources 'e
r,ous and able 10 discomft his enemies III Il n'"''
as sweet and bland as 1t Is cApeu 'o"' AZ"
- ,aroton q. Maternal bencyolcnce and ine'i'a