New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-04
THE DRAM MA.
" THE UCARDSMAN.'

'i"ch attention centred on :hc Lyceum Theatre
"herc was acted, for the first time In America. tie
p'ay vi The Guaidsman" by Messrs. sims and Ra
.sn. ~ Is wildly absurd in plot. frolicsome in
spirit orol In Incident and sufficiently comic in
general effect. Ii was followed with interest and
received with frequent laughter by numerous and
Gay assemblage. Tie tiuardsman was n soldier.
WIN was III love with an unknown girl but whose
""'"ohiai destination had been ordained by his rich
aunt ana who therefore found himself In much en-
barrassment and distress. His method OF seeking de-
Verahce and relief WAS to repair his aurts home
anu 10 nlrt and risk and iroc with the females there
reSueht or assembled In such manner If possible
10 disgust and rcpcl the lady whom his relative had
sciected TO be his wife. That lady and the unknown
OBJECT OF his love-a girl whom he had met H. an
Underground railway carriage, and whose pet name
he Knew to be Babs-proved to be one and the same
person. The posture Of circumstances thus indicated
Is not remarkable for novelty. but 1t IS dro and II
was illustrated by sprightly acting in that
moved merriy because supplied with fluent comic In
cldent and brisk speech The note that is struck In
all such pieces rs this is the note OF comic perpcXy
The comedian is entangled IN a web Of innocent mis-
CHIEF. and he must break his way out with cool
audacity and sustained and sparkling action. The
lady must be demure and pQuant and expert in
railery and the keen encounter OF wits must make
laughter and end In happiness. Much the same plan
that is pursued I'm "The Guardsman' was pursued.
under vastly different conditions in many Of the old
English cOmedies-such, for example, 1.-THE 1ncon-
slant" and The Bellies Straagem." in which 1t Is
tho lady who tries to rcpcl the lover. But the
scheme Of The Guardsman" is sufficiently adrolt for
Its design and 1t was efficiently displayed by the
Lyccum ComPany-recrptcd for this production. by
the ches,iui eSpsdi1ious pqG@nt admirable merry
welcome. and whc we'll deserved ii.
The piece was measnrbly successful 1t will; OF
course. to every observer that such work Is
not one for serioals consideration; The Guardsmnn'
Is q farce. In fine clothes and the soul Of farce
whether silk or rags. is comic absurdity. The In
Of satdrical and even malicious ridicule upon I'M
pleasant attributes OF English character and hollow
iidIcle was felt in the proeeedings Of the retired
who counscls and abcs the dctcsiabc rascaty Of The
anony mOus letter Ii was perccptblc also. in the
matchmaking Lady Jones and In the vacno,is pickle
merchant With his cupous wealth and his equally
downright lmperncncc- and il would all be i'm
pertinent II for ONE moment the piece were viewed
Intelligent people aware that farce writers push
their license 10 extreme limit especially when tho
orlstocacy and The T%nycn'lona'y Of The EnglS IRE
the writer's Of aThe Guardsman" Their wider intent
the other hand was a frolicsomc combination Of
G ps Jt' BY means n'a exclusively theatrical
Tn, opportunities provided for acting take the
shape of skctchy types Of frivolous character. Mr.
WHifen made much Of the irritable general but
sonnton wn, that Of lakes, by Mr.. Augustus Cook.
lakes is an ass, pure and simple without Ncns
lection MIR. Herbert Kelley gave much vlvadtv
to the scene Of the impos'urc. The TOUCHES 4 de-
murp mischief In Miss IIarrisons embodiment o. IN"
American girl were particularly neat and pnn=cn'
and were much enjoyed. The episode ~ The re
hearsal for presentation at court was supremacy
advanaycouslv 10 omitted. "Thc Gnarhsman" VIII
probably prosper summer eniertni''n"ni us
arrival is one OF the symptoms that the season Is
nearly cndpd