New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-21
THE .DRAMA-MUSIC.
LYC ECM THEATRE.

The regular dramatic season az the Lyceum
Theatre began last night, and an adaptation from
the French was produced there under the name
of "An American Duchess" 1t pretends 10 De
comedy. and 10 present a reflex OF what is tech-
nically called "socety"-a reflex, that Is to say, OF
the manners and conversation OF men ana women
who pass their lives in drifting through drawing
rooms and in being "recognized' by one another
That spectacle, in actual life, is not remarkably
imposing. and copy of II upon the stage even
had copy been truthfully made would seem but
little likely to promote the public pleasure When'
indeed that subject is treated as ii was by Shefl'
dan with delicate and pquant exaggeration, spark
ling dialogue and good natured satire a good OBJ
ject is Observation-Disclosures then an audience is
amused and at the same time. sensible IDEAL oil
conduct is sifted into the mind and left TO ABIDE
in the memory When the theme is treated in
worse than an ordinary way, as it is in AN Amer
lean Duchess" the effect is an impairment of fatu-
Gus frivolity The stage has long been literally
supplied with plays of that knd-all prattle, ana
ribbons and futter. long tissue of insipidty-and
one more or less, of them makes no especial dit-
ference.
The assemblage at the Iyceum was numerous
and it viewed the proceedings with a mild acqui-
escence, quite harmonious with their respectable
dulness Mediocrity of every kind was compiacentiy
manifest The comedy aoounds with dukes ana
duchesses. countesses lords and honorables. ana
of course it's drift is 10 set those fine people in
sharp contrast with various vulgarians since
however. no member of the Lyceum Company, eX-
ceptlng Mr. lie Moyne. possesses essential disuhc-
ton of manner. it not easy TO perceive much
difference betwix. the behavior Of the mobiles ana
that Of the plebs Miss Georgia Cayvan presented
her duchess in what understood to be glass
case; and, certainy,-viewed a type of aristo-
cratic manners,-it merited that distinction Moth
ing could well be funnier than the common Amer-
can idea of the English peerage. Our stage usually
shines in this respect. and this occasion 1t was
loI. Glfe1l
who such tine. commonly expresses her blood
thirsty desire for fifty thousand livers. was not
audible: but the moon-eyed, self-conscious arlsto-
crat was on hand and the noodle with the eye
glass. and the grand dame with the rocking horse
head and all the of those familiar toy figures
of the theatrical Noahs Ark. Such people get
upoii the stage when callow youth is permitted to
fool with pen. but nowhere else In the world are
they TO be found. Certain Americans were
also liberia ted-the millionaire who does not know
how to behave in drawing room and the impos-
sible girl. with the nasal voice. who almost asks
an old noblenan to make her his wife. 1t would
be interesting to know where. in England. the pur-
veyor of this wretched stuff found his types Of
arstocracy. where In America he discovered
such d maiden he depicts for the American girl.
As a picture OF manners the piece is contemplate.
In the original French story there is no doubt
acter In the diation OF it there is nothing.
During the chatter of act first the Duchess OF
Baron Phillips During that Of act second. after
some puerility in the shape OF "a Pavane and
rubbish about the House of Lords,-she tore
il in pieces upon receiving he- husbands pre-
ciptate and wholly uncharacerstic assurance that
he would gamble with it, In ac, third she repulse1
the amatory attentions of the Baron Phillips and
treated her duke coldly until he had promised to
go to work. That was the play. Nothing sillier
has been produced at any important theatre in the
city. Mrs. WhiHen. Mr.. Fritz Williams and at
point Mr.. lie Moyne acted with vigor and |
taste and a little redeemed the total effect OF
absurdty The serious element in the original Is |
made trivial. The love mawksh The I
farcca establishment Is clumsy. Mr. Frohman's |
audience may possibly like spoon food. but they
surely equal TO something little more substantial |
than this