The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-18
A BATCH OF NEW PIECES.
THREE OLD DIVES REPRODUCED BIZ
sTOCK COMPANIES.

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FIRST Perrsr-s-ees n Town or a Back
Nu-ser." Especial Delivery "In the
TenderIotn" ana "The side Show" -
Esmernlda" sad The A.aZous" AEais
The outlying theatres had the four plays that
we're reformed last evening for the first times in
New York, and the central theatres had none
but there were renewals OF old pieces by stock
companies to command attention. THE ANA
IONS" was restored TO the Lyceum stage in al.
most precisely the condition in which II
had been when taken Away last spring.
The only appreciable difference was that Isabel
Irving appeared as one Of the boyish girls, the
others being Katharine Florence and Bessie
Tyree, as before. Three handsome young
actresses, those. with tact and charm enough to
travesty fhasculinity. each in the manner de.
manded by her role, without a touch of immod-
esty or vulgarity. The round dozen Of players
engaged were the pick Of the Lyceum company,
and they gave the requisite polish and lightnes.
TO the matter Of the burlesque comedy.
A play that had not been forgotten in "a
years Of disuse. but had remained In very pleas
ant memory, was "Esmeralda" at Palmer's.
Here was an opportunity to judge whether the
lea during a decade. This Naturalization OF
Frances Hodgson Burnett's story by William
square a year, and had then been deemed an
artful thing as well as an agreeable
fSeppssefie zen alton o., of ~, human rI nature; Would II
audience In 1891 Well. il did not. It's good
qualities Of homely pathos and racy. humor were
motives OF the personages who did the pathetic
and humorous things were absurdly inadequate.
Carolina Car o 1lialmfs arm eGm az pSrt MSs pG By n Mr. i'q Holla TSe
was n lovable old fellow, but why did he not
save his daughter from being afianced to the
naIvete was no less pretty than It had been be-
fore. but now ~ came nigh to being
regarded as foolishness. Mr.. HICKMAN was
manly as the rustic lover, but what made him
fail TO marry the girl at once when he found
questions. and to others touching the reasons for
the characters conduct, we're given in the story
but not In the play, and their absence would
day. However, the fauitiness Of - Esmeraida"
did not render IL unenjoyablc to last nights
audience. Partly through the generally ex-
cellent acting. and partly through the merits
above attributed To. the work itself, IL won con-
siderable OF apprectatiye applause, and proved
which are all the time II can have at this theatre.
The representation of Love on Clutches" at
stagecraft to the illustration OF refined manner
and correct social customs as we have ever had
in a theatre. The cotillon. in the ball scene, is
an exquisite ideaiization OF "a dance by the most
pretentious bellies and beaus. The touch
OF the actors in handling the, slight
The only failure of intention worth mentioning
In the first performances was in Ada Rehan's
toilets. Two of them had such an excess of
picturesqueness that the spectators laughed at
the first sight of them, seeming TO suspect them
for the moment of an intent to caricature the pre-
vatlinR fashions Of dress. As an afternoon caller
Miss Rehan's, queenly head was surmounted,
and her royal face surrounded with such an
hardly to be blamed when they mistook IL for q
joke; Again, when she came into an
travesty that was iaunshabie. only this time the
spectators were a bit startled. Probably some
thought he sleeves had accidentally Slipped OFF
her shoulders. They hung loose over her biceps.
and so low that the line Of exposure was under
meath her armpits. and her breast and
erous degree. Frail and almost Invisible strips
OF lace over tho shoulders must have felt such n
weight Of responsibility. in holding up that
scared and let 90. But they did not, and
Miss Rehan's admirable acting betrayed no ner-
vous lack OF confidence in them.
There would not be much to say for or against
!" In the Tenderloin," a new drama by Edmund
Price. which was produced at the Peoples
evening, but for the presence in IL of Tom
Gould, the dive keeper, and George Apo. the
green goods crook. The plays seen in the Bow
Fry are not often pernicious; nor would this one
all for much condemnation II 10 did not make
exhibits OF the two notorious characters named.
illustrates crime and criminals. but draws
!. moral lesson from them. and is no worse
n that respect than many another from
Jack Sheppard" to "Gismonda." In the
present case. however, the scenes are in the
renderloin, and that Is the same as saying they
ire coarse and tough. They run through Broad
way, a police station, a low drinking place, and
gambling house. Tho things that happen in
hem are Of no dramatic account whatever. the
ole apparent object being to exploit criminal-
with Gould and Apo as central objects of
That sort of degradation of the stage
5 deplorable.
The two immoral celebrities names were
last In the bill, but their personalities
we're first in the regard OF the audience. as they
we're meant to be-. The majority bestowed the
attention en- the parts Of could and App.
we're greeted y applause, wRith may have
TIRED up envy in the heart Of Mr.. Bryton and
theirs Il the cast. Apo was a contempti;
4 stature and had a squeaking voice.
lis costume was that OF a dude sport.
10 the middle-aged man a youthful appear
nee; He does not say much, and were 1t not
or his 81, dhisris aS.; so ,hd l not have got E place
cared as a weakling sort of wall ing gentle
nan" in several scenes. Incidentally he saved
vas the protector OF innocence. There
'as a reprodSc!ion 81 The Interior of
ras Supposed 10 be a steerer." First
ountryman. who has n farm near Jamaica,
.ong Island, appeared as a customer. lie pays
lace sells him SIC ,O0Oin supposed green goods"
he green goods real bills. xamined and
P pgr0S This p bag ssi is i %droitly e eSch R1n ,d' for a ,SS,RsT
y a confederate Of the. keeper. the farmer
akes the SUBSTITUTE ana departs, unconscious
hat he has been swindled. The next customer
a man about whom there are no signs OF YER
ancy. He does not give the swindlers
n opportunity to cheat him and seizes
he first bag. As he is ou the point
( going the keeper commands him Ia
alt and surrender the bag. lie refuses
, obey, and the keeper aims a pistol Al him.
iefore the keeper has a chance 10 fire the Gus
fires and the keeper - killel. The scene
a reproduction Of the killing OF Tom Davis by
Texan in a green goods den in TIL, city sew
raj years ago, Nnne Of the =" heavy acting is
one by Apo. Tom Gould. a larger man
he keeper of the sans Souci. lie has a
lOnd complexion. and his sandy hair and
are carefully cOmbed and waxed.
lis once Infamous sans SOuci dive l. n scene in
he play. Gould steps IN and stops a fight. In
'ud, melndramatic tones he informs the brswl-
r. that IL there Is TO be any smuggling lac feels
1mpetent to do IL himself. His words are
with an extraordinarily hcrce
leam from his eyes, and the crowd is instantly
Gould walks away with a swAg-
sr something like the waddling OF "A duck,
that his Patrons must remember
lAt he Is master OF his own place, Again the
at the sans S0uci become noisy. 4 POI
cemAn looks Ia at the door and says: Make
IS noise here" Gould responds; A right.
hcer. We are just about TO close the doors.
nd therell be- no more trouble" Gould speaks