The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-08-28
THE VICTORIA CROSS

A star is a most Unsuitable person. He
wants all the fat OF the play, a number
OF nice men and women playing fiddles
Of less Importance than his own, and
ALTERNATING playwright, who has tape,
scissors and the reputation OF fitting
we'll In the Bowery. the insistent star
rescues heroines from tanks. discounts
the villain at a critical moment. and
dampens the hair Of me-child with
tears. On upper Broadway, where tanks
are not allowed, the hero covets telling
situations. sympathetic episodes and
few cllmaxes OF service to himself.
f.. II. Sothern has been fitted with
large suit of upper Broadway heroism
by Paul NJ. Potter In IAN original play
Of East India life" called THE Victoria
Cross" which was produced for the first
time at the Lyceum Theatre last night.
By means of this play he tries to
Chamber up the flexible rope of sympa-
thy into the somewhat apathetic hearts
OF polite audience. There was no
tank, of course; no ladder of life. no
burning building. Mr.. Sothern, however
is called upon to dance Sir Roger de
Coverly with IA broken arm. for the sake
OF his Indy love, and then faint from
sheer. excruciating anguish: to idiot
ically permit himself to father the cow
artiice Of another, and a most uninter-
esting young person. for no earthly rea-
son but to make the audience love him.
and finally to treat the villain kindly
and set everything right. 1t is a nice.
clean, insipid and conspicuous role for a
pleasant young actor of limited scope.
THE Victoria Cross" is n sort or
chowder made up OF other plays, and
rendered seemingly novel by an Indian
atmosphere, In which a vizier of the
Nawab of Rampore Is villain-in-chief.
and dandywallahs. kitmutzars and ayahs
form the background. The play sug-
Bests Lord Chumley," The Girl
Left Behind Me-" "Lettarblair' and
diplomacy" These are curried, az II
were, and served hot. and they are no,
at all unpleasant to the taste. They
are four good plays. and they can stand
being pressed for "reminiscences.
The story Of 1.-THE Victoria Cross
which Is at times almost lost sight OF
in a mass-or a jungle, to he Indian
OF trivial incidents that recall Belasco.
deals with the advent of n new padre"
| to Sir Allan Strathallan's bungalow.
There are pretty girls, swell women
and end-of-century youths In this bun
galow. Ralph. the padre, fallsin love
with the prettiest of the girls, and as
he has already won the Victoria cross
she looks upon him as a hero. He takes
pretty good care that she shall; so does
Mr.. Potter. There Is an uprising OF
natives. on account OF Sir Allans horse
racing man-horses being looked upor
as sacred In India-and the bungalow Is
besieged. The villainous Ahmedoollaf
and a skittish young widow steal 9
paper from convenient cabinet ir
order to learn Sir Allana route wher
he goes on his travels, and then hold
him up. Fortunately Ralph Is on hand
He discovers the villain. foils the ad
ventures la Countess Zicka, wini
the heroine and helps to set down tn,
uprising.
The Victoria cross has very little to d.
with the case. IT Is plucked from
Ralph's manly bosom by an irate pepper
when that young man stands in the cen
tire OF the stage, and allows himself I,
be saddled with Gerald's misdemeanors
and tinsel hero, and he doesn't deserv
his badge. though he gets It back later
Stage heroes are an awful nuisance
clamoring, as they do, for the earth
Several playwrights have discussed tn
advisa bility of doing away with the vii
lain. Give me the villain any day. He
either human or inhuman. and tn
hero Is nothing but a stage picture.
Mr. Sothern. who is now a most plea.
ing young actor. played his part a
though he liked 1t. II neither bagged a
the knees nor wrinkled at the shoulder:
7 1t fitted. Miss Grace Kimball, though
trifie boisterous, was an agreeable here
Inc, and Arthur r. Lawrence made a
excellent and artistic villain. Mrs. Pa
tison-Selten was picturesque villair
! ess, and c. =. Flockton n constellation
D pepper. MIR. Sternroyd brought to h
{ part a sort of downtown vehemence this
was unnecessary.
THE Victoria Cross was exqusitel
staged, the pictures being worthy
any that have been in the Lyceum. TT
ladies OF the bungalow all wore the mo-
! gorgeous of gowns. and changed the
e perpetually. They were as peacockesql
l. In this bungalow as though they hs
been in Park lane or Fifth avenu
J. Still, the women in a play must dres
IS don't-you-know? and the amateur a
Il tress, who insisted upon wearing a Will
satin gown, cut low, when she climb
e the Rocky Mountains knew her bus
' ness ALAN DALE.