The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-09-18
ARMS AND THE MAN"

The Herald Square Theatre started
upon its career last night in the vast
competitive theatricalism OF upper
Broadway. There was very little about
1t to suggest the old Park. The rampant
uglIness and the irredeemable vulgarity
OF the old house had departed-where
do such qualities go?-and in their place
Is n modern luxury, an air of refine
ment and aesthetic culture. The Herald
Square is charming with its well-timed
Corations. It's sedate Colprs. It's pretty
fixtures. How 1t was ever possible to
make this theatre out of the old one
Is difficult to understand. What | like
best in the arrangements Is the wide
carpeted lobby. with its divans and
plants Much of the space might have
been utilized for seats, but the new
lessee is evidently ungreedy. Then
there Is n picture gallery, which may
or may not prove useful, but which is
undeniably ornamental.
Richard Mansfield opened the theatre
with most eccentric, century-end
comedy by Bernard Shaw, called Arms
and the Man" At the close of n theatre
cal season. when one has become weary
lains, and our souls rebelled at the con-
ventionality OF the thing. Arms and the
Man" might please many, for 1t holds
up all the stage traditions to rtdicule.
But at the seasons starting point. when
we have laid in n new stock of vitality
to protect us against the brain-turning
playwrights, Arms and the Man" seems
out of date.
1t Is an odd airy, unusual little AFFAIR,
bristling with bright lines, but unattrac-
tive to the average theatre-goer. who
wants his moneys worth OF stout, usual,
beefy dramatic entertainment. Mr..
Shaw's aim seems to he to show that
on the stage fine heroism Is but one
degree removed from crawling base
| ness. All the characters in Arms and
the Man" discover their own peridy.
The heroine. who IL an attractive little
liar Is found out by the hero, who Is
chocolate -cream-eating soldier. Sara
non, the herolnes lover prefers Lonka,
the servant girl. and Nicola. Lonka's
lover, gives her up cheerfully Every
thing Is topsy-turvy. The scenes take
place In Bulgaria. during the trouble
between that country and Servia. and
Bulgarians themselves.
Nobody knows better than Mr.. Mans
field that such n play as arms and
the Man" could never become popular.
The actor therefore deserves consider
able credit for presenting 1t. The specu-
lative New York manager would give It
a wide berth, but we need few men
like Mansfield who are not afraid Of
displeasing the average theatre-goer'
once in n blue moon. for the sake Of dis
playing novelty Arms and the
Man" Is nothing more than a novelty.
Bernard Shaw has not the knack OF
rendering It acceptable. Gilbcrts satires
are so full OF mlrthful suggestion that
they Please everybody, but in Arms
and the Man" there seems to be n grim
determination to be unconventional first
and last. Some OF the expressions I
heard from the audience were really
amusing. They took II all seriously,
were surprised to find so unlovely n
heroine, sneered at the hero, and tore
up the play. what n mani" IL the
final expression uttered on the stage.
MY neighbor, as he took his hat and
Joined the outgoing throng. remarked,
what a plPy."
Richard Mansfield did extremely well
with the role OF the chocolate cream
soldier. Every point suggested by Mr..
Shaw was admirably elaborated by the
actor. His manner was easy and nat
ural and his comedy unstrained and
spontaneous. Miss Cameron was as spas
modic as ever. but in the third she did
some clever work. Henry Jewett was
awkward and embarrassed as Sergius
Saratotf. II. NJ Pitts, Walden Ramsay,
Miss Busby and Mrs. Rankin made as
much as possible out of their parts.
Mansfield made a speech that was n gem
Of aulaci satire. 1t was obi as Arms
and the Man" ALAN DALE.