The evening world., 1894-01-09
OUR COUNTRY CoU SINS

Paul NJ. Potter started his new play,
our Country Cousins" which was pro-
duced at the Lyceum Theatre last night
for the first time. very promisingly. His
theme was set forth humorously and
effectively. Some country cousins,
rough, grasping and ill-natured. come
swooping down upon the domcsticlty OF
Julian and Garda Leroy. cottagers OF
Newport. The Young people have been
married for a year. but all Is not well
with them. Julian has been unfortunate
In business. and he has. moreover.
formed a liaison with Kate Rodney. the
wife Of his friend, and his own sister-in-
Law. 1t IL discovered that n relative has
left a large fortune to Julian because
that young man Ia happily married.
Half OF tho fortune IL to go to the Coun-
try cousins II Iullan's domestic happiness
ceases. OF course the good folks from
cape cod detect the clouds in the sky Of
their host"ss's atmosphere. and. with mn
eye to business, 1t IL their intention to
foster the iufclicity that is growing as
much as possible The first act intro
duces all the characters. in too stcrco-
typed "A way. perhaps, but pleasantly,
wittily and successfully.
After this the play loses its cohcrency,
and seems to got tangled uq in A maze Of
comedy, tragedy and farce. The country
cousins have very little TO do I'm the sue.
reeding acts. The excellent opportunities
opened M are lost. aud the play degen-
crates into a sort Of conventional agony
drama, dealing mainly with the dissen-
sions of Julian and Garda. The second
nat L. ,II,I ~. .If - t-
bands perfldy by means Of the ever
convenient jewellers bill, that charges
$4,000 for n necklace that looks as
though II had emerged. fresh and scintil-
lent. from n ter-cent prize package, IL
the best Of the three. It IL strong and
absorbing. The last two acts are very
weak and conventional, and the episode
OF the wife's forgiveness. which Is dis.
PEELED ten minutes later when she sees
her rival once more in her husbands
room, pals. II IL too late In the play
for such n relapse. The episode seems
to he dragged in Just to spin out the
yarn. The divorce. the threatened elope-
ment with the villain. the eavcsdropping
In the lighted cottage, the return of the
husband, the Turing away OF his unfor-
tunate to the wicked Kate. the mischief
making of the villain, the foiling OF the
villain and the ending Of the play all
seem n he incidents worthy Of a third
Bowery drama. And Mr.. Potter
closes in a hurry. as though he had for
are not discounted in fact. the
play since the first act has dealt with
them very little: nobody knows how
L a . q aud ba, h,,sI,,l .-..t-
their difficulties, and the reunion of
Julian and 'iarda %startles the audience,
for 1t has been loudly announced that
"A decree Of divorce has been granted.
1t Is possible that the audience failed to
understand 1t all, but in any case the
denouement Is Opaque and the ending
and unsatisfactory.
Mr.. Potter has written some very
bright lines. In fact. there Is scarcely a
duh line in the play. The trouble seems
to he the superabundance of incidents
and their s~tereotyped arrangement ac-
to Imaginary fixed rules. Mr..
Potter acknowledges his Indebtedness to
LES lionnss Pauvres'' Of Angler and
Foussier. The playwright was very
much in earnest, but compared with
his Country Cousins is
and inartistic. Mr.. Potter Is a
student. with keen dramatic percep-
and a wealth of information. and
1t will he interesting to watch his future
efforts. for they will undoubtedly do him
Justice.
Mr.. Frohman's company did we'll. Miss
has rarely been seen to greater
She won for herself new ad-
mirers by her unexpected dramatic
powers and her careful. well-aimcd work.
Miss Mathilde Madison was out OF touch
with the company, and spoiled the cast,
just as a dash OF misapplied color can
ruin a picture. f.. j. Radcliffe was
fairly good as the young husband, and
Mr.. Kelley wore gray hair becomingly.
Eugene Ormon le as the villain suggested
the Bow0ry, and rolled his eyes as vii
lalns are popularity expected to DO. Mrs.
Whiren as n seafaring woman con-
tributed a clever sketch. and Mrs. Wal
cot in IA very small part mad a hit, as
did Ernest Tarleton. Mr.. lie Moyne and
Miss Florence acquitted themselves cred
itably enough. ALAN DALE.