The evening world., 1894-01-09
"oUR COUNTRY COUSINS

Paul NJ Potter started his new play,
"Our Country Cousins" which was pro.
duced at the Lyceum Theatre last nigh,
for the first time. very promisingly. His
theme was set forth humorously and
effectively. Some country cousins.
rough, graspinE and il.nnturei. come
swooping down upon the domesticlty OF
Julian and Garda Leroy. cottagers OF
Newport. The Oun people have been
married for a year. but all II not we'll
With them. Julinn has been unfortunate
In business, and he has. moreover.
formed a liaIspn with Kate Rodnev. the
wife Of his friend, and his own s!gter-ln-
law. 1t f. discovered that a relative has
loft a large fortune 70 Julian because
that young man II happily married.
Half Of the fortune IL TO 50 to the coun-
try cousins II Julian's domestic happiness
ceases. or course the good folks from
Cape cod detect the clouds In the sky Of
their hOst"ss's atmosphere. and. with an
eye 10 business. II is their intention to
foster the infclicity hat IL growing as
much as possible The first act intro
duces all the characters. in too stereo-
typed a way, perhaps. but pleasantly.
wittily and successfully.
After this the play loses It's co~hcrency.
and seems 10 get tangled uq IN "A maze Of
comedy, tragedy and farce. The country
cousins have very little to do in the sue
ceeding acts. The excellent opportunities
opened up are lost. and the play deGen-
crates into a sort Of conventional agony
drama, dealing mainly with the disscn.
sions OF Julian and Garda. THE second
act. in which the wife discovers her hus-
bands perfdy by means Of the ever
convenient jewellers bill. that charges
1l0.cop FOR a necklace that looks as
though Il had emerged, fresh and sclntll-
lent. from a ter-Ceut prize package. Is
the best Of the three. 1t is 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 secs
her rival once more in her husbands
room, pals. 1t IS too late in the play
for such a relapse. TIL episode seems
to be dragged In Just 10 spin out the
yarn. The divorce. the threatened elope-
'nent VII the villain. the eavcslropping
in the lighted cottage. the return OF the
husband. the Turing away Of this untOr-
i4A ~ AslF H'h'A nat VIZ" MISCHIEF
making Of the villain. the follins o. the
villain and the ending q the play all
se-m TO De incidents worthy Of Il third
rate Bowery drama. And Mr.. Potter
closes In a hurry. as though he had for
gotten to look at the time. The country
are not discOmhtel-in fact. the
play sine" the nrst act has dealt with
them very little; nobody knows how
AMI her husband manage to settle
their difficulties. and tn. reunion OF
Julian and Garla s~tartl.s the audience.
for 1t has been loudly announced that
a decree Of divorce has been granted.
II IL possible that the audience failed to
II all. but in any case the
lcnouement is Opaque and the ending
and unsatisfactory.
Mr.. Potter has written some very
bright Lines. In fact. there is scarcely II
lull line In the play. The trouble seems
to be the supcrabundance OF Incidents
and their s~tereotyped arrangement ac-
to imaginary fixed rules. Mr..
acknowledges his Indebtedness to
LES Tonnes Pauvres' Of Angler ana
The playwright was very
in earnest, but compared with
NV lIdH Il0 country 'OuSIls rs |
and inartistIc. Mr.. Potter Is n
with keen dramatic percep-
tons and n wealth OF Information, and
L VIII be interesting to watch his future
for they will undoubtedly do him
Justice.
Mr., Frohman's company did well. Miss
has rarely been seen TO greater
She won for herself new adj
by her unexpected dramatic
powers and her careful. well-aimed work.
Miss Mathildc Madison was out OF touch
the company. and spoiled the cast,
Just as a dash OF mlsapplicd color can
ruin a picture. T.. j. Radcliffe was
fairly good as the young husband, and
Mr. Kelley wore gray hair bccomingly.
Ormon 10 az the villain suggested
the Bow"ry. n rolled his eyes as VII
lains are popularity expected to do. Mrs.
az n senfaring woman con-
tributed n clever sketch, and Mrs. Wal
cot In a very small part made a hit, as
lid Ernest Tarleton. Mr.. lie Moyne and
Miss Florence acquitted themselves cred
ltably enough. ALAN DALE.
rnrnnv,C" nrrINrnC