The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-05-10
"TBE CHICK BOOK.n
Charles Coehi.a'. Now Play at the Madisos
Square Theatre.

Charles Coehisa'. Now Play at the Madises
Square Theatre.
It would be difficult matter to classify the
comedy by Charles CoRhlan which was pre-
sented last night at tho Madison Square Thea
tre even II It were worth the while to dis
tinRuish 1t specifically from other plays that
have failed as completely. 1t was not .
comedy Of action. for its characters moved
through scenes OF interminable dialogue tina.
commenced anywhere and led to nothing. It
was not play Of character. for the lifeless
figures It presented were very familiar types.
appearing without skill or originality In the
manner Of their reincarnation. Its dialogue
was not bright. and. In the absence OF action
and characterization II accentuated the dull
ness OF the whole production. The play made
no pretence to plot, and 1t may have been the
authors idea to write comedy OF CONVERSE
tion. perhaps In the style OF Pailleron. But
the result was a comedy OF words. relieved By
Incidents OF exaggerated farce.
Characters that come out OF life that are new
to the stage and strong In the conviction of
the authors observation Of life and society can
tainingly enough to com pensate for the lack
Si6it. But. stsie types teuehed IN " with f
current colloquiallsms and exhibiting the
' sss n.fa thu The eds h.P.l. .n is
not characters; II we are to have them distin-
only BY hsy ms:t IN IN
activity for their uninterostinR personalities.
Dulnsss h In one 81 these forms 10 eaoaHn !! is
l' The best e tnat can be said o, The Check
though some Of its lines are too broad ior the
ears Of decent people: But the comedy
nedents which occur IN the 's second and las.
acts do not rob the production OF this
pss Sa Il os snS there , ss.
some speeches genuinely witty. But the mass
Of the dialogue L. T. the com@onplace badinags
main nnreleved BY any suggestion OF humor
The play Z destitute Of technical skill in 1T.
making. It's scenes follow one another in or
OF the play would not be Injured.
The person.ges In the play are an English
IL . the
boor; who Is another character In the piece-a
strong IDEAS on the subject Of womSn's
70 lead h to the 6si f tSa. aaehiS they had
lately .een assumed for the sake OF the cur
ind themseys. at a hotel in q French water:
ing place. and the interest OF the husband OF
to be the pret.xt for the three acts OF the play.
The only ,i,ntteTruptions 70 the cea.eiess foI
bic nature: one instance OF this Is the as
sumption. for no apparent reason. BY an Eng
lish lord OF the uniform and duties Of a hotel
waiter. an In ident old almost as the stage
itself. and particularly unwelcome when II led
10 such scene as that which closed the play
and sent Miss Hose Coghlan hurdlinR over the
furniture In rough and tumble chase after
him.
Miss Coghlan brought to the ungrateful part
Of the wife ,hs art OF the trained com edien
She 10 an actress OF rare skill. and IL was never
more effectually shown than in her stTuggles
last night Without her the play would prob
ably never have gotten beyond the first act and
II was pity to see her ability wasted In such .
part The other actors were admirable as
far as they could be. Among them were Mr..
Joseph Holland. Augustus Cook. C. ID; MArius.
son and Efie shannon. Miss Shannon was
notably refined and pleasing In q part which
gave her little opportunity TO be anything else