The evening world., 1894-08-28
1.-THE VICTORIA CROSS"

A star Is n most Unsuitable person. He
wants all the fat of the play, a number
OF nice men and women playing hddles
of less Importance than his own. and
tailor making playwright, who has tape,
scissors and the reputation OF fitting
well. In the Bowery. the insistent star
rescues heroines from tanks. discounts
the villain at 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 a
few climaxes Of service to himself
Il. II. sothern has been fitted with a
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 broken arm, for the sake
of his lady love. and then faint from
sheer. excruciating anguish: to idiot
ically permit himself to father the cow
ardice 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 nice.
clean, insipid and conspicuous role for a
pleasant young actor of limited scope.
1.-The Victoria Cross ia sort OF
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-
gests Lord Chumley." 1.-THE Girl 1
Left Behind Me-" "Lettarblair'' and
| Diplomacy" These are curried. as II
were. and served hot. and they are not
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 be Indian
Of trivial Incidents that recall Belasco.
deals with the advent Of a 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 prettlest of the girls. and as
he has already won the Victoria cross
she looks upon him as n hero. He takes
pretty good care that she shall; so does
MIR. Potter. There Is an uprising OF
natives. on account OF Sir Allan's horse,
racing man-horses being looked upor
as sacred in India-and the bungalow II
besieged. The yillainous Ahmedoollaf
and a skittish young widow steal g
paper from convenient cabinet II
order to learn Sir Allans route wher
he goes on his travels. and then hole
him up. Fortunately Ralph Is on hand
He discovers the villain. foils the ad
ventures a la Countess Zicka, win
the heroine and helps to set down tn,
uprising,
The Victoria cross has very little to d.
with the case. 1t 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 T.
be saddled with Gerald's mlsdemeanors
And very justly, too. Ralph is a poseur
and a tinsel hero. and he doesn't deserv
his badge. though he gets It back later
Stage heroes are an awful nuisance
clamorlng as they do, for the earth
Several playwrights have discussed tn
advsability OF doing away with the VII
lain. Give me the villain any day. He
either human or inhuman, and tn
hero Is nothing but stage picture.
Mr. Sothern. who IL now a most pleai
Ing young actor, played his part a
though he liked 1t. 1t neither bagged q
the knees nor wrnkled at the shoulders
1t fitted Miss Grace Kimball, though
trlhe boisterous, was an agreeable here
excellent and artistic villain. Mrs. Pa
) tison-Seltcn was II picturesque villain
! ess. and Z. +. Flockton a constellation
. pepper. MIR. Sternroyd brought to h
part sort of downtown vehemence thu
was unnecessary.
THE Victoria Cross" was exquisite
Il staged, the pictures being worthy
Z any that have been in the Lyceum. TT
ladies OF the bungalow all wore the mo
l gorgeous Of gowns. and changed the
e perpetually. They were as peacockesq,
l. in this bungalow as though they hf
9 been in Park lane or Fifth avenu
i Still, the women in a play must dres
~ don't-you-kuow? and the amateur a
II tress. who insisted upon wearing whi
satin gown. cut low, when she climb
' ness, ALAN DALE