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

A star Is a most insat table person. He
wants all the fat OF the play. number
OF nice men and women playing fddles
OF less Importance than his own. and a
tailor making playwright, who has tape,
scissors and the reputation OF fitting
we'll In the Bowery. the insistent star
rescues heroines from tanks. discounts
the villain at a 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.
e. H. 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 a 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 a 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 a nice.
clean. insipid and conspicuous role for a
pleasant young actor of limited scope.
THE Victoria Cross" Is a sort Of
chowder made up OF other plays, and
rendered seemingly novel by an Indian
atmosphere, in which vlzier of the
Nawab OF Rampore Is villain-n-chief.
and dandywallahs, kitmutzars and ayahs
form the background. The play sug-
gests Lord Chumley." THE Girl |
Left Behind Me-" "Lettarblair" and
Diplomacy" These are curried. as 1t
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. u
which is at times almost lost sight OF
In mass-or a jungle. to be Indian
of trivial incidents that recall Belasco.
deals with the advent of 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 prettiest Of the girls. and as
he has already won the Victoria cross,
she looks upon him as II hero. He takes
pretty good care that she shall; so does
Mr.. Potter. There Is an uprising OF
natives. on account OF Sir Adams horse
racing man-horses being looked upon
as sacred In lndia--and the bungalow Is
besieged. The villainous Ahmedoollah
and skittish young widow steal q
paper from convenient cabinet In
order to learn Sir Allans route wher
he goes on his travels. and then hold
him up. Fortunately Ralph is on hand
He discovers the villain, foils the ad
ventures a la Countess Zicka. wins
the heroine and helps to set down tn,
uprising.
The Victoria cross has very little to Dc
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 I,
be saddled with Gerald's misdemeanors
And very Justly. too. Ralph Is a poseur
and a tlnsel hero, and he doesn't deserv
his badge, though he gets II back LAT I
Stage heroes are an awful nuisa ice
c,,nor,n, nc ,hay ao for tho a,r,b
e 49,
; several plaSwriShts nave discussed IN
adNIsabilit OF doing away with the VII
HAT, ciya mo ,ba villain any aay H.