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

u
wants all the fat Of the play. number
OF nice men and women playing nddles
OF less Importance than his own and
tailor making playwright, who has tape.
scissors and the reputation OF hitting
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
few climaxes OF service to himself.
L. 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 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 broken arm, for the sake
of his lady love, and then faint from
ically permit himself to father the cow
ardice of another, and 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.
1.-THE Victoria Cross" is a 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," THE Girl I
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 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 pretticst of the girls, and as
he has already won the Victoria cross.
she looks upon him as a hero He takes
pretty good care that she shall: SO does
Mr.. Potter There Is an uprising of
natives, on account OF Sir Allan's horse
racing man-horses being looked upon
as sacred In India-and the bungalow Is
besieged. The villainous Ahmedoolah
and a skittish young widow steal a
paper from n convenient cabinet in
order to learn Sir Allan's route when
he goes on his travels. and then hold
him up. Fortunately Ralph is on hand.
He discovers the villain. foils the ad-
venturess a la Countess Z!cka, wins
the heroine and helps to set down the
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 tc
be saddled with Gerald's misdemeanors
And very justly. too Ralph Is a poseur
] and a tinsel hero and he doesn't deserve
Stage heroes are an awful nuisance
clamorlng. as they do. for the earth
Several playwrights have discussed tn,
ACCESSIBILITY of doing away with the vii
lain. Give me the villain any day. He,
either human or inhuman. and tn,
hero Is nothing but a stage picture.
MIR. Sothern. who is now a most pleas
ing young actor, played his part a
though he liked 1t. 1t neither bagged a
the knees nor wrinkled at the shoulders
II fitted. Miss Grace Kimball, though
trifle boisterous, was an agreeable hero
inc, and Arthur II. Lawrence made al
excellent and artistic villain. Mrs. Pat
tison-Seiten was picturesque villain
ess. and c. i. Flockton a consideration
pepper. MIR. Sternroyd brought to hi
part sort of downtown vehemence tina
was unnecessary.
THE Victoria Cross" was exquisitel
staged. the pictures being worthy o
any that have been in the Lyceum. TIL
ladies OF the bungalow all wore the mos
gorgeous of gowns. and changed Their
perpetually. They were as peacockesqu
in this bungalow as though they ha
been in Park lane or Fifth avenu,
Still. the women In a play must dress
don't-you-know? and the amateur a,
I tress, who insisted upon wearing whit
satin gown, cut low. when she climbe
= the Rocky Mountains, knew her bus
ness. ALAN DALE.