The sun., 1895-03-12
NOVELTIES ON THE STAGE.
MRS. LANGTRH IN THE PRINCIPAL
ROLE or A NEW CoMEDF

alp" at PsImer's-A Lively Pair from
Paris Appear st Roster a. Risrs - A
Broyzsd Woman Exhibited at the Casino
"Triiby" Tried ss n Play In Boston.
Mrs. Lille Langtry was on view again at Pal
mer's Theatre last night. Although her beauty
has waned during the dozen years since she first
put herself on public exhibition, she Is still a
handsome woman. IL is probable that she
has gained In proficiency rs an actress
since she last performed in this city,
because at that time she had made consider
able progress and additional practice can hardly
have failed to effect further improvement. But
the role and play IN which she has placed her
self arc not calculated to let her audiences
know how accomplished she may have be-
come. The play is called Gossip" and
the role 10 that of . very fashionable woman
spending next summer at Trouville. IL Is upon
the authority OF Mrs. Lnngtry herself that tho
time OF the play is thus set ahead. She has told
the reporters that the gowns sho wears have
been made In modes which, according to the
guarantee of the maker. will be in vogue at
Trouvile tho coming season. They are truly fine
feathers, and they make her q fno bird to look
at. The play does not call on her TO soar high
or swiftly. She skins along with an occasional
futter, but without ever ruffling her gay
pumage much. The creature whom Mrs. Lang
try presents in such q slightly manner once
dipped her wings In tho mire by flying too
low, but now they are bright and clean.
and their owner is teaching young
friend to fly safely over tho same
bad srot. That is to say. the heroine OF this
piece has passed through the nastiness Of a
scandalous divorce into cleanly second wife,
hood. and she seeks to save bride from dis
graceful behavior.
As much as that concerning the story of
"Gossp" may not have been comprehendcd by
all the people who witnessed its first perform
ance, because ali Of the first act was vague,
over before anything began to be clear. BY that
time apathetc disregard had set in with the
audience and the absolute failure Of the play
was an accomplished fact. The work was AN
adaptation of a novel by jules Claretis; the
Clyde Fitch and Leo Dietrichsten Into the
third act they had put the authors very
ingenious and readable account OF wife's lettor
to lover consenting to his proposal OF an
elopement and of the rescue OF hat sti unopened
misslvo by an adroit woman from the hands OF
the quarrelling recipient and the husband. This
scene would have been highly entertaining
II tho rest of the comedy had been bearable, but.
whole piece, 1T was quite Intellectual as a re-
Mrs. Langtry was not dull in a character in
which n brilliant actress OF comedy might have
sparkled. Effe shannon was earnestly excel
lent as the young wife, whose absurd conduct
Eben Plympton and c. J: Rchman were simi-
larly prevented by the ridiculous nature Of their
band and the lover.
woman model was engaged at the Casino in
the Nahl- Bradley representations OF bronze
statuary for the first time last night. OF the
dozen different showings in the entire list she
appeared in three. In two Of these 1t needed the
sharpest eyes to detect the fact that o woman
was posing, so thoughly did the complete coat
OF brassy bronze disguise the models features.
With the entire skin thus coated there was
not the slightest semblance of life in the color
ing. and as the eyes were kept closed, there was
but little chance for expression in the faces.
The woman's first pose was entitled "Hygeia,"
and in it only her face and arms were barred.
Her wig was large, and covered her
forehead to an extent that shaded her
face considerably. and. with its tightly
closed lids, 1t might have been mans for all
the difference 1t would have made to ordinarily
endowed observers. Her third representation
was Of the statue of Liberty" and she held
aloft an electric light and was Rarbed in the
features and figure were lacking in femininity.
though the nearby light illuminsd every line
man for AND the group the
made was announced in letters Of light by the
,S. and SSs Ths
woman knel. over him. The upper portion Of
her body as ro% covered ony by scarf
posite hip. and its dimensions were so
slight that there was left no need Of glanciny
model. When it is remembered that there were
no feshings worn, It will seem TO the reader that
highest degree. but the fact remains that it was
not to be compared TO the displays commonly
made In yiIE To- Of the su6sti.
Of the model The fact that nearly G
itself upon the audience by the time the curtain
again hid the group and there were loud calls
over this group going away ahead OF that ac-
corded to any Of the other representations.
ss in ses
of the manner in which Continental vaudeville
performers model their speG!alties, not on life
arrivals from the cafes Of Paris, were to initiate
and carried an opera hat, while Madame wore a
pink gown diminished at both ends and the
Ssq h" Il whss dsd. GSrea s t,s sbGGs Gs
air into Jagged threads several songs
% dS and
boulevards. They substituted for dancing the
formers bring over with them and an occasional
decorous kick. But they were vivacious and
animated. and the audience seemed to like them
for that
"Trilby." dramatized by Paul NJ. Potter. was
presented last night for the first time on any
A- VI
Pamers company. Mr.. Potter's version of
De MAurier's story shows in the first
act how the girl falls under the hypnotic innu-
ence OF Spengalt, and, act by act, how his power
over her increases until he completely domi-
mates her. The finale OF the play is at variance
with the story. After iSren0dlt's tragic death
at the concert TrlbV recovers her memory
and recognizes " Les Trois Angases," who havo
been kind To her. and whom. while under
SrenOdi's influence, she had completely forgot
ten. Lutte BiQfe's mother relents and his en-
gagement with TItlbU is renewed, and she
is left alone on the stage while no hurres
Off to mako arrangements for an immediate
marriage. She runs across Sr6nOdh's photo
graph. falls under the spell again, and dies all
alone, muttering ;;, his name The c2ncterGe
that she is dead. cries out and the curtain falls
story to bring 10 the front the hypnotic iniu-
ence exerted upon Irlbg by Srcilgdli, making |
the love episode between LHtle Billie and 1riILu
secondary. In the makeup all the leading |
characters follow closely Du Maurier's SIX etohes
and Miss Virginia Harmed in tho title role won |
much applause from the Boston audience last