The morning times., 1896-09-27
4 IEXT Monday. one week from tOniOf.
~ row, the Du Souchet comedy, my
Friend from India.'' goes into u
Broadway theater for n run. Whether

it will achieve this -desideratum de-
pends entirely upon the actors. OF more
properly unon the stage manager. The
comedy is all right. The idea is new to the
threadbare realm of go-bang farce. and il
is worked out with an admirable amount
OF dash by the dramatist. With fund
of good things in it. the third act is still
weak in two points. The authors ill.,
ventiveness lapsed. He dropped his story
and put anything into the mouths of his
characters that he thought would raise a
laugh. The audience do laugh. but down in
their own consciousness they feel Il resent
ment against this cheapening of their ap-
preciative faculty. The other weak point
is the finale. But they will not be able
to better it. It's as good as 1t possibly
can be under the circumstances. The au
thor has in his construction placed impeding
elements which will delay the quick end
ing of any play. He has introduced several
pairs of lovers. The dramatic conven-
tionalties demand the usual ''pairing
and blessing No farce with lovers ever
ended fast; it always dribbles into senti-
mentality, which the audience take as a
hint TO put on its things. "Charley's Aunt
suffered in This particular: Wilkinson's
widow on the contrary, runE down on a
new surprise.
But | have said that the success of the
play depends on the stage manager. These
constructive defects will not kill. The
actors are at present too automatic. Mr..
Bond. for instance. who is held i'll the
highest regard as artist and friend, is
very far from his best and most credit
able work Such a performance as he
gives of the millionaire is accepted in the
summer stock, when preparation is limited
to five rchcarsals. In this part he moves
about in a cut-and-tiried fashion, which
does not do himself justice. He doe snot
pause in his work to give the full panto-
mimic possibilities to his part. His face
often bears an absent-ninded expression,
which is not at all in conformity to the
ever present dilemma which is making
life bowling failure to the nouveau-richs.
But for all that. and they are points
which will better his good performance, he
owns the stage every moment he is on.
You can't help feeling sorry for poor
little Walter Perkins. As the theosophic
barber he has the star part of the farce.
He should keep the upstart daddy at a
good distance in points. As it is, and
only by sheer force of conical face as
ever ueCoTateu tne 'front.' OI mortal, ana tne
Inherent fun OF the situations in which the
author has thrust him. he falls a distant
second in honors. He ought to put hot Goals
in his shoes and keep in motion. His situa
tons are all occasions for nervous action,
and his hands are tediously quiet as he
holds them folded on his stomach. He
should deliver his lines in a more as
sertlve vein, not as if demonstrating his
consciousness that Mr.. Bond has the stage.
Ed Abeles makes his individual hit in
his interpolated specialties. but both he
and Mr.. Arthur should call to mind the
swift. unceasing, contagious action of
Percy Lyndell as Jack Chesne yin 'Charley's
Aunt and key their bright parts TO his
pitch. To Miss Vokes it is suggested that
she articulate more distinctly. 1t is i'm
possible to catch all her lines ut present.
But she deserves the credit of acting every
moment she is on. She never for an in
slant lapses into a rut. Every movement
seems to be the impHlse of the moment,
and the artistic stimulation of impulse is
the key to the desirable, contagious Gle
ment which make light, farcical Comedies
go" There is plenty of ginger in MY
Friend frota India The pla yers ought to
feed on 1t copiously for these seven days to
COme