The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-27
NEW DRAMATIC MATERIAL.
NOTES ON SEVEN or THE WEEK,s
ssTA0E PRUD UCTIONs,
Fotnts In Favor or Mr. hsseuTeid's "a
tseuse OF Cards"- Mrs. FIsks's Aet,ue In
"Cessrine"-A Charity Trial OF "Cuba
Frss"- Pieces Tested nv S,oa.n,.

Free"- Pieces Tested by Stndeuts
sydney Rosenfeld has not only recognized.
but has put in practice with skill In "a House
OF Cards. two facts In relation 10 American
play writing which are a good deal more i'm.
portant In their effects than would seem at
nrst sight. Ona Ia that whenever politics IA
introduced In n play II must be subordinate,
In the minds Of the audience. to the romantic
ana human interest OF the story. The other
s that whom a British aristocrat is In an AmerI.
can alay, In contrast TO American characters,
no need not necessarily be a rogue, and not
even q quite contemplate imbecile. Neither
idea IL original with Mr.. Rosenfeld, but each
is carried out with capital result. The third
act occurs In the library Of tho President of a
os@n Sovernment Club. who Is managing the
fspi.ting work; There is aSsoluteiy nothing
tnS atmosphere but politics. The houpe Is
fnii Of politics and politicians, for the time,
into q sort OF political headquarters private Of.
Noe: virtually forgets that he has . wife. or
one .campaign. for political reform and for the
sle9tion of his young friend, The audience
canvass Of, the house were to be taken. L is
probable that nine people In ten. being asked
p wani Is s Ysp.R 20 on /. on mo,t the 81 stage sSs would "opI,lcs say y
about the only thing that is not going on on the
ssSge. Love = going on. and intrigue and re;
pehtance, and revelations of a lifetime. and
meeting and confidence of two good hearts long
2eparated by social distinctions, and the saw:
ing OF . family from social ruin. the rescue of
q lovely girl from the clutches of q villain, the
salvation, of a wife, from. the results OF her
Of his confidence In \ really good woman. These
thtpss are going on, and a good deal more, and
altnouRh few OF the characters appear in this
ect. comparatively more, is done for all of
tnem In ultimate results than in any other aot.
right sort and in the right direction. this third
dot IA House of Cards" is rather remarka-
.%siiodirssmSs%eiSof G Sna sS SlsH tragic e %ii1F satmFes OF w pdSrt =
drumming vein. of wholesome humor and witty
Esitustion which leaves the audience u in ' a stntss
Eof mild and pleasant excitement until the cur
tain rises again.
The simplicity and direc tness Of Minnie Mad
forn Fiske's art, by which she obtains those ex-
eraordinary results which astonish her audi
Hnce and give her moments of greatness,
&re Illustrated with unusual power in the mid
lie act OF "Cesarine." This is where she makes
final. passionate appeal to the husband. and
repulsed. She rushes through a rapid series
violent emotions with terrible. effect on her.
elf and on all about her. beginning and ending
ith cold-blooded calculation, and never for
instant. In the midst of her fury, losing
1ght OF the clearly thought-out scheme In her
bind, or letting the audience lose sight of II.
~esdrtne's whole case IL as lucidly before those
Tho are looking ut her as before herself, and
e. lie pcIioCb ulbtiuCtueSS Ii one OF the ever pres
mt peculiarities Of this actresses method. The
gretched woman has set herself to do one
'dhfnR; and. failing that, to do another thing.
In any case, her purpose. her own safety, is to
DO achieved. Nothing else counts. She will
appeal to her strong. self.reliant husband to
take her back to his heart and save her, as she
machinations Of their Enemy. Else, she Will de-
iar x. him aSp pr .snne, 4ntoine; any one, all things,
And IL Ia faTrihlv RNRpnfa6 ShA hna frYnr
profile to the audience. Now, facing the foot.
and. in her hurried and intense manner. with.
out any of the feminine caressing which che
convince him that he ought to take her back
by, u horribly detailed narration OF her origi-
with the causes candidly. almost b%rutaiiy, laid
S Sae'' wh aer s sife 6aes' s g,o rises to ~ Wild dn . pleading .s:
starts to her feet. turns her back t to atGhe the audi Sic
ence. and cries TO him for redemption in a voice
S Sntil b,s with Rars smSsioq 9m and msllo wsdd by tears ears
She rushes after him. drags him back to liaten
S 90 ae on f y loanss ss ssii m aerse hfr With Snah y vi len sb In.
ing, and rage. BY this time the woman is
ON tas M man's exit 9R e she s1s stsrss e tx MrIas at n aas
which shall seal his fate. drags her chair way
hastens 70, cali the maid, Welcomes her perse.
cutor with q hysterical nervousness, amid
manifest as ever, and concludes this act in her
morbid life with the same cold calculation az
or Mrs. Rss1 Fis ( VAN" and that nae Of f~ css SsfsSna are @er saa.
yet always distinctly present; and the two lines
oyld seao N, n En- sh tem mi ns M Of f Eisns ni are t Sau rn,E
Her vivid directness and simplicity give her a
triumph here which is totally separate and diff
ferent from that attained by other actresses in
this role by other means.
II the friends of Cuba are as found of talking
and as slow to action as were the characters in
the nalod rama ~. Erae ~, ha - aaf ayapJnu than
the cause Is lost. The proceeds Of this perform
ance were to go to st. Marks Hospital, and
the Academy was filled with folks who sympa-
thized with the patriot cause, and whom 1t
would have taken but q slight touch to stir.
But that touch did not come. James Arthur
Mcknight was the author of the play, and his
characters talked and talked without doing any
thing of interest. In the first act the sons secured
their fathers signature to a passport by first
threatening to kill him. and, when that failed.
by holding their pistols to their own heads and
threatening to commit suicide. That was the
one dramatic incident of the act, and its curtain
fell ~ an insurRent uttered a patriotic speech.
30 far. II was a war play with the thrills left
the second act q plump briRand took on a fit Of
hearty laughter, but he was alone in his enjoy
lief In the awkwardness of the supernumeraries
and some of the minor characters. snickering ut
have been very easy to ridicule the whole affair.
The last act had Cuban independence secured.
but IL was done SO unconvincinRly that the an
nouncsment failed TO thrill.
The comedy that was new at the Irving Place
Theatre last night rested on a theme which
has been for many years the property of the
drama. 1t treated OF a man who enjoyed ex-
travagantly wealth that was not his own. and
its variation of the old idea lay In the event
that the money, after all, belonged to him.
The exponents, last night, of the play built on
this ancient scheme were a baron and his family,
and q nephew who had spent several years in
The baron had inherited an estate
heavily mortgaged. He had quarrelled with
his nephew, and, after the young man had left
In a huff to make his fortune In the United
States, his uncle discovered among his effects
o lottery ticket. II won the first prize, and with
the money he secured in this way the baron
was able to clear his estates OF debt, But he
knew the nephew would return. So, during