New-York tribune., 1896-11-25
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
,,,r co,-prsuIp OF LEONIE.

Mr. Frohman opened the regular dramatc scasoN
at the Lyccum Theatre last ngnt' prese"''e
prominent members Of his stock-compa"s'
has been carefully reorganzed,-n new coi"euy
called THE Courtship Of Leonie. Inc cose' i'',
charming house was thronged with pris"' a''
svrnathotic people and the proceedings OIL 'hc
pIavers were observed with eager interest anu
often were hailed with the plaudits OF pubic i'o'
With such friendly audience nothhs cou'u 81
entirely wrong; but THE Courtshp OF Leone 10
a weak composition, immature ana eAp''i"e"'
and scarcely worth the trouble that has peeh tahe'
for IT, Nevertheless,-by reason of certain hec-
tic flush of amorous sentiment which per-
vades IT, and by reason also OF Some s"s".
ingenuity whereby 1t maintains conditioh Vi
suspense II may please those people "ho
like troublous love story. Win all i.' c'a"e
cent fret, and who can follow Its veXed and vex-
ing current merely for the pleasure OF seeing IL
close in peace To some persons there Is no end
of interest In q consideration OF the WOUNDS III
visible that loves keen arrows make.
The interest of The Courtshp Of Leonie" Is cir
cumscrlbed within the sentimental billing ana cooi"s
period antccedent to marriage. and the persons con-
rned in II are all In an anatory condition. 1t Is
case OF ignlteC nder. and. aside from the creeping
spark, there neither characteristics. nor a'Tl-
butes, important occurrences TO De cohsuereo'
The all-fascnating I.eonie lurcd into a false
marriage. by a scamp named Godfrey Moray, ana
when by a mshap to his yiany, she discovered
that truth she happened to pick up his revolver and
accidentally TO shoot him. that he died: but THIS
was great matter. because she had already Dored
him almost to death. by repeatedly asking him TO
love OF old and to interpret unto her the audpe
utterance OF the wild waves,-and he was glad to die.
Before his demise however. he wrote brief letter
10 his -yelr-od boy in England. exoncrating his
destroying angel. to which Lconie appended need
less but truly feminine postscript. avowing herseif
guilty OF homicide: and that letter was d'spatched
TO a London lawyer. to be kept unopened until the
nf
ward Lconic and her sister Una were living
at a rural home In England, and Una had
fallen In love with Jack Dane the son or
Geonrey Moray, and Jack Dane had fallen IN
love with Una and Leonie was dreadfully atraid
that Morays letter would presently come to Hight,
and that her painful secret would be found out.
Punctually TO the moment. and not to disappoint
her sangulne expectation. the London lawyer.
Bruce Leslie. O. G.. arrived at her residence, win
the Moray letter. in a black box. and no sooner
did he eyes the nhammatory Leonic than
ne was transnxcd with the dart of love and no
sooner did she behold him than she also began
to paIpitate with the same soft emotion The sub
iect of the ominous letter was not long In coming
TO the surface. A superfuous man named MaitraV-
ers. whose bosom Lconie had. years before.
kndlcd tho famo OF swect desire was OIL hard at
this tlme-as indeed. he had been at all tines
ana by him the cmbarra sscd lady was advised to
rifle Mr. Lcslies box and to steal the letter. Then
began the interim Of phantasm, mentioned by
Shake spcare between the acting OF a dreadful
thing and the first motion" But 1t was soon
put 1t back again and Mr.. Mal;rayers had fur
lively Tetaken ii there was an ana explanation b, Se
lawyer. neatly recovering the letter from MI
amd ha s IT, To mSr Contents
read. would prevent his nuptials: and thereupon
propy Surnea m the paper
and everybody concerned was happy excepting Mr..
without any style whatever. hut with liberal adj
mixture Of small talk and with two or three ir.
relevant parts that intended to oc comic has
told II with something Of the ingenious method OF
Ccriain ethical questions suggest themselves in.
view OF such condition of facts but each observer
VIII hnf IN individual answer ,,,'. 10 H dhrm % men
that men b"'ray." her state Is anything but jolly.
and sometimes there IL - TO pay. II, urdcr those
circumstances. she is quick on the trigger. the law
y.rs usually find II ancestral srabsmus or emo
females Of that order Would work on their excess OF
steam hy professional target practice. or. at all
Hut thIs topic opens too wide a field OF spccula-
ton. For what reason the lady with the dtatng
passionate interest. when she happens to be spoon
ing for mate. experts must determine. The
ours in this play OF "The courship OF I.conie.'
ard that. az usual having potted lover. she
for carly vegetables and Is equal to any emergency.
She was impersona,ed by Miss Mary Mannering. a
rrade her arst appearance in this city, and who
entirely deserved the cordial welcome with which
IL was more a woman. though. that Miss Man
nering conqur fed than actress for the beauty
Of her spirit. the dignity OF her mind. the strength
OF her character and the depth OF her feelings were
more conspicuous than her dramatic art Miss
Marncrlng has tall. wiiowy figure. distin-
guishcd bearing. the head Of Faeds Evangene. a
face Of great sensibity and the rarS stTahss ne
motions elastic and graceful. Best OF all she
has voice which. under the stress Of natural emo
ton. In situation OF real pat hos and not of trun-
perry excitement and artificial furry would 20
straight to the heart Her perform ,nce. given un-
der which Of completely commonplace
charac;cr-for there * TO; a situation in the piece
that would tax the OF trained actress.
suggested. in various ways, that English sister
hood which IL devoted to cnging draperes and
mural dinner plates Lconic nlcrnates between at
titudcs and Mysteries. Ii was easy for Miss Man.
covsry and the sense OF duty and right. when
tempted to steal letter, and she did IL well. She
many times called back upon the scene and
she won her audience. beyond all doubt Mr..
Whcclock. presenting Il callow, canting authOr-ap-
parcntly designed ~ satire OF Maeternck-gavs
tenor of mirth to the generally sombre proceed
tnonious air and by his adroit use OF dry voice
and incisvcIy comic infections. Mr. James H.
tidokctt pr scented the passionate but incorruptble
bruce Leslie In manly mood and with excellent
taste That actot has greatly gained In rcposc and
In the def use Of voice; facial expression and com
mand OF himself and OF the scene. The play is set
In exquisite scenery. This s corrected cast of It's
characters:
CAST OF LEONE"
iiruce Leslie. James * ilack,t
.irHrrv rank Il Mills
Mortimer WenIock ............. Joseph whesock
Jack Dane Of Gsofrey. Frank II. Mills
ionic Mary Msnnerlng
Una. her sister; Katharine Florence
Jane 'raisrns"li ................ Elizabeth Tyree
Anita sophie HOFFMAN
CHANGES IN THE CEISUA