The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-22
In THE THREE NEW A
AUDRAN,s "LA PoUPEE" GIVEN IN
ENGLISH At Tile LYRIC.

piece-We cat Psint Cadets In "Cuuiborinnd
0l" FOR the satisfaction OF the matinee
Gtris-The Plot OF IAN American CitlSen."
Edmond Au IRAN last o~poretta, ia Poupec,"
OF which so much has been heard In New York,
was produced last night for tho first time here
In the Lyric Theatre. the name by which tho
southwest corner of Oscar Hammerstein's
Olympia Is now known. There has been q
great deal OF preliminary praise to make
the public %exacting in regard to the work, and
the audience last night exhibited n critical atti.
tude, remarkable enough in any first night
audience TO deserve m But there was 90
little about the looks OF last nights
gathering to suggest any thoughtful atti.
tude that i.s reverse under a new per-
formAnco was little. almost wonderful. But the
progress of the opera brought forth very genuine
and spontaneous applause. which was many
times as significant rs the outbreak which
seemed reasonably to DO expected from
tho aspect OF the. spectators. 1t was
q matter OF half an hour before the
charm Of the work began to have its effect.
After that the success OF LA Poupee" was
never in doubt. It is n dainty, fascinat.
ing work, which has restored the charm
OF that kind Of comic opera which did
not depend for its success on violence
to the comedians shins or on tho phalAnxes
of marching women. 1t is q genuinely ar
tistic and delightful work. unless tho taste for
the combination Of pretty music and refined
fooling has not disappeared from New York.
1t would be false TO say that tho score Of Au-
dran's operctta possesses anything like the
freshness OF his earlier works. and the melody
OF La Mascotte'' and "olivette' is not to be
found in LA PoupGe." But IL the fresh.
ness OF that older music be lacking, thcre 10
still melody enough in tho present work to
be charming in the refinement and delicacy
with which 1t Is employed. Tho score will.
moreover, stand several hearings, and its
piquancy and vivacity are likely to make 1t en-.
durinEly popular: All Of 1t was not well
several songs which ought to have been highly
effective that went for nothing. merely through
hand. there were some admirably sung choruses.
and as q whole the Interpretation was adequate
dent.
But La Poupee" has more than rood music.
taken for a doll and married by a young novice
about to become monk. This story was told
i mt1e Sons sns' ssm insenSSit y, for a ,S comic opera
specimen Of that kind, the text OF LA Pou-
lish adaptation made by Arthur Sturgess from
the French of Maurice Ordonneau was rather
brightly done, and with the kind of talk that
passes current as comic opera humor here IL
Anna Held was scarcely the person to sing the
difficulty rather Better than was to be- expected.
she was nearly ne always unintellieible and the
AauoiS "hiSu lcLl " NOT went LOT nOJDlnR. SnG
was very nervous, but evidently has no idea OF
tune or rhythm. Her acting was generally
s tom as ae a beaa ,g s = iittie bs' more nna h aifr cspst to
SSGP tfisSsiiss w than ever; But: oGnsiderins her
snort Went through saf"n With ''h m s s sne
Ses;c,ns than Ether there was any reason to
fellow with more good looks than voice. G. ".
Anson. an English comedian, showed that quiet.
genuine humor was possible in comic opera.
and Ferris Hartman. another stranger. was
wholly amusing in a finished and unexaRgerated
manner. Oscar Hammerstein has indeed pro-
duced the operetta we'll in nearly every ~particu-
lar and 1t deserves q long life. 1t is a thoroughly
charming work.
Cadets at West Point figure in the first act
of Cumberland 81 at the Fourteenth Street
Theatre. and the Pitou Company engaged in
the representation provides slightly young fell
lows TO wear the uniform of that Military
Academy. Edgar L. Davenport, the senti-
mental hero of the play, and Lionel Barrymore,
the serio-comic participant, are smart and hand.
some in the guise of students in warfare, and
John E. kellerd, as the half.breed Indian cadet.
Is a striking variation. A half-dozen shapely
chaps In gray are additional aids to a novel and
satisfactory disclosure Of life at the famous SOL
hier factory on the Hudson. The fact is that
fMr. Pitou has made in Fourteenth street q
I dramatic production equal in stagecraft to any
thing often seen in Broadway. and this West
Point portion Of his achievement will appeal
" NhC SIlo. II scene
TO accuracy. 1t shows an officers residence,
a View ofthee river further of. 'u 4 Type Sepen Of I the
regular arm. officer is there, as admirably
mountainecr, as strongly characterized By
Charles 6; Craig. is introduced as the recipient
fashionable Visitors at the Point, and a .ne az
them we see Florence Rockwell: gentle and
merville, as a very delicious widow; Viola
Black as an unusual girl from Vassar, and W.
:: Ferguson as a sauntering club beau from
Union or the confesderaffo army, as IS th beir c sas
s STUDENTS u old song Of 4t @Bsn Mstf h sne wsS We f hear
in rivalry Dixie" and Yankee Doodle" This
made on the stage. 1t was an undertaking
which any inadequacy In the perfor nance
author should feel much obliged to the man.
agcr and his actors for treating 1t finely.
The third act Of An American Citizen ends
In a comic climax that Is q full half minute In
coming after its nature is foreseen, yet the ef-
feet of 1t Is but little weakened by the anticipa-
ton. Mr.. Goodwin leaves the stage bent on
chastising Egerton Broon, and on his return
he shows signs of conflict. Disordered cloth
ing and a slightly discolOred eye tell of damage
to himself, but a bruised and extremely sore
right hand suggest that a sight of the other
fellow would be full compensation for these
hurts. The extent OF the injury to this mem
Der is pOintedly marked. Tho comedian
writhes as he removes his dress coat and dons q
smoking jacket. and in helping himself to
liquor he has an agonized contortion from lift
ing the decanter with his right hand. Beside
the, decantcr Is a large bottle of Imminent sent
In by an admircr for use on a sprained ankle
that the tighter has previously pretended.
Spying 1t, an idea strikes him, and the actions
with which he carries it out gradually convey
1t TO the audience. Restoring the injured hand
10 lis wTuuDlnN with tho nthpr with dif1cultV-
he rings for his servant and gives the IMMINENT
to him with directions fully expressed IN the
one word Brown" This same servant is the
medium for expressing a suggestion of naugh-
Lness for which there Is no basis of fact. Mr..
Goodwin and Maxine Elliott have married to
Obtain a Legacy, but have not lived together.
and their mutual, affection at the time of the
cotntcrfeited spicincss Is so far advanced as to
make him particularly regardful of her well
fare. She Is at u hotel to which he comes un-
khowlnS her presence. and because of his name
CnunacL uIudc hnturn tha uraadiaa 80 49,