The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-14
THEATRICAL ADJUSTMENTS.
WHAT THE ACTORS ARE DOING THIS
WEEK IN NEW FORM.

"ehtht mOoern treatment VI ~ ne ha"S
or LyoHs''-A New Enrco by Ross ana
Fenton Has n Highly tonVivial Flavor.
In a now sketch OF their own composition
that Charles J. Ross and Mabel Fenton arc
now using at Weber & Fields's there is one
point Of decided novelty. Based on the home.
coming from an all .night's carouse of a tipsy
husband, there's little chance for newnoss OF
treatment. The liQuorladcn mans utterancc
In comically twisted, his remarks are witty,
and his mood is exultantly unrcpcntant; tho
woman is indignant and adds to her spoken
threats q wrathfui wrestle with her spouse.
80 much is directly in accord with well-estab-
lished precedent, and as most of the jokes arc
fresh the clothing Of the timc-worn idea is
now. But the ending is serious, rs II q moral
were to DO pointed. though when 1t Is dis
closed it is n decidedly left-handed one. In
stead Of threats on her part to go home to
mother, there are pointed suggestions from
him that she do SO, and during his scolding she
becomes fearful. Then he relcnts enough to
ask, without promises for the future, for for
giveness. She ~forPives because, as she says,
she supposes she may as well. and tho curtain
falls on q loving embrace down centre. II tho
twenty minute sketches and plays OF vaudc-
vile are from now on to run to attempts at seri'
Gus endings, the accusing you began It. Will
belong to those players. A topical song for
kOS6 Is lnClNucu III INC skClCn. uuu NiSS IVl'
her husband camo homo or was delivered.
Lines of equal cxpressiveness are a-plenty IN
the sketch.
Edward Sothcrn's charming production of
The Lady of Lyons" affords o good opportuni-
ty to compare tho effect of an old and artificial
play treated with modern methods. If there is
a loss of power, there is also n gain OF delicacy
and refinement. Pictorially the scenes arc rs
t--...Et -- .r,uIl ,-,ah 60 enn md n
seems hypcrcritical to suggest that the Hidop
Meinottc's cottage looks comfortable enough to
reconcile Pauline completely to the lack of
social grandeur which a residence init implies.
Tho polished brasses, the hangings, and the
flowers mako the room a beautiful bower which
any husband and wife might be delighted to
spend a honeymoon in. The garden Of the Des-
chdpelles is rs lovely a prospect. It indicates,
possibly. q weakness for sofa cushions, which,
as decorative adjuncts, Mr.. Sothcrn seems
sometimes TO value too highly. II anything
ever interferes with his exquisite taste as a
stage manager. it will DO that liking for sofa
cushions which led him to scatter them even
on the floor of the ruined castle in IAN Enemy
20 the King" But such elaboration is not a bad
fault. The grounds OF the garden strewn with
leaves and flowers, the interlacing trees in
front Of the terrace in tho background, and
the shrubbery-apparently composed Of real
trees, but artistically mingled with the paint
and canvas-combino to make a beautifully
poetic and tasteful seems SIs which in is SIG ~
seems TO agree with the spirit of the play with
q certain vague propriety. Mr.. Sothern accords
less with the old fashion OF playing .Msinofe
in the scene OF the wooing, AS well rs in the eN-
plana.ion OF the conspiracy in the cottage scene.
and that Is indeed such a~'stretch Of monotonous
elocution that the interest of the spectators
plainly drops away during the recital. Contrast
ing rather lneNpllcaoly with that hfeless speech
iS thn p,ctppnt in thn fnn1 lCgnp whom with "a
flash of spirit and power. he throws the money
TO DcschGpeiIes, and claims his wife; Half a
dozen such exhibitions OF feeling would give 70
this CIdndc just the elements 1t lacks now.
But Mr. snthern is a modern actor; and he
seems not only 10 read and move as contcm-
from the same point of view.
Evidently he appreciates more than any other
trait In Ctdutr the infamy OF the trick to win
love scenes, as well as In the one at the inn. his
responsibility for the d~uplicity is weighing him
down. There is no rising Of passion, so far as
the spectators can see. that lifts him above re.
PaaIinS. With the sense Of guilt 50 heavy.
this Claude would never have been able to get
as far as the marriage: He would s have re-
Pauline had become man and wife. This Is q
conception of Claude which is possibly permits
sible enough from the text. but II does not make
him so attractive as the impassioned, reckless
lover who will even deceive the woman he
Without that o We a B ardor
Claude IS difficult to tolerate. An analytical.
reasonable -netnOfe has not o word to say IN
xtenuation is to be found anywhere in Bulwer's
stilted old play, and the objection to. Mr.:
the playing Of the role is probably Just as in
Virginia Harned's Pdulfne has every charm
that tenderness. beauty and sensuous grace can
s @Psa'' w anh hf BE- eStoIied IN an ao t he% eha ri ,ne
She is certain to prove as popular in the, part
with the audiences which will see her husband
n n h ~ thu nOItlI h rpTttn o.
close Of the third act, with the marching sol
diers. rouses, a fine spirit, and Miss Harmed
heroic type is so little suited to her methods. a
milder and contained treatment of this scene
would make IL more enectlve ana remove from
her performance its least agreeable moments.
The terms ot:.three plays in New York will
end next Saturday night. "The Sign of the
Cross" will after that give place to the Pitou
production of Cumberland ell" at the Four
teenth Street, "In Town" to Mr.. Goodwin's ap-
pearance in IAN American Citizen" at the
Knickerbocksr, and The h ysician" to Mr..
Wizards revival of Tho Middleman' at
wallack's. The changed theatrical bills for
this week only include For Liberty and Love"
at the Grand Opera House. ''Shore Acres" at the
Harlem Opera House. Camille" at tho Muir.
ray Hill. "a Naval Cadet" at the Academy of
Music, The Indian" at the Columbus, The
Dear Irish Home" at tho Third Avenue, and
"A Romance Of Coon Hollow" at the Peoples.
Miss Adams is at the Empire with 1.-THE Lit
tie Minister" Mr.. Sothcrn al tho Lyceum with
'"The Lady Of Lyons" Mr.. Mansfield at tho
Fifth Avenue with Tho Devils Disciple %
Mr.. Wilson at the Broadway with "Half a
King" Mr.. Russell at the Garden with "a
Bachelors Romance" and the Liliputians at
tho Star with '"The Fair in Midgettown. .
Tho other pieces current are a Stranger IN New
Manhattan, THE Proper CaPsr" Ct Hoyts,
THE Circus Girl" at Days, What Happened
70 Jones' at the Bijou, and "The. Bele Of
New York" at the Casino.
Several wen-known names arc In this weeks
contingent Of vaudeville folk. One at Roster
vocalist. whose specially is characterized by
much iveliness and some demurity OF an
company her ballads, but little sniff. from a
of them. The names of the Olympia's new.
comers are those of the vOcalists concerned in
the tableaux from grand operas. These living
pictures are finely dressed' and the selections
making an attractive hours ending for Inc