The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-14
TWO NEW NATIVE PLAYS
AND OWE FOREIGN PIECE THAT
mas BEEN AMERICASIZED.

right. Herbert Kelley and Efle Shannan APP
reared at the head of their own company. and a !
new play entitled "a Coat of Many Colors," by
Madeleine Iucette Ryley. was performed. Tho
mart assumed by Mr.. Kelley was that of a man
who changed from n hater or women TO
4, lover OF one of them. At first he was
. determined bachelor, so averse to the other
"a, that his friends likcued him TO the Biblical
Joseph. He was a lawyer, and there came to him
ssirl as n client. She was a winsome creature. as
written by the author and interpreted by Miss
shannon, Professional intercourse led to senti-
mental attachment, and at the close OF the play
they we're betrothed. The actions Of the piece
carried along a case concerning a marriage
which no ceremony had solemized. The father
and mother OF the girl were the parties to
this Illicit union, but she did not know 1t,
nor was she aware that tho lawyer strove TO
protect her name by bringing her parents
together In formal wedlock. Besides serving
that sympathetic and laudable purpose the
lawyer shielded his scapegrace brother in a clan
de,tins affair. Thus Mrs. Ryley had provided
for Mr.. Kelley a role particularly well calcu-
lated TO interest and please his admirers. while
70 Miss shannon she had given satisfactory
matter with which to DO agreeable.
within Ave minutes after tho start Of "a
Coat OF Many Co.ors" the end was in plain
sight. Mr.. Kelley and Miss Shannon were
mated at once. and 1t was obvious that they
would DO married with no great delay or
difficulty. Thus the audience felt no anxi-
ETY., and the elements Of suspense and APP
urehension were lacking. It did not seem az
though Mrs. Ryley had tried to make o dramatic
inlay. At all events, she did not avail herself Of
such opportunities as her scheme offered for
strong situations. The confronting Of tho
mother and tho daughter when neither
was aware of the others identity was
made naught Of, and tho scene OF
their mutual recognition was devoid of
emotional thrill. Moreover. the misunder-
standings and cross-purposes which made up
auditors only. and were not comprehended
wholly By the majority. The several separate
stories were not presented definitely and none
central interest. These faults were detrimental:
But there were positive merits. "A Coat Of
s Maes fSi''i 1t. wit was sharp and plsHtlfSl. Il
made its personages, talk cleverly and In
refreshing absence OF theatrio device. The men
and women were reasonable men, and women.
T Tss 'i %sin ,IlIis of in ans s6ss psriosna nassFA'Misn nj.
Kelley was an honest gentleman. Miss Shannon
E sr. charming LADY, !sh. and b so was SbiI SeG EFis
Wilton recommended the irregular wife to better
consideration than she deserved There was a
Lyons excelled as an iraseible s%eotchmsn;
Bur, Mcintosh was amnsinE as 2 stolid
Ensnsnnani anu mhah NcEio
I'd be sSns: TRe scen nsGsn6 By Phestoo inciudei
= s.nd5 ON I'd. d ,oEys d5edass1 and d.. IsH id sbPIt e: ni The
and gold and was beautiful. The audience was
predlsposed TO friendliness, and the applause for
Mr.. Kelley, Miss Shannon. and Mrs. Ryley was
hearty.
1t looked for a while as though the audience
at the Garrick Theatre last night was to see in
Charles Hoyt's new farce q successor to "A
Trip to Chinatown" The first act Of "a
Stranger in New York" has diverting scenes
In tho best Hoyt manner. Harry Conor,
with his irresistihly amusing personality, fig
ured humorousiy in several scenes. Henry Gil.
foil had played q superannuated man about
town with some art and real fun. George A.
Beane had been assigned to Just such
Q part as he had In a Trip to China
pwn," and his perplexed resignation under
oil sorts OF snubs was Whimsical enough
to promise even more effective achievements
later on in the play. There had been some stu.
ations Characteristic of tho best Hoyt farces,
and when the curtain fell on the first act there
was every reason to believe that New York
would be grateful for as clever o play q the one
which is suggested BY the latest Hoyt piece. "A
Stranger In New York" is modelled directly or
who Unexpectedly becomes the central figure In
projected r%eyelries that he was never expected
play last night. Just as he was before In Mr.
Hoyts earlier and happier effort.
pl aas d raIsI N e sSs ss9 at q s afs T pssf osGasivs; here ae
but laughter sometimes does. There was nc
such acconpaniment to the second act Of The
Pisqs even rR RGe' r tas' n Ts5E }syias 'sf p,p psi
aone ad''' What I snd PROMISED sas saiD to BE- . farce coA Of
intrigue developed into q variety show Of nc
i Ssr{ bu Gisn Ssd grand dn O sapo' Quartet srstI down. down to b5G IL
piping tenor soloist, the scheme of-must the
name name be 5ep GesaiS ,d Again Ia "A, TIP tbpp i TO GSiR&
the freshness. and the good music OF the mode
were missing. Richard stahl mad. indeed
provided very commonplace numbers through
80 the promise of the first scenes was no. full,
crude. unredned fun in the true Hoytiar
,Hlr.t. But these were too far apart; some.
H. haSitual qualities o. the 4aoyt astof,
took on an appalling emphasis; Thets
trio otmen e Lloyd Wilson, Charles Warren
r%opofttsn stage gov was s si%pl y'i ino1plie q SOM,
Of them have been here In Hoyt piece
sstioF sira BS. those 10 Ss ssDgfs s4f!! to f E S't ssf. ta nn
I moa.f sSIes ha and L in a s rough TO way ~
active. all Of them were dressed in n style quit
unfamiliar to this city and every ono hn'
was tho solitary one among them that con
trihuted refinement and polish TO he scene; an
she was out OF her element. There may b
amusement in the new piece for audiences tina
are not looking for Mr.. Hoyt's work at it's best
butthose Ia any other mood will be disappointed
The ready liar was to the front at the Star las
evening in The Captain OF the Nonsuch," Co
I.F. Mlllikin's thres-act adaptation of q Her
nequin farce that in the original was entitle
La FIhmGoyante." AS IL usual with stag
tellers Of untruths, this ono had O trustfr
wife and a suspicious mother-in-law, an
tAe conventional reason for many of his fals'
hoods was an acquaintance with another woman
lie was enough of g fresh-watsr sailor to hav
been dubbed Captain" but the salt seas were
Terror to him. although the women of his hous'
nolI were convinced that he was a hero OF man
alVthtures Oh the ocean. The mother-in-law ha
even written a book on his perilous experienced
compiling IL from the picturesque hctions tha
ne uttered in the home circle. On his occasions
Trips 10 the neishborhood of the third woman
nome hs family believed him to he roamin
the sea, and at every Homecoming he brougt
curious souvenirs OF stops In foreign lands.
Inc hrst suspicion arose from the discover
On a stunned owl, that he said he had shot as
new from the Sphinx to the Great Pyramid,
Ihh fEHNHl