The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-19
POINTS In THE NEW PLAYS.
NOVEL EXHIBITS, GOOD AND BAD,
IN sEVERlI PRODUCTIONS.

|
1890" Historical American Pirate by
Barrymore In "a ward or France "-The
Criterion Independents aivean issen Drama
Accidents In theatricals are sometimes strokes
of good fortune. Tho play announced FOR wal
lacks next month, "A Ward OF France al
fords q curious case Of unintentional promi-
nence In one of its characters. The new work,
which Is now running in Boston, is described
as a romance Of Louisiana history, and several
OF the personaEes are taken from lie. ohe OF
these is Jean La6tte, the pirate, whose power
and exploits were matters OF fact In rev UT
leans at the beginning Of the present century.
He alternately defed and bargained with tho
successive Spanish and French Governors OF
the province, prcyod upon incoming merchant
vessels, successfully resisted a British war
ship sent to capture him. and maintained his
buccaneers and their several black-nagged
schoonors in a harbor of his own within less
than q hundred miles of the city. 1t was not
until Louisiana became o Territory OF the
United States that this very potent pirate had
to give UP his trade, and even then, by a COM
pact with Gen. jackson, under which the out
law and his men agreed to fight In the battle
OF New Orleans, ho was accorded amnesty by
President Jefferson.
The authors OF "A Ward Of France put this
Laftte into their drama us an incidental per-
sonage, who does not appear until the third act,
and whose relation to tho main plot, though
important, is still subsidiary. However, he has
proved such q striking figure, partly through
the novelty Of q really historic American pi-
rate on the stage, and partly through Maurice
Barrymorc's picturesque acting In tho role,
that Klaw & Erlnnger are announcing the cast
Of the piece at wallack's as lied by Mr.. Barry
more" The Boston newspapers say that, al
though the company is q large assemblage OF
able actors in o lavishly artistic production,
and the strong roles are numerous, the pirate
stands out co~nspicuously.
Mr.. Barrymore appears to have made o great
individual success. The impression Is gained
by reading between the lines Of the laudatory
reviews, that the authors are not altogether do
lighted. They did not desire that one OF the
facts which they transferred from history
should stand out o con ipicuously In their work
of fiction, and all tho more so because this Sie,
ment Of truth Is In mclodramatic CONTRAST WIN
the pathetic and sentimental elements or their
play, which deals primarily with me love story
fully deported to New Orleans as a "casette,'
or criminal ward of the State. MT, barry
more's reported achievement Is especially IN
teresting, however, to the dramatic profession,
to whom he Is known as a satlrical hnmorisI.
His off.hand are a fund OF Laughter
is a dread nc Of being Considered a poser Off the
stage, and this leads him to what has been con
sidered a careful ea re ,hn Ssr IN "re nnti nha tb q
time comes for him to necessarily look his best
under the footlights. II Mr.. barrymore has at
blend his individuality and his art, there Will
be much hurrah in the Lambs Club and there
abouts.
In the second act of 1899" there stood at
| one side Of the stage a large box-like arrange
ment which was completely ignored by the
actors for some time. But the audience knew
that something was certain to come out OF 1t
later. After q while the chorus retreated to
the wings, the stage was almost empty, the box
doomed conspicuously and one of the comedians
said that it was q telephone by means Of which
one could see as well as hear. He rang the bell
and called for Thomas Plat. Then IN aper.
ture was opened and a man disguised to look
like Mr.. Platt was shown. Mayor-elect Van
wyck was next divulged, and there were two
other exhibits. None Of them, it must be said.
looked much like its original. There was. in
addition to the lack Of resemblance, an apparent
unreadiness which compelled the man posing
inside the box to yank down the curtain and
assist in other misunderstanding ways. There
were moro effective mechanical features of
$780," One was an umbrella dance, in which
tiny bulbs of electric light shone whenever the
umbrellas were raised. At the close OF the Sec
ond act there came q more novel episode. The
grouped chorus held champagne bottles. and,
oo tAo SoS eS N
and little balls of fire shot into tho auditorium.
The effect was new and charming, although
nervous persons were a little bit uncertain as
to the spots on which the missiles might tall.
Other devices were not SO successful dhere
and telescopes and signalling.
In the first act all sorts Of in.
an observatory occupied the centre OF the
stage, with an enormous telescope staring
through one of its aperturcs. In the second act
| the aranRa were decorated with all XMAS OF bcl-
entiic apparatus. On the backgrounds were
painted bridges, houses. and streets OF the kind
thousand years from this time, There was fan.
cifulness in the ideas, but the execution was
necessary to such an entertainment was sup
planted by commonplace. Some OF the cos.
TUNES. with their compromise betwsen dress of
ture, were hideously unbecoming to their
feminine owners; Possibly, the worst of
binary circumstances is a pretty woman. but
with a mortarboard on her head and patent
leather IStda b Sl9omsrs ABOUT TSsr her wd limbs , n5 she Is M not tan an
tunes equally unbecoming, to the unfortunate
women who were compelled, to wear them. The
q ten l''g girls Wv Who Wore C costumes nes' Of different
s~tyles-were black. white, and red. The sombre
II Hugh Chilvers, the new tenor. had been q
have proved fatal to him. When he marched
his brow. Now can you beat mel" was the
s ssEish'a When hes''P he sang nns it Is was with the same
naive consciousness that he was all right. and
so soon as they had heard him.. Luckily for
Mr.. Chilvers, his ingenious confidence, in him
self was not mistaken, and his agreeable pres
in singing made him as popular with the spec
tators as he seemed to be with himself.
One Of Henrik Ibsen's dramas. John Gabrio,
porkman - waa performed under the ausnice,