The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-02
NEW THEATRICAL THINGS.
JULIAN ARTHUR'S REPRESEHTA-
TION OF az LADY OF OUALITY.D

TIoN OF "a LADY OF QUALITE."
mas Made rrsn Her Hovei-A stage show
or the Escape or Raiss EvnnEeiina Cisneros
-TheHariena Music Hall Open Again.
Francis Hodgson Burnett's novel. "a Lady Of
Ipuality," was very handsomely illustrated
Ion the stage at Wallack's Theatre last
might. Much expectation had been aroused,
and there was no disappointment Julia
Arthur, the principal factor in the
|afalr, had expended money both lavishly and
tastefully. Finer scenery and costumes have not
often made better pictures than those which pre-
'sentod to the eye certain passages In Mrs. Bur.
nett's story. The episodes which the author and
stephen Townsend had chosen to put into their
drama were the drunken supper ut the six
tcenth birthday Of Ctorinda Wiidairs, the old
Earl az DustdnuoLde's offer OF marriage at
the rose-Rarden party, the acceptance by
|her Of the hand of the Duke Of Osmond
Lat her London house, the murder of
Sir John Onen in the Same room, and, finally,
the woman's state Of happy expiation and con-
triton. The scenery had boon painted by Homer
If. Emens. the costumes had been designed by
II. A. Ogden. and all the materials for orna-
mental depletion had been placed on the stage by
Napier Lothian. 1t was q most creditable dis
play OF theatrical art.
As to the drama itself. probably 1t would fall
Just short of success II 1t were not ommen
and sustained by the vogue of Mrs. b. Bur
nett's novel. but with that advantage,
in addition to inherent merits, 1t com.
manded respectful attention In its frat
New York performance, and will doubtless DO
accepted with the same readiness by many au.
diences. Ono fault with 1t is that, like most
stare versions OF books, 1t Is not continuous In
action. Years of time separate Its acts, a
succession Of lovers and husbands Ia
not desirable In a play. and there nro slow
and weak passages between tho rapid and
strong ones. Moreover. the theme of the piece,
presented rather too boldly for the contempla.
ton Of polite assemblages. On tho other hand,
tho struggle Of this heroine to rise from the
degradation of her vicious Rirlhood, and to fnd
2 clean, safe refuge In the arms OF o noble hus-
Miss Arthur's impersonation Of Clorinda did
Of social conventions. no matter II she did wear
5 rec Ga at the supper, and eaEoSse with lot Of
hsr words, and she was a born lady masquerade
inE very !, prrsst s Syo II tho R attire % Of q fashionable
y where & tho 'h tsal Rsre Os the sp strong On !n %o% lnsaF u sS1S;
into play and the emotions, Of resentment.
iSES; hs IssSoa a5s fs snT. wsES tp j b Is ef tHc s.% Tie ~
pndue stress. powerful without rant. and. a
In the murder scene sho was thrilling. II was a
= nehSo bheb III IIu an hEI1Bb
which bore the marks of nrstnig iaf ina fpS,rHS:
mendation, even enthusiasm.
A vaudeville event for Harlem last night was
the opening Of the music hall In the Harlem
Opera House building. under the direction of
Hurtig & Seamon. This 10 tho hall in which
Oscar Hammerstein at one time planned to re.
peat nightly the vaudeville features of the
olympia's performances, but this idea was never
carried out, and 10 was not until late last
summer that the hall was made ready for such
use. Its stage was then supplied with
all the scenery that was needed, and tho floor
and balconies were co arranged as to give
ample seating capacity. But q few weeks use
was made Of this, 20 last nights opening was
practically the opening Of . new resort. The
programme Of specialties included several
strictly nrstolass numbers. and none was dull.
Bessie Bonehin and Charles B. Ward were
the conspicuouS v~ocalists, and either singer
alone Il usually considered capable of pro-
yiding . variety shows ballads. Lew Dock.
and Pearl Andrews supplied limitations Of StaCe
celebrities. both Of these innings, too. being Of
Eli, K .. sla: st s11qSsS T. fsSs ~. M. i%0ns 50 HSa5is,y
Risno and Bentley Jeanette Elliot. Al Stern,
S SsS.f 4im3 q ,. a1s s D1nSns T iiss.n ssne to Of s sns
start was made for the new enterprise.
Visitors to Proctor's Theatre yesterday after
noon had o treat that later audiences will not
have. because For Liberty" proved 80 laugh
ably bad that It was promptly taken out Of the
programme. Suggested by tho escape from
prison Of Evangelina Cisneros. 1t attempted to
portray the misery and horror Of her incarcera-
ton and to show her escape. In q dark dungeon
were an oflcer marked by hoarseness and gold
lAoo and o corporal-of tho awkward squad.
or his movements belied the nature of his
command. To them oame q nun and tho fair
prisoner. There was q deal of ranting that set
the listeners uneasy, and the outcome of q
wrestle between captor and captive set tho
house aroar. The officer had offered dishonor
able release to the woman; she had torn tho
fateful ~'paper" to bits and stamped ON 10,
with her eyes on the ceiling. For the next
minute, they were frantic In oatch.as.catch-
can. At tho end of the bout, which was
even more serious than tho officers wres-
he IL w Tlaa had n,d SCENES. asnssd to a stab him III a ~f hsif
dozen times, she was holding him on his back
upon a table. while the ono candle that lit the
s %aa tho c Sas sinfsi dae nt but th Ss Wss t as9aS: w nnls
! he finally seized the woman and drew her away
from her victim he asked: Colonel, are. you
IL, response was almost unanimous. After that
all seriousness. went the same way. When the
nun led the unfortunate prisoner away to what
Boys In tho gallery whistfed a sprishtiy march,
and when, the rescuer climbed a shaky pair OF
steps to the grated window Of the fortress, no
able intentions heard for half a minute. The
far prisoner gathered her skirts about her, got
On TO the steps and set them creakinR. but even
more racket. It was. In effect, a dress rehearsal
tempted