The times., 1898-03-08
AT THE THEATERS.
Lafayette "Fhe Moth and the
ElaInpp

Lafayette "rhe Moth and the
Flame"
When "A Coat Of Many Colors'' was
sc n here at out FIVE months ago the cleo
trio sign outside of the Lafayette Square
Opera House bore the legend, "Kelcey,
shannon and Company" Last II ght. when
the duo presented Clyde Fitch's new play,
The Moth and the Fame. at that h d Sc.
The Company was gone from the out
side of the building and much more in ev-
idence on the inside
The Moth and the Flame is a filed
| out edition OF one-act sketch entitled
Harvest" which set New York talking
| short time ago and If is only fair to Mr.
| Fitch to say that in the new version he
has constructed a drama that will be sure
| TO have that effect, if no more. The pro
duction has three great merits-merits
/ that save il from the fate Of many other
good" plays. In the first place, it is
novel; in the second, it is also novel, and
in the third, it is very novel indeed.
! marvellous amount of strength and sub
| dued intensity are also factors in a piece
| that is sure TO be a success but the other
| reasons are foremost. 1t gets far away
from the dramatizations of Demorests
| Magazine and the Delineator we have
| learned to expect from Mr. Kelcey and
Miss Shannon. This is apparent from the
| minute the curtain goes up disclosing
scene at a fancy ball. until the end of ev-
| erything. 1t is unique to see the matinee
girls idol in knickerbockers and the chap
pies friend in short skirts. But this also
| hot
act, for, far as appearance goes, Miss
Shannon in short skirts is most decided
failure.
And this prediction soon becomes sober
| fact. Under the shadows of this fancy
ball runs current that is powerful in its
motive and unerring in reaching it's goal.
Through some very duh minutes one
reaches. at last, a preliminary under
standing of what is to come. Herbert Kel-
cey, having been abused by everyone,
finally comes in and calls himself Il va
ried assortment Of names, following this
seemingly ridiculous exhibition with the
usual very pretty love scene. Then the
real interest of the story is seen. 1t be-
gins with powerful scene, in which Miss
Shannon's father is told of the disgrace
that awaits him and follows itself up to
his going out of the room bent on sui
eide. Then, by the shaking of the chan
delier. the audience becomes aware that
he has accomplished his purpose, and
Miss Shannon, in discovering this does
some work that shows more clearly than
| she has shown for years her right to be
called an actress. The act ends with a
wonderful climax, the effect of which is
only marred by remembrance of SINH
lar ones in "A Partisan Romance" and
| Jim the Penman
Act two consists of thirty minutes of
time, two yards of chit chat twenty-five
''go-on-wit with-the-ceremony's and one eli
maXical effect. This latter is most power
ful. After some time spent in talk of the
Sidney Grundy pattern, Mr.. Kelcey,
known reprobate and scoundrel. goes to
the altar with Miss Shannon is interrupt
ed by the mother Of his illegitimate child,
is provoked to strike her and thereby
loses the love Of his affianced wife. This
scene is so strong that the third act with
its intent TO take a wondering audience
into the confidence of the author. seems
needless for other purposes 1t serves
only to explain that Mr.. kelcey has help
cd Mr.. LeMoyne in keeping the family
name from dishonor that he is even more
of cur than the audience wanted 10
think him, and to hint a future happiness
for Miss Shannon.
The drama is strictly a problem play.
and the problem concerns the way people
are going to take Mr.. KeIcey. His role
Is so consistently villanous that there
seems some doubt of its success. other
than for the reason OF novelty. A poSsi-
BILE excuse that being dogged from a
chance to reform and the happiness that
meant, drove him back to his old self,
is not well brought out. and even Mr.. Kel-
cey's last line cannot win favor to man
who has proven himself not only fast,
but in addition, a coward and o black
guard.
Neither Mr. Kelcey nor Miss Shannon
has changed much since they were last
seen here. The former has not shaved off
his mustache and the latter has not ceas-
ed to refer to her sex as "guirls." She
does however. do some emotional work
that stands alone for its directness and
correctness. The first named Of the pair
lacks more merit than even Miss Shan
non will ever possess. IN a regulation
role he made last night 30 attempt to be
| different in any way from the ordinary
black-mustached. kid-gloved. cigarette
smoking villain of cheap melodramas
William \. Brady. Jacob Lift and Davis
6, kcogh all have men who can give him
points in that work. Edmund ID. Lyons
has little to do. but establishes himself
by some remarkable pantomime and
! | William LeMoyne has stili less In com
, | pariSon with his worth. but shows in that
| wonderful art and careful study. Bruce
McRae is rather an incipient lover, anG
Edward See, the servant of "A Coat OF
! Many ColOrS, is not slow to take advan.
taec OF opportunities that do not present
themselves. Mrs. LeMoyne, as the WON.
an who had been. twice divorced anG
wanted everyone to know, provided tn,
| comedy of the piece and effectually pre-
| vented its being somber. while Eleanor
| Moretti did some capable and difficult
emotional acting. Ncllette Reed and Leilj
| Ellis were very mediocre. and the remain
der Of the large east had nothing to do
and did it well. The scenery. costumins
and detail observed were most praise
worthy.
, NationaI "rEc Swell Miss EitzweiI.'
[ In point Of the crowds that gather L