New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-02
THE DRAMA.
MR.. ROBSON IN THE MEppLrr.

The calm effrontery OF the theatrical MANAGES. 4.
asking the public to come into their theatres ~
nights like these and to pay money for the prvil.
is equalled only byN the serene complacency w.
which the public acquesces. New-York City 4, ,..
OF persons who would brave all the horror :.
climate. war and famine for the chance OF sen,.'
the first performance OF good play. They vo",.
also brave the nineteen chances in twenty ro
or less OF Its turning out a bad an indssrs.'.
play. Persons of this dauntless character AM.
Waack's Theatre last night.
II was the opening night Of the season ~ a..
house. The play was new one by Aue,,,n'
Thomas. called The Medder" and the lesAs"
actor was Stuart Robson. Mr.. Robson has ~
something Of a stranger to Broadway thea,r.
for long time md the audience was GLAD 70 -.
him. He IL surrounded by capable company a..
that fact was cheerfuuy recognized.
It is clear that the author had no easy tssk 4,
fitting Mr. Robson with a play and a part az
Meddler" deals for the most part with serlous 40
tects and that, too, In a serious manner 70, NJ,
Robson's part has the air Of farce And there :, .
kind Of seriousness about that too. II Is the p,..
of a man who takes It upon himself to regulate ~
affairs OF his relatives and friends. They rsar.
seem to need bit OF regulating. and Mr. Franc..
ELS intentio ~ are obviously sincere and direc..
by right motives. so far the character Is a se-,ou
one and one which commands respect. But ar
LAYING "A boz. course Mr.. Francis Ell l. ,im,d y
following IT, no tries 10 avoid doing jus, yha, -
has made I'D ms mind to do he tells lIss -
makes MISTAKES and gets himself into diffculu..
which are intended by the author and the actor :,
be comic and 80 the character becomes farci..,
Thus Mr.. Robson and the person whom no rsn,.
sents have the air OF having strayed out O, far.
where they patty belong into a drama whers ,bs,
by no means belong. and where they are unoo,
Portable and make everybody else uncomfortab.
There Is no reason why dramatic author eho,,
guide himself by the conyentionalities OF any -,
vious play or OF any number OF previous NAV a.
he can produce good and consistent work vl,bo,,
them. Nobody would quarrel with Mr. Tboma.
for not writing drama or for not writing a farca
But the present work does not seem hsrno,,o
within itself. and that is just ground o, oh,sc.
ton. And there IL another. There is no cha,.
acter In the play for whom the audience feels an,
marked sympathy Nobody has any but the ,r,srd'
Hest feelings toward Francis Ell, and neither so..
anybody care enough about him to feel anxious 70,
the success OF his vacllatrg schemes There Is IA
deep socitude for the husband who devotes nj,
whole attention to misunderstanding his wife and
his friend. nor Is there any for the wife herse, Or
for any OF the three four other women concerned
OF course every feels a sor, Of sympathy with
every young and Innocent girl especially II she 10
good-looking. but that belongs to the race rattle,
than to the individual. and a drama needs some.
thing more than that;
Mr. Robsons personality Is an amusing one, and
he communicates IL to every character which he
assumes on the stage. And because he always does
this he I'D IT this occasion Miss Marie Bur.
rough. gave personal grace 10 part which askti
for nothing else. So did the Misses Maude Grange.
and Gertrude Perry. John f. Keerd played The
part of \ bad man who turned over a new lea. al
the end with as much artistic complacency and ais,
as much reason II II had been the last leaf o. Z
sunday school book. The full cast follows: