New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-20

| for him romantic play with tragic cndlng
which would offer full scope for his eraver and
more serious qualities an actor. The Jest
was followed with hreathIess interest on the
! opening night at the Criterion Theatre by an
audience which was not prepared for medieval
! romance and possibly disconnected because It
missed the rollicking humor OF modern, every
day comedy. Some OF the dramatic critics are
disposed to lament this departure from the style
| Of mirth- provoking drama and comedy acting
| with which the Criterion Theatre has been asso-
| catcd for many years. They would he more
| judicious II they were to applaud n saga cious
| actor for taking line of work and dis
playing his versatility and the wide range Of his
| resources for stage work. Mr. Wyndhsm is A
| delightful and accomplished comedian. but his
| art has other functions than that of exciting
| frocsOme mirth. He made mistake when
| he undertook few years ago the emotional
part Of David Garrck with it's touching pa.hos.
and he has been similarly well advised in fol-
| lowing the fashion OF the time and adapting
himself to romantic drama.
| Mr. Louis y Parker and Mr.. Murray Carson
| have produced an original and highly artistic
! work II is romance with a serious note. and a
high motive. like "Cyrano Dc Bergerac" The
scene of the play Is Genoa. in the fifteenth
century. The action passes on the terrace of a
palace. where the ebb and flow of war with the
| Pisans are watched There are two soldiers and
! friends Cesare (Mr. Wyndham) and Cosmo
| (Ir Bellew) and there is one maid Fiorella
| Miss Mary MOora). The two leaders are nav
| ing reVel OF gaming. dancing and merry
| making while the Pisans are hammering al the
gates Of the city, and the authorities cannot de-
| eide upon the choice Of leader peodato ar
| rves at the castle with his wife to enter into
negotiations with the two rivals. but his daush-
ter is lost in the mob outside Cesarc leaps
| from the battlement. rescues the unconscious
| girl brings her to the terrace and places her in
| his rivals arms. pledgng him and the bNstand-
| ers not to undece;ve her. This IS tho fantastic
Jest which closes an evening Of niummery, gal
lantry ana gayety. 1t leads to rivalry and ieal-
ousv. and in the end to a tragical denouement
which justifns the Spanish provcrb, "A tear
| trembes on the eyelid Of every jest.
Cesare sets out for the war to win glory ana
to return in triumph with a trophy to lay at
| FioreIla's feet Cosmo remains behind 70 make
love to the maiden. who fances that She owes
her life 10 HIM When his rival returns Cosmo
is Jealous and piqued and finally is spurred on
| n similar exploits in war Before Cosmos re
| turn with a second trophy Cesare has married
| Fiorella beginning with fresh jest and ending
| by falling wildly in love with her. Speedily the
| husband who has beer a cynical. deVi-may-care
reveller is harassei with remorsc racked
with jealousy and chastened with suffering
Convinced by his wife's agonized cry, when she
supposes that her lover is dead. that he has not
himself won her heart. he is slowly preparing
TO find a solution in his own death for the
misery which his jests have brought upon all
three The mad minstrel. who moves IN ana
out throughout the play with snatches OF song
like the refrain Of a Greek chorus. SEXES dag
ger from his girdle and dispatches him. but not
until he has displayed the latent nobility Of his
| nature by signalling for Cosmos return ana
! Joining the hands of the lovers.
| Mr. Wyndham's acting In this part on the
first night was brilliant and flexible. He played
with fine variety, passing easily from hippant
| gallantry to ardent ye-making. and after
stress Of doubt. jealousy and suffering revealing
the noble qualities of manhood and sef-sacri-
| fee He impaired sincerity and reality to a
fanciful character possessing less individuality
| than the D'Artagnans and Cyranos. which now
| have SO powerful fasCna ton for playGoers.
His long soliloquy in the third act was instinct
! with power Miss Mary Moore was an embodi-
ment Of Womanly tenderness and grace. and vas
! we'll suited for the part. Miss Cynthia Brooke
gave also an artistic imporsonation of the nun
who had been in love with Cesare, and Mr.. Lor-
| ing Fernie was weird and powerful as the mad
minstrel, OrSinO MI. BeitN : N'SHp Was Owl 70
acted. and the weakest performance Of the even
ing The work Of the playwrghs was dra-
matte and original and superior to the artificial
adaptatons OF French plays which are now
popular. II was full Of subtle fascination and
charm, and stepped with fine spirit Of Italian
medievalism Whether 1t will be a popular
production 7 shall not attempt to forecast Au-
| diences al the Criterion may have become 50
accustomed TO iovial comedy that they will re-
! sent this attempt on the part Of Mr.. Wyndham
| 10 substitute costume for black coat and 70
| prove that he is an all-arOund actor equal 10
| tragic touches and thereby curtail their re-
sources for merr1ment
EPIIOGUE TO HOOLEYIsM.
The Lori Mayor. hating in his annual pill
| grimage Of state Al the New Law Courts 10
show his respect for the Queen In the persons Of
her Judges received this year compliment
and listened 10 wholesome sermon. The com
| plment was paid his public services In ar
resting the aduteration Of food stufs. The
| sermon was delivered BY Lord Russell OF Kill
owen on the current practices OF stock promo
ton. and was a most important public utterance
ON Hooleg is1l and all that it implied The Lord
| Chief Justice failed to explain precisely what
| tho ord Nav0r vas expected 20 do as re-
former Of existing evils Of over capitalization.
| fraudulent stock enterprises. one-man com
| NAMES and methods Of allotment by which de-
benture-holders were secured and creditors and
shareholders pundered. The homily was. now
ever an excellent one. and ought 10 facihtate
a speedy reform Of the laws relating to the ior-
nation Of limited liability companies.
one Of the most striking passages In this al
dress was that in which the losses from STOCK
promoting were approximately estimated on the
| basis Of a return MADE by the Official receiver
for seven wears ending i'm 1891. These losses
| for creditors and shareholders amounted to