New-York tribune., 1898-11-23
THE DRAMA-MCSlC.
A NEW PLAY AT THE LYCEuM THEA IKE
-"TRELAWNY OF THE WELLS"


pnoro's lotes, comedy called "Trclawny OF 'he
Wells play which has for some time Dceh cur
ront and prosperous in London. ana wncn "'s' W.
much and ong-continued favor mere MI '"''''
is seldom so felcitous as when he j. "r'ihN S"'"'
OF the prim and pompous persons ana 'he pon"'
ous conventions so often encountered !" hnk''"
so.r,tv -persons and conventions 30 vapid aho
u.o,risomc thar English social life, in some Of its
rb,ses s.sns absolutely blasted with dulnes' Ihc
f,roncbr,an Max O'Rcll. lately sent round shot
at this target when he said that no h"s"S"""
could hc induced 20 go TO church al c'o'N III
the morning as Continental people ho'-oec""He
AT tha, hour nobody would gee him. In "Trela"ny
Of the Wells" Mr. Pincro has allowed himsef COM
plete freedom Of merry chaf. and he has devised
good means to ma &c II effective. by the deft use q"
contrast alike in circumstances and In the oppos-
ton of characters and ho has done much nio''
than this because while n"ver a moraliz'r' ne
had another and a better purpose than satre-the
purpose to show a good side in human nature ana
incidentally TO say a good word for actors
Tho period Of "Tre,awny" is that Of the ho"p-
skirt and the peGiOpped trousor. about forty wears
ago and the scene Of is laid parity in the ncigh-
borhood Of Islington and partly 81 mansion III
Cavcndish Square. Old Tslngton-ihat OF IN" chilu-
hood of Lord BcacOnsfeld for instance. who was
born there's said 10 have been lovely place nut
the IsingiOn Of later times offers as strong cor"
trasi with Cavcndish Square as East Broadway
does with the Plaza. There arc two groups OF
characters-onc being composed OF members oi inc
stage, and. the other Of the family OF weai'nE
knight. To set the sh'ftless. half-comicaL hai-
pathetic life Of the poor actor against that ol '''
rich rcspectane and superatvely decorous Judge
and his relatives promising bctrohal OF the
Judges grandson to q sprighuy but impecu unious
actross-and from this contrast to deduSe scenes
Of mirtn and moments OF pathos. was Mr. Pin"ro
scheme and he has accomplished 1t with rare ana
delightful skill Tho plot is slender ana very
simple In act FIRST. Rose Trelawny. who Is TO be
come the wife Of Arthur Cover, takes leave OF her
theatrical associatcs,-an agreement having been
made that she is TO reside. for time, in the fah-
ily OF Sir William Cover. the vce-chancelior. III
order that she may be me habituated to the
formal conditions Of her new rank In act second
those conditions very humorously iHuStfateh'
and beclisc II her cundestinc reception Of her old
theatrical friends. late at night and in thuhd''-
storm there T. CONSERVATION in the Cover fam
iy and a general crash ensues in which the lovers
are separated. In ACT third Rose has resumed h"r
theatrical vocation. but. brcause OF sorrow she o"
no longer able to act. 80 ~ 10 earn her hN'Ns' "'"
she i. sinking into povcrty.-in which prcdic"mehl
she is found by the Judge. who then becomes """IV
Of her intrinsic worth and who likewise by m"'ns
tina; are equally Ingenious and humorous. j. pres
emily implicated in theatrical enterprise iE act
fourth. the sund.red lovers are adroitN ''uh'',"'
and reconciliation is accomplished between '"'
c,-chauccllor and As grandson. vino. IN The mean
tim has becom" an actor. seeking 10 Win "u.
prndrnce a. well wife.
The specification Of cold details. however can
impart no adequate OF the mirth. the variety
OF character the felicity Of incident. the piaYfui
satire. and tho delicate and lovely feeling tha' are
the essential attributes OF this play. j. is play
mat curiouslv suggests reflection upon move
ment that has long been operant In EnSlsh ara
matte literature. Changes. marking the huctuatlon
OF taste as comedy have all along occurred at
about the interval Of one generation. ana TWO OF
those changes in particular were OF special import
and interest Sentimental comedy. traces OF when
may BE- observed IN Colman's Caroline Dormer ana
in Sherldan's Falkland. declined under the breezy
Influence o. Godsmths bold venture "Sh" Stoops
10 Conquer" Artificial comedy. typlied by The
Lady Of Lyon" " began to decline. under the in
au.nce Of Robertsou's coaster. and Mr.. Pnero
ha- been much Influenced by Robertson. "Treia"ny
Of the Wells IS a lighter and merrier exposition
than Robertson made OF the theme ~ social dif-
ferences in English life II belongs 10 the FAMILY
OF caste" lacking the ncisiye touch and eX-
quiSite finish OF it, prototype. but equally pungeh'
IN humor equally lucid and pointed in meaning
and ~ TO the portrayal OF the grotc'que side ol
theatrical private life ampler and richer
I'm the stage treatment that this unique com
e,ly received at the hands OF Mr.. Daniel Frohmah
ulavers the mor- touching attributes were not very
happily revealed MI Morgan. who acts Tom
Wrench being 4 heavy man and unsued for serio-
conf. character Such point as the business
with the girls slipper ought to cause stir at the
heart, and such words a. thos" in which the poor
actor indicates his hope DEFERRED spoken SIM
ply with smile. and with the right tone "ouid
get the response OF tears. Miss Mannering evoked
that response more than once icy being simple ana
true and often she got the response Of laughter Tor
her clever raillery and banter The foolfs OF the
actor group were perhaps. made somewhat too
emphatic In the scene OF the feast "hhh cam"
pcrousy rear 10 burle>que but n mdi'h-
ual cases the portraiture was equally true
and comic NIr Courteish ~ the complacent
Gadd and Miss lida SpOng.-l new player here.
and good onc.-aS lmOgeu ParroU presented
types with which Al familiar whose lot has
been cast with actors. \ remarkably strong per
rormance Of the Nce-Chanceor Cover 10y 'harleS
Walcot signfod both the absurdy Of conven-
t.onal character living 10y note and devoted 70
ceremony and the goodness Of heart that neV,r-
theless may dwell beneath that unpromsing eX-
terror Elizabeth TyGce. barring her American
twang made most amusing figure as he hearty.
impciuous actress Of all work. Avonic Bnnn. The
portraiiure Of vcissitudes ANA contrasts I'm IN"
actor life : pathetic. Notwithstanding the broad
FUN that cnvrons it. aud for this alone II not
FOR its pretty love story and it, pure spirit there
should be warm welcome for "T'elawny Of the
Wells" w. w.
NATIONAL CONSERVATORY ORCHESTRA.
To gather 4 body OF young Americans and make
them sound orchc itral players has long been the
hudable ambition of Mrs. Jeanette NJ Thurher
president Of m" y tional Conservatory. Size be-
liryes that the nucleus OF National orchestra j. TO
be- formed only by getting native material when
fl j. plastic With his end in view she has with
the cooperation OF Mr Gustav Ilniichs aud the
faculty OF the institutions been drilling pupils until
the timr ripe for pubic exhibition OF their
powers That time arrived last night. ana nj IN.
concert han Of the Madison square Garden an au-
dieuoe disposed To amiability soon warmed to Ell
thiIstasn at the efforts of band Of about may
PLAYERS mos, Of them pupils. with here and there
a. sprinkmA OF professionals. their respective
TEACHERS These lattsr not only provided founda-
tional bass and brass :or thc orchestra. but also
plof.SSi Sionul courage. hs rOuftS. rd that