The times., 1898-05-08

after its final performance last night and
the costumes and scenery used in the
rather elaborate production will he put
away until next December, when the ac-
tors regular starring tour will begin.
Until then nothing Will be done with Mr..
Sayre's drama, excepting the work Of
Improvement suggested by local critics
and actual experience as to the identity
of the necessary demeTits. These will be
eliminated during the Summer, and next
November Mr.. Lackaye will so out for
brief season with Joseph jefferson, play
ing Sir LuCius O'Trigger in The Rivals
Just before Christmas the amended
Charley OMalIey" will be staged for a
run at the Fifth Avenue Theater, New
York. where its inherent worth and the
adopted suggestions received during it's
trial engagement will make it an un-
doubted popular success-nothing but
vaudeville shows are ever critical sue
cesses in New York nowadays Alan
Dale will probably find fault with O'Mal-
leys uniform; James l.. Ford will COM
ment on the probability of a sword
thousand years old being good, and Jessie
Woods Will draw nightmarish pictures
of Mr.. Lackaye as he appears in femi-
nine attire.
Despite these prospective troubles there
is no doubt in the world that few plays
ever showed more real merit after first
presentation than does this new candi-
date for commendation and coin Mr..
Sayre, who may be guessed to be its au-
| thor has written almost entirely from
the suggestion of Levers novel. and his
version is more noted for its liberalness
than its literalness. He has telescoped
| the rather sympathetic character Of
| Major Hammersly with that of a less
| fortunate man, and the result is a Capt
| Hammersly who is eIeven-fourths and
/ a fst1f .1,-xl l. Il
| vision of interest the part of OMaIey
| has also been unified, while a number of
| people have risen like ghosts from the
mind of the adapter. There is not much of
| Levers novel in any portion of the play
| and the last two acts-by far the best in
! the piece-are wholly original The story
| had only two really forceful incidents,
| while the present stage version is so
! crowded with them that the one danger
| of failure lies in superfuity rather than
! poverty of situation. About all that has
! been left Is the sparkling hurnor of the
| tale, the serious portions having been
| provided entirely by Mr.. Sayre And
| the only bit in the book that has suf-
| fered by the changing and the cutting
of seams for alterations is the name.
| Charles O'Afalley" being infinitely more
| pleasing to the ear than Charley o NAL
! ley
The drama contains a wonderfully
strong story admirably and ingeniously
put together. While a great lack of com
pactness in a tale of such single interest
| causes certain incidents to have the ap-
pearance Of Struggling its atmosphere.
force and wit commend it for hearty
praise. Indeed. this last trait is so much
in evidence, both in dialogue and situa-
ton, that one is forcibly reminded of the
perfect dovetailing of Samuel Lover and
one Of his contemporaries. The two mid
die acts of the piece are nothing less than
| powerful, while the third affords some
Of the strongest work seen here since
Secret Service" departed. And there is
| nothing rough about its presenta ton,
the scene having evidently ripened until
1t is as much mellow drama as meIodra-
ma. Contrasts are we'll emphasized
| ideas carefully brought out and climaxes
! excelently worked up The characters
in the play do not seem especially we'll
connected-not in point of family-and
! some of the lines are very long. but a
little time viii remove both difficulties
Among the smaller faults that can
| hardly be eradIcated are the convention
alfty displayed in the unconVincing num-
| Der of eavesdroppers and of musicians in
| the piece together with the way both
behave. People do not always arrive just
in time TO hear matters of interest with
| out being detected, and clever things do
I
| ed orchestraS may play an accombani-
| ment to them. Then many little points
| in the presentation hang on foibles and
the historic incident of the masquerade
of Judy McCann might better be totally
| eliminated in favor of betetr aud less
| farclcal motive for the duel that fol-
| lows. \ more pronounced scarcity of
poor songs badly sung might also prevent
the play from resembling a vaudeville
| entertainment
The three worst mistakes with which
the drama has to contend are stiItedness.
inconsistency and repetition. The first IS
punctuated with asides and accented by
the presence of a most villanously vii
| famous villain. The second hangs par
| tally on the fact that Hammersly could
| hardly slave gained power over Mrs.
| Blake by the possession OF a love letter
written before her marriage The third
and most notable fault is everywhere in
| evidence. Not only is a certain ancient
joke as regards the double meaning of
the word spirits told three times and
| cruel made the subject Of constant
modification, but a number of lines and
| Incidents are repeated and often re-re-
peated. The play is sort of dramatic
example Of tautOlogy-it might. in fact.
| be said that the whole plot doubles on
Itself. Dramas. unlike milk are best
when condensed, and contraction is the
great requisite of success. Aside from
these faults Charley O'Malley'' is an ad-
mirable product, made apprecabIe and
entertaining by it's appealing humanity
and convincing strength
Ihere are, IN the piece, two unique and
! remarkably powerful situations tina,
| should be. in themselves. enough to carry
any reasonable narrative. one takes
| place in O Maley's first duel with Ham
mersly' when both so outside to fight
leaving the ladies anxiously awaiting
the result. Presently two shots are
heard from behind the doors and the
Irish dragoon falls through and in front
of the woman for whose uncertain love
he has risked his life. The triumphan,
! rival follows only TO find that in his mo-
ment Of defeat Lucy has given OMalley
the affection she had denied him before
| IhiS duel repeats itself i'm the last act
with the sole difference that this time
| the ladies are outside and the beIliger-
ents within. The young hero has es-
capped from prison and been captured in
! company with his sweetheart by Ham
| mersly, Finding that the girl does not
| love him the scoundrel offers O'Malley
one chance for liberty. He writes and
| signs a confession OF his guilt handing
| il TO Lieut.. Power with the informa ton
that if it is not called for within fifteen
minutes it is to be read This done he
challenges O Malley. Should he win. he
says Lucy must be his bride. but If. on
the other hand, he loses there will be no
one to retrieve the written confession
| which will free the innocent young sol
der AT first O'Malley refuses to accept
| the conditions but is goadcd to il nv his
sweetheart and finally agrees.
The women are then locked on an ont
side balcony to await the advent of TN.
survivor. Each of the men is provided
| with sword, and the combat is abou,
to begin when Hammersly complains
that his weapon is shorter than thas of