The sun., 1899-02-10
NEW PLAYS IN CONTRAST.
4 HELoDRAMA FROM LONDON AND A
COMEDY FROM BERLIN.

piecss Imported to Dnly's Thentre-A
FuIda Example of Modern German stage
Literature Brought to the Irving Place.
The latest of tho Drury Lane melodramns.
'The Great Ruby; or. the Kiss OF Blood" was
nerformed at Days Theatre last night. Each
Of these annual offerings to the London multi
tude contains n sensational episode. 1t doesn't
matters so much what the rest OF the play is mado
al, provided only that there is nothing subtle
or nsthetic In it: but the main shocker must
be new and strong. In this instance IL is a
balloon ascension with two aeronauts fight
ing as they rise. oh. but It is a scrapi
ono OF the men is the boss thief oil
gang that has stolen a priceless ruby. The
other is an East Indian high muck -a-muck In
love with woman who depends on tho re-
covery OF the precious stone. The police
are hunting It. The thief has It, The
other chap wants It. But the two
arc ono in their desire not to be
arrested. Tho balloon Is ready. inflated. on
Hcmstead Heath. The fugitives. with the
officers at their heels. make use OF 1t to escape
Atthe same time they struggle with each other
for possession OF the ruby. Atlength the thiefs
hold was broken and he fell with a cry Of hor-
ror This was good thing OF It's kind Tho
illusion was first rate. By lowering painting
OF sky and clouds at the back and making
expcrt use OF lights. the effect OF a rising
rising balloon was achieved It was like q re-
versal OF the divers descent in last years
melodrama from Drury Lane. The White
Heather" and their mortal combat at the bot
tom OF the sea-
The customary place in New York for play
like THE Great Ruby; or. the Kiss Of Blood "
is of Broadway and on the Bowery. Nor Is
an actress OF Ada Rehan's repute often
engaged in the performance Tho charac-
ter assumed by Miss Rehan Is that
Of London jewellers wife. rich and
crude. with social aspirations and other
vanties. The great ruby comes into her hus-
bands S possession in the way Of business The
first act of the piece shows the stealing Of the
gem from her at the jewelry store. Later she
becomes the unwitting custodian OF 1t while
she and others are wondering where 1t is.
Then comes the balloon flight and fight. AZ
ter that tho vrtuous personages get thoir re-
wards and the surviving vicious ones theirpun-
ishment. The play nearly four hours and O
half long. 1t began at a quarter to o'clock an
did not end until quarter past IL. Some
of this length was due to long in
son 5 when Hna RoFe faults RSTs besa %
cured. the piece will still be tedious. Its
found With
lions in L%GGGn p1S Of that t grade d They
seek game with the ruby to the exclusion Of
i not compensated by anything ,engrosslPg
in that sqheGt except the ba29n The
brought, from London and is shown, to
S2 good pH 9Ssent the Da Into e yacns ss
ed on on to- to improve in that res respect. and
new one Blanche Bates. dtstipEuished her
actress. Miss Rehan did not accomplish much
successful in London. She, avoided the eccen-
tric appearance which the char ecter demanded.
and missed its humor almost altogether.
Ludwig Fulda's "old Friends" which was
acted at the Irving Place Theatre last night for
the first time in this country, although it is two
years old. shows the dramatst in one OF his
lighter. II not his lghtest mood. 1t is
play written in the school OF German
comedy that has for nearly score Of
years been popular in the country OF
Van Schoenthan. Radelburg and Blumenthal
and used to interest the public here. The
model which Herr Fulda adopted has not
been used by him without acquiring some
Of the qualities OF his usual work. He
has given a human touch to the ma
chne-made progress OF these pieces. and
the humor his drama contains is more
spontaneous than that which his predecessors
have impaired to their work in years. 1t is in
his technique and subject that he has stuck
most closely to the pattern that has SO long
been characteristic OF German comedy.
Four bachelor friends. after some years OF
companionship. find themselves embarrassed
in ono another's society. 1t then be-
comes clear that three OF them are en-
gagged to be married. The fourth holds
out and dedicates himself to ceibacy.
But he ultimately succumbs after some
illustrations of his friends conditions that
would not have encouraged most men to at
tempt matrmony. But he does in the end and
promises to he as happy or miserable
shows nothing more than. the the influence e'Si Of
% ike anoher Old Bs Ssr
hieS w,Tes .S cannot mot get al9ng a cireumstance
be characteristic OF most old friends Their
SQUALLS and gossip. the troubles between the
cd friends were the themes of Herr Fulda's
1t was all set forth agreeably enough. with
rqqlness as well. But there is 'm9notony
not yaFS enGug 'odT SHHRss was sG%e ae
% and RBaR Bat it S %as the mot nHS ts
Snough T nstod ioF m ,tS s sGRt texture admira
Anna Braga; Eugen schady proved for ali
TIME that he is not in the least adapted to light
comedy.
They are missing no chances to call atten-
ton to Edna Wallace Hoppers scant costume
az the casino. 'Of course you know best"
says Mr.. Seabrooke TO her as the two enter to-
Gether. but II YOU take my advice you will not
try to wear side pockets in a suit like that"
The incidental music In s9me of the city
theatres is at least pertinent In one farce
the orchestra plays Here's a howdy-do" from
The Nkado' when there is row on the
stage. "Arrah. g'wan. you're only fooling"
when on" character is incredulous OF what an
other says. and half dozen other popular
songs are drawn upon to help situations. They
are too obvious, perhaps. to be regarded as
artistic but they amuse. The idea was used
with good effect by William Furst in his selec-
ton OF music for Never Again" But there
the music was suggestive and piquant ac-
companment ami not too insisent.
Sarah Bernhardt's tour in this country next
season will be limited to about three months
~ her new house In Paris which has been
called the Theatre Bernhardt. she has intro
auccd American improvements and will fol-