The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-11
IN TWO DIFFERENT PLAYS.
RISKY FUN IN ONE AVID SAFE AD-
VENTURE IN TIM OTHER.

Missdventuro by Certain wicked Persons
in "The Girl From Maxim's," and of
some Virtuous Persons ina Young Wife"
Opinions have conficted a. to the merit OF
Josephine Halls performance OF the eirl.whom
the Criterion farce describes as THE Girl From
Maxim's." Those who regard Miss Halls act
ing favorably praise her particularly for the
junction and never tagging gayety with which
she invests the part. Others objected to her
lack Of Frenchiness. 1t is likely that has
been made to keep herself free from the many
usual Partisan coquette. That she can enact
such a character excelently was proven by
her impersonation Of the French maid In
THE Gay Parlsians" a few years ago. fths
wanton in The Girl From Maxim's" were de-
picted az such creatures usually are. this play
would be too vulgar for Criterion audiences.
She Is revealed sitting In mans bed.
while he is lying on a sofa. She cannot get
up. because her gown is gone What would be
the effect II this scene were played by French
actress. such as Sadie Martinez. Clara Lipman
or Marguerite sylvia Miss Hall apparently
is acting orders dictated by good juds-
ment. The farce itself rsverses the
customary order OF French farces. because its
scene is laid In bed at the beginning. and va
rlous incidents are not necessary before that
situation is reached. 1t 10 throughout an
| anomalous combination OF tho old and the
new. Tho idea OF the underbred city woman
making the country folk think that her vul-
garity is tho best and latest in city matters
goes paci to The Vicar OF Wakefield" In the
discussion OF French farce there are standards
which make Oliver Goldsmith's story seem .
novelty. AS long as its writer's continue to
keep apace with the advance vf science. how
ever there is no good reason why their In
| genuity should ever be exhausted. The phono-
graph did wonders for "On and on" and a
! less authenticated mechanical continuance
| adds dash Of stranReness to the Girl From
| Maxim's" The risky DOCTOR who finds that
| he ha. brought a oocotts to his rooms. operates
for the relief OF his patients an electric ma
| chine which sends them into 4 trance. Their
dreams are pleasant and they come back to
cons :iousness promptly. This machine puts
the doctors wife to sleep whom he wants to
harmless inse3shiIitJ four persons who
tsrest In La Dams Dc chez Maxim
s spr.u: n.e p :ss.ne: sna . 's FnS
and her talk of child who was to save France.
were echoes OF recent Incidents u Paris that
majcrity 81 Frene en- farcss usually come. There
were. OF course, few traces of this in its Eng
hand. Just aren't as much like the rest OF its
kind as two different things we'll could be.
| The man who at first appears to be q fool,
| but who turns out, Just at the right moment.
to be particularly brilliant. 10 always popular
| stage character. Lord Chun,lev the central
| figure OF the play Of that name. was just such
psrson. Something Of the same idea is
| used by j. X Tillotson in his melodrama.
"A Young Wife" raw countryman.
really no more than boy. though
he Is full six feet and exceptionally
stalwart. comes to the city. His name Is
Hordce Grsengaoe Dobbns. and we first see
| him when he calls on girl whom he has
| known in the country. 1t 10 in a thieves den
that be is more amusing. however. bunco
steerer comes in AMI tells one Of his pals that
there is a good thing " in the neighborhood
by the name OF Horace Greenedee Dobbins.
He gives a list OF relatives and neighbors Of
! Do6bi"s's to the pal. who soon brings the coun-
| tryman into the den. he 10 recounting his ac-
| Iuaintance with the persons whose names he
has found in the list. and Dobbns 10 congrat-
ulating himself on finding friend OF the fam
lily in New York. The gold brick" man 10
describing the den as museum. The thieves
start the three-card trick. Dobbins tries his
hand and loses $40. But he parts with more
cash than that. for a mere boy steals his
, unconscious and put into a curtaIned acove.
where he revives sooner than they expect. A
young woman, DobbnsS friend has been
trcked to the den and rsstra med there, He
warns her not to openly recognize him. aud. it
all being in the world Of meIodrama. contrIyes
10 put knock out drops in tho thieves whis-
key The stupidity which has left Dobbins
seems to settle on the thieves, Tor they fail to
drink Anyway. bObbins sings q song about
t the B1wery a. they are oys5c com by the
away. This makes tho most popular episode