The San Francisco call., 1899-07-13
LORD TND LpDY
HLGY." Il RpRE
GOOD COMEDY.

4 SEASON of the Miller company in
| N Cartons refreshing comedy would
n make Of US all thorough going
l. = sports, if one night in their society
is criterion to judge by. We rise to a
man at the fall of the curtain and swag-
ger out ready ''to back any handy jockey
for a place." call our friends buffers
and tell them their choice "has no
earthly" that were not keen about
taking their tips and that if were given
our head we're game enough to keep
we'll inside the rails" We want to learn
to take in the points of a horse, we
want to ''have a bit on F'Iickameroo,"
we'n stake our all with Lady Algy, dia-
monds included, and if we lose Wen
wear paste and begin again" But above
ALL we want to "smoke Egyptians! We're
over the mood a little by morning, and
feel more safely conservative, but we
want to see the comedy again at the
earliest opportunity. We come to this
sporty feeling slowly and somewhat tedi-
ously, for with restless rapidity the Mar
quis of Quarmby and the Honorable Tud-
way fly from subject to subject, avoiding
the one that is nearest their hearts and
closer to the plot of the play, and when
Lord Algy frankly says II don't see the
point" we echo his sentiments and hope
for speedy light. Nevertheless, this is art.
for in real life, when we are about TO ask
for something we much do yearn for and
have but slim chance OF getting tI1 we we
stupidly, staving off a crash as long as
possible. When they finally come to an
understanding the charm begins to work
and we are with" Lady Algy to the end.
The quiet climaxes in the play are
charming. There is never bid for cur
tain call yet it follows inevitably. Ihe
lines are very clever-in some instances
better than clever. for their point is
gained in situation and thus action and
speech go hand in hand to success. In
the last act, when Lord Algy leads Mrs
Tudway by off-hand persuasion, back to
mediocre respectability, the play is rem1n-
recall 1.-THE Moth and the Flame but
with the charm of the comedy upon us
we find these impressions but fugitive.
Lord Algy is a man Of three. grievances.
He wanders through the first act trying
vainly to get some one to enjoy the hos
pitality of his decanters, through the
second on a tipSy search for Mrs. Tud-
way and through all three in search of
happiness and a place to anchor. In the
hands of Mr.. Miller Lord Algy so COM
pletely wins our sympathy and approval
that If madame had not in the end come
back to stay we should have followed
her behind the scenes to undertake her
reformation. That he could hold the in
terest of the audience through so long
tipsy scene as the second act requires,
with but little in the ensemble to strength
en- and support 1T, is, without words
of mine, a sufficient tribute to his ability.
We do not understand the key in which
the second act is pitched. The scene is
too quiet At fancy dress balls our society
register runs higher. AS nation we love
noise, and when crowds assemble babel
of voices is Indispensable. Mr.. Tudway
is the only real excitement and he, with
his brigand makeup and "scoundrel, viii
lain, blackguard"' speeches is impossible
and absurd. But 1 would sit through
three such acts to see Mr. Miller take
a header" downstairs and Miss Anglin
dash across the stage to the rescue of poor
along, dear old fellow; I'll get you a cab"
What a touch of nature and what an
artist Miss Anglin is to make the action
when we shall decide what role we like
might find Lady, Algy a little Impossible.
was well sustained by Mr.. Standing, but
why does he not articulate more distinct
ly? In fact (and let me say it gently, for
when a company is so thoroughly good
1T seems carping to pick minor f1aws).
several men in Mr.. Miller's company will
never make the blind see with their
ears" The Mawley of young Mr.. Whiffen
was exceedingly good. If his face has the
regulation fifty-ive muscles to write the
feelings and passions and emotions with
in we would never suspect it-never. Cap
| tain Standige, the Duke of Droneborough,
Swepson and Jethro are not new types.
We learn to depend upon them as part
of our regular theatrical income, but we
don't often find the roles as well handled
as they are in Lord and Lady Algy."
Swepson is especially good: Mrs Whiffen
reason that she has very stupid, un-
grateful part to play. Her costume, after
stroke of genius. Miss Burton's work is
not good. She is too studied and too fond
of gesture. She does not seem to have
learned that thought stills the body and
feeling makes it active. The first set, with
its panels in Flemish oak and touches of
heliotrope and reseda. is, as Mrs. Tudway
says, soothing and restful. In the last
act, when the lights are on, it all takes
on a tone of haff-mourning in beautiful
! harmony with the detected entrance of
break the Bank of England. In spite of
its second act, Lord and Lady Algy" is
a rare good comedy. and not to see it
| twice is not to know it.
| CHARLOTTE THOMPSON.