The times., 1899-11-07
AT THE THEATRES.
Observation-Disclosures

boTd bo "heatiey. y.'.---...-....,.....R d. MacIesa
Denny .--.., .....-........--...-. Morgan Conan
Bennett Bennett Hamiyn. Cranley Douglas
Athihs. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Ogden Wight
HogFardt .....---.-.....-.,L Lawrence Eddingcr
VI MoCIaHi f9sia. .....-..-.----.-,,J. H. Benrlmo
stefan StetanopoulOs ....,..... Francis Csmpbello
Constantine. -.-............. Franklyn Roberts
Sgletf' ...........-...J John X sumner
Elleha hurlotl- ..............-..- Maud HostoFd
beatflce HlpSrave. Alice Chandler
The Lady EuphrosyRe- e-....,...,..., 0dette Tyler
Budding aspirants for dramatists' honors.
read Anthony Hopes "Phroso;" then visit
the National this week and see a perfect
machine-made piece. Matinee girls and
others who enjoy a really stirring ro-
nance do likewise. Devotees of Mr.. Haw-
kins-Mr Hope; of Phroso and Denny and
Watkins, remain away or prepare to dis
cover that your idols always have possessed
play feet Above everything else travel
ers who witnessed the Empire Theatre pre-
sentation OF the work do not let an in
clination to repeat the experience tempt
you. Charles Frohman's company of just
now is largely adequate; it is better than
that which he sent here in Under the Red
Robe" but 1t is not an Empire Theatre
organization Persons included in none OF
these classes may purchase seats in Man
ager Rapley's house with the ample assur-
ance that they will hear most interesting
fOotIight Offering given in a manner that
they probably will deem quite creditable.
The acting structure evolved from
"Phroso" is the product OF Edward Rose
and H. V. Esmond, two architects who
have erected imposing histriOnic blocks
along the plans of more original designers.
but who with their own intellects are
not known ever to have built satisfactory
dramatic cow-shed Mr.. Rose took Mr..
Hopes The Prisoner OF Zenda' and from
it resred a great edihee yet Mr.. Roses
I'm DAYS Of Old and Mr. Esmond's "One
Summers Day" were both extremely rick
ETY. affairs. In watching the rendering OF
''Phroso" one can hear the noise Of welded
tools-the click of scissors, and the swish
Of the pastebrush And the completed ef-
fort is decidedly and distinctly admirable.
although the process by which it was fin
ished may be discerned by the sharp-eyed
quite as well as in those prairie houses
which are packed into wagons and fitted to-
gether when needed. A serviCeable theatTiC
sky -scraper must have a Juvenile post at
one side OF the entrance and iow-comedy
post opposite; accordingly one has Mr.
Hopes splendid Denny relegated to abso-
Lutte puerlity and the courageous Watkins
made a coward. A seryiceable theatric
7 Sky-SCEdDeT must use no ulUIE lAiaAEl itAA
than is necessary; and so one finds that
Constantine has been made bad by the
murder OF a brother TO avenge whom he
and not his accomplice, kills MCurakl
Pasha All this has been done by men
who are artisans and not artists, though
in the present case. the result has been the
very best,
The very best for the 'Phroso" of last
night is an absorbing stirring. even in
genious drama. Except for the slight
changes noted above, Mr.. Hopes tale stands
almost as it was-a comic -operesque tangle
OF imprObabilities: a trifiing but enjoyable
love story; the sort of yarn which, when
begun at twilight, leads one TO accuse in
spectors OF reading ones gas meter wrong
There is Lord Wheatley, who buys the
Island OF Neopalia only to find that Con-
stantine the coyetous relative Of its form
er owner, has moved the inhabitants to
slay him Lord Wheatley discovers that
this fellow though already married, IS be-
trothed TO the Lady Euphrosyne, with
whom he himself falls in love and who
falls in love with him And, with the aid
of Mouraki Pasha, having outwitted Con-
stantine he learns that the Turkish Gov
ernor is another suitor and has to try out
/ whiting him. In the nick of time Mouraki
/ is killed, Wheatley's original fancee breaks
! ner ITOtn-eFeTSLnlEB as III the novel.
! The cast is not great-sometimes not
even good. Odette Tyler evolves a petulant
| childish PhrOso out of the almost unintel-
/ ligible character of the book But this
may not be her fault One may quite
imagine the play mechanics writing SOU
! brette lead on her manuscript. So Miss
! Tyler is efficient only when one takes her
own estimate of the role. r d. MaeLean' 5
! Lord Wheatley is masterly-really what
might be expected of William Gillette;
more than one had a right to expect of
! William Faversham. A silk hat instead OF
a fez would make Franklyn Roberts Con-
stantine eligible for like position in The
/ Sidewalks of New York J. II. Benrimc
is an admirable Mouraki, Lawrence Ed
dinger a credItable Hogyardt. John r.
| Sumner a good Demetri, Alice Chandler a
sweet Beatrice, and Maud Hosford a mag
nifceut ELENA. The remainder merge be-
tween mediocrity and worse things
Miss Tyler would do we'll 10 leave OF
| diamonds when donning boys dress, John
! Armstrong should be left out of the mob
after one has been informed OF his death,
and the manner in which Lord Wheatley
finds Constantine's wife should be told
more emphatically