The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-13
INCIDENTS IN STAGELAND.
WHAT rs BEING DOVE THIS WEEK ON
THE NEW FORK STAGE

Langdon Mitchell from Thaokeray's Vanity
Fair" was performed last night at the Fifth
Avenue Theatre. The material thus trans
ferred from book to stage was re-
stricted to Becky and her immediate
environment That conscienceless seeker
OF rich and titled husband was kept
foremost, and the other characters were
held back. She had been but one OF the prn-
clphl personages In the novel. She was the
only one OF much account In the play That
was not chance result In Mr. Mitchel's
dramatization. He had given dominance to
her so as to provide a heroine for Minnie
Madden Fiske to impersonate In doing that
to order. he had written part longer.
probably. than tho one given by Mr.
Belasco to Mrs. Carter in "Zaza" In misbs-
havor. too. Becky equals Zdza. but with the
difference that the French creature OF impulse
arouses the deepest sym patty. while the heart
lees English schemer 10 quite devoid OF excuse
There Is nothing In Beckv's motives to
palliate her bad behavior. 1t was a
bold undertaking by Mrs Fiske to take up
this proverbially repellant young woman for
portrayal. 1t was we'll nigh reckless to present
her without winning trait or a saving grace.
But Mrs. Fiske Ia an assertive. aggressive and
very resolute actress 1t Is a pity that the
outcome can hardly reward her with any
gain In fame money Her sincerity
OF purpose and fidelity OF effort serve but to put
forward a repulsive character. utterly graceless
In mind heart and in person.
In formulating the play. Mr. Mitchell has in
troduced Becky as an inmate Of Miss Crdtclev's
house. confidential intimate OF that unlovely
old maid. and the secret wife OF Ra,rdon Cram-
lev. Here she finds out that she night have
made match with the wealthy Sir PITT. instead
OF tho untitled and de pendent son. and chagrin
over the lost opportunity makes her vicious.
she is later shown at Brussels. where
she figures at the historic ball on the night be-
fore the battle Of Waterloo. The next shift is
to her Curzon street residence. whore she
sets traps for unwary visitors. and lives the
life OF a society pirate The end is at Pumper-
nickel. where she sinks to the very bot
tom OF feminine degradation and dies
In well-me rted misfortune. The first
two acts are scant in interest. except as loosely
illustrative Of Thackefay. They do not tell
coherent or moving story. 1t was not until the
third was reached that any firm hold was taken
upon last nights audience. Up to that time
the attention had been perfunctory and
the applause only polite But Bpcky's
bargain to sell herself to tho Marquis
of Stryne. the payment by him OF the price.
and the interruption of her delivery OF herself
to the lecherous old scoundrel by the
through with so graphically that the
assem- blage was attentive perforce. The
nastiness OF that affair. as depicted force
fully by Maurice Barrymore and Tyrone
Power. and with whimsical naturaness by
Mrs Fske. was far greater than in Thackeray's
and not msrey rsad s5s 10 hey we're we're
utterly nidealized on the stage. wanton
tePmS Then bs eams n ce se
pnrIS nnhd ana went on WITH the money 1t
as worked in the Tenderloin. The audience
was friendly to Mrs. Fiske See has a loyal fol-
loving: The applause at the end Of this
tmes. After that the play slumped back into
dulness and closed inauspciously.
Many theatres announce at the CONNIE ncing
OF the season that the decorations are entirely
new. This usually amounts to no more than
freshenine UP. a sort OF fall house
cleaning. This 10 not the case with
Weber 4 Flelds's Music Hall. Excepting
The shape. the playhouse is entirely changed
in aspect. The new color scheme is old rose.
cream and gold. The deep pink gives pretty
and original effect. The chairs and carpets
are OF this shade and the fronts of the boxes are
covered with old rose velvet. The inner lobby is
in this color and some attractive ''cozy corners"
have been put in. large chandelier. con-
tanning seventy nine lincandescent lights OF
varied colors. has been hung above the
centre OF the auditorium. The prom enade has
been improved in comfort as well appear
ance. Large easy upholstered chairs replace
the stf. small ones Of former times. This part
OF the house has been done in red and
rivals the auditorium In beauty. The outer
lobby has been refrigerated as well and locke
Fstdsy osH for Mess5s weSE
sns made IL What wa. ds%s4y ss0 store
PT6ysments nave also been n made behind the
tootlIghts. The attractive new DECORATIONS
vii! be welcome to the visitors OF this music
hall when IL opens for the the clSt
oithis month with The whirliCis".
At Ksth's yesterday man ran race OF sew
enty-ive yards for 100000 and won.
In fifteen minutes he gained wealthy maid's
consent to m AIRY him. As he also wrote the
new play in which these quick contests oc-
cured. it may have been fortunate that the
play was complete in one act. By a couple
more acts. its author and chief player would
probably have owned the Keith showhouse
aud have settled down to turn en- away"
forever after. Edwin Milton Royle was this
dealer in remarkables. He placed young.
comely and wealthy woman in a Wall street
office. and had her bent on running a
man who had nearly bankrupted her dead
father. He had her awaiting the outcome OF
deal" That involved much listening to the
telephone and responding excitedly. chiefly in
amounts OF dollars to be expressed by five
numerals 1t also led to messages with the
same modest standards as to the cheeks en-
closed. When 1t wasn't time for moment OF
suspense. a comic office boy strove to save his
employer from scheming villains. using meth
DDS suggested byihis familiarity with yellow
covered literature. When the moment OF in
tensity was due. Selma Fctter Royle tore the
sentiments in her best tigress fashion The
sentimental outcome was as extraordinary as
the view OF speculation in stocks. The specu-
lator received an application for a confidential
position from man she never saw before. She
frat spoke to him samples OF the authors cpl
grams Two OF them were: "Financier-
ing Ia the art OF getting rich and
keeping out OF jail" and AN edu-
Gated thirst 10 a drug on the market" Next
she engaged him on terms that she DESERT bed
as working for me for nothing and paying me
interest on what you don't get" Then she in
trusted him with the check that must reach
her broker within few saeonds or she would