New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-15
THE DRAMA-MUsIo
MODERN COMEDY AT DALY,s THr.
THE AMBASSADOR"

THE AMBASSADOR"
In Mrs. Craigie's comedy OF The Ar,s-
no" current at Days Theatre where n v.-
duced on February 3 and where II ia ses.,-ppso-
acted by Mr. Daniel Frohman's stock coT,- s.-.-.y
the chief merit Is fidelity Of portraiture as - -
repellent and painful side OF the average -, -
character. In other respects the play move, -
the level Of mediocrty but In this respect I. !,
somewhat exceptionally bright. Its fable 4. -.
nonplace; It's chief persons are rather insub.,a-
tia; It's incidents trivial: It's style IS pert 49,
brittle; and, alike IN action and language II sb.-
laborious effort. Most Of It's women. hovevsr -
well drawn, and probably they were drawn g..
actual life. They are by turns vacuous and 800
catlike and spiteful sleek In manner but roaI,ot,
In spirit. and their jIbes at each other tozetbs-
with the velvet hypocrisy Of their social tnts-
course. invest the piece with a kind OF evnic,t
charm; this. probably, Is the cause Of its success,
Lacking body-that is to say. the substance TIA,
the old actors meant when they referred to visesr,
The Ambassador nevertheless presents a IN.
veneer OF bubble and squeak. a surface OF psttv
doings and still petty sayings a sort .,
snapshot photograph OF haf-merry half-sentj-
mental frivolity; and this II does in DurA
spirit and a weil-bred manner. with dus
regard to dramatic form and literary worth
and without offence 20 good taste. The preteusfon
made in behalf of the comedy. when il was pro-
duced by Mr.. George Alexander. in I.ondon-nsr,A
~ that II is in the vein OF Sheridan worthy u,
rank with the plays Of that great author-proves
to have been Unwarranted: Mrs. CTaigie's writing
might perhaps. suggest that OF Owen Mereafrh
but It is no more like that Of Sheridan than car.s
is like champagne; yet The Ambassador 10 q
neat and pretty play. and II the spectator OF Il can
believe In the confidential friendship OF an ire
proachable elderly dipomatist and a disreputabls
roue and gambler. together with love az first
sight" between a mature. somewhat faded and de-
cidedly cynical of the world and an inexper-
enced girl of seventeen Il will furnish unaI9yes
entertainment 1t shows how a fascinating little
maids unwise engagement with dull man. whom
she did not love. was fortunately broken Of, IN
favor Of engagement with a bright man, %
whom she was inclined. and Il also shows in what
manner incidentally she temporarily compromised
herself. in order TO render vital service 70
woman who her enemy 1t is the picture o.
an episode in the lives of certain English fashiona
Bile people resident in Paris, and it moves. through
drawing-rooms and gardens. TO a close that Is
happy for some of them and sad for Others, when
the dawn of an April day is Just breaking over that
capital Of unspeakabl pleasure-and Of infinite pain
The fun strength Of Daniel Frohman's stock
company has heen exerted in the presentation Of
THE Ambassador" Mr.. Gottschalk- indeed, "a
absent from the cast. but the piece does not con-
tain any part for him. and his regretted absence
Is compulsory. Miss Hilda Spong has the best
part, Lady Beauvedere, and she gives an adE
rab!e performance of it-not more artificial than u
ought TO be, under the prescribed conditions.
beautiful in aspect. graceful IN movement. lovely
in spirit, melodious in expression. and deeply
pathetic In its suggestion OF hne nature thwarted
a life that might have been happy inexoraoy
turned awry by the pressure or circumstance, and
a corrodin, sorrow yelled beneath a smile. N
this character Mrs Crafgie has struck note.
and this note Miss Hilda Spong has intensified
The part of Juliet GansbOrough IS mere gossamer'
alongside of Lady Beauvedere, and such man as
seems to have been intended IN Lord St Oroyn
would never have turned from such a woman, TO
take I'D with an insipid girl Miss Mannerins
presents Juliet Gainsborough. and, according 20
her invarabIe custom. delights with glee and with
impetuosity while never touching the heart WITH
any show of serious feeling The sketches o.
LADY Raser by Mrs. WaIcpt. and Mrs. Dasney.
Nv Alison Skipvorth. while showing fine IN
teIieence are remarkable for trenchant and spirit
ed execution Edward Morgan. an actor mani
festIv preordained for characters OF rormioaols
power and sinister quality is completely thrown
away in the guise OF Sir William Bear
vedere, a preposterous ass Mr. John Mason
vvbo takes in this company. that position that was
fIIed nv Mr. John Drew in the company OF Angus
tin DaIy assumes Lord St. Orbyn and perhaps he
makes it as natural as such IN lnlpoSsiolity coud
he made by anybody There is, however. certain
Quaint almost rustic quality in Mr. 5Iasons de-
nsanor and certain serio-corntc intonatlo- IN his
vocalism which do not comport with either the
character of dipIOmatist or the mood or a lover.
Moreover this actor substitutes good-natUre for
elegance and fervor for passon.so that his draw
inr-roonn chaf lacks glitter and his protestations
of emotion seem hollow and insincere- On the
other hand he possesses innate dignity and refine
r,ent and he expresses a distinctly formed ideal
with precision and force Mr. Charles Walcot- as
the wicked Major Lascelles, may be said to SHOW
in a most attractive way. the good side OF things
that are evil-for he makes the Major true PM
losopher who extract amusement out OF every
thing The ridicuIe of Bohemianisu, as shown az
the Majors lodging, is exceedingly neat MS.
Craigie's comedy has been set in rich scenery ana
II has been received with suspicious favor II COL
trasts very sharply with the filth and folly tnaI
are rampant at most of the theatres in New-YerS.
and its success is recorded with all the more sats-
faction for that reason w W.