The sun., 1900-12-22
A NEW PLAY AT DALY'S.
LADY Huntsworths Experiment" q Modish
London Comedy. by r. &. Carton.

An English lady OF title serving as hired
cook, That was the singular thing In play
introdu u ced last night II was not In an
exploitation Of the dignity Of lowly labor at
a theatre supported by the multitude. but
in an entertainment brought from the London
Criterion to the similarly modish Days.
Nor was II a subsidiary portion OF Lady
Huntsworth's Experiment" but the main
theme, rs indicated In the name OF the new
piece. The experimenting lady endured
the torments Of a drunken husband until
he at length brought suit for divorce. and
then. being DESTROYS OF release on any
terms. she made no denial Of his false ac-
cusation Of misconduct
so she escaped from impoverished dis
repute into the obscurity Of service in the
kitchen Of country vicaraRe. There she
gave satisfaction to her employers with
her cookery. because she was expert at that.
but her other graces and accomplishments
raised a row. The master Of the house
hold. a bachelor clergyman fell in love with
her. SO did an army officer betrothed to
the minister's niece. Besides that sent-
mental complication. her former husband
was chance guest. and. becoming tipsIly
afYsctionate. as well as covetous Of the fortune
which he knew she had inherited. no besought
her TO marry him over again.
Although this fiction by r. {. Carton was
good literature. and eNpertly graded by him
as a comedy. It would have dropped TO the
level OF farce II presented with any less nicely
than was given to 1t by Daniel Frohman and
his employ ees. He had assigned llilda Spong
to enact the unusual cook. Her Queenly
beauty and ready humor blended we'll to
keep the funny masquerade fairly plausible
and Undue II sufficiently with sincere sent-
ment TO dignity some OF its passages. She
carried the part easily along to Its conclusion
In tacit engagement to wed the military
wooer. whilo his fancee mated willingly with
another suitor. and the divorced husband
was left out OF the happy prospect.
One Of the depictons that stood out strongly
was that OF the whskey DIR enched husband
by Jameson Lee Finney. II was striking
study Of inebriety at the verge OF dementia
Another thing applauded especially was
grotesque sketch OF a housemaid by May
Robson. That was fine art in carioature.
Grant Stewart was a pusillanimous vicar
whom clergymen will not enjoy. but who
will make others laugh William F. owen
devoted his sound abilities to a snug type
Of man servant. Cecilia LOTUS was charm
ingly frank girl with likely lover in William
Courtenay, while Mrs Charles Walcot WAS
an ener gctic old maid and John Mason was
a thick -headed but tender hearted wooer
OF the disguised lady. Those composed a
we'll gh faultlcss cast. and they were under
The merits OF Lady Huntworth's Ex-
pertinent" lay firstly in the clearness OF the
characterization. though hardly any of IL was
novel and secondly in the situations. which
were original and efIectual The faults
were a straining Of probabilities in motives
and conduct. but they were SO smoothed and
gossed by the superfine performance that
nobody who wasn't looking for them was
aware Of them. The comedy made a most
positive success last night and one that seemed
durable.