New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-09
THE DRAMA.

'.vAreHrv ANTHONY.


NAUGHTY ASTHONT."
A ,src,ca1 comedy entitled Naughty Anthony
written by Mr. David BelascO. the adapter OF
'.Zazs," had IT'S first representation IN New-Xork
last night at the Herald Square Theatre and it
was received with laughter and applause oy an
eager multitude The title Of this play may.
perhaps have been artfuly designed to prompt a
public anticipation Of improperly. but there Is
nothing mischievous in he fabric, and al sGch
expectation. accordingly. will be disappointed Nj
Belasco has made use of one OF the Oldest OF al
theatrical expedeuts for creating comic CONFUSION
and mirthfuI effect the expedent OF mistaken
identity The play is an addition TO the merry
compendium which Includes such faTces as "A
Night on and THE Magistrate Inc cnlei
male in it is Anthony Depew. moral professor. OF
the Chautauqua brotherhood who becomes enam-
CURED Of coquettish girl In the hosiery business
and whose exploits in OSCILLATION lead MIN into a
troublesome dilemma. from which he endeaVors 70
escape by pretending TO be somebody else Inis
kind OF perpIexty has been common on the stage
ever since the distant days Of THE Three SIN
gIes'' OF Two and the Deuce" Such themes DO
not require much comment The chief fact 70 De
observed in this case is the uncommon felicity OF
the cast. Such a group Of interesting players has
seldom. of late, been assembled Anlnony vas
played by Frank WOrthing. essentially a light
comedian and as such. the most conspicuous per-
former of the day. in his particular line. while
Cora the hosiery girl, was assumed by MSS
Blanche Bates actress Of such superior ana
decisive talent whether for comedy or for serious
drama that her appearance in farce seems very
much like waste OF power
In such a passage the silk stocking episode OF
Naughty Anthony an episode which IS supremacy
slIy without being in the least funny, Miss Bates
certainly was wasted And. indeed, the superiority
~ most Of the actors for all that they had TO DO
and to say, in the representation Of this farce
served in other cases as well as IN that OF MISS
Bates to make it's himsy and haoby texture more
than commonly conspicuous Many OF tne me-
1arts indeed are Iudicr0us. but there Is lack or
clarity huency and conference in the oIehoins o.
them which causes at last, a sense OI Fi'-N-'S
and more triviaIty Such old sources as Jenn
Broughams Playing with Fire. or FHes ~ --,s
w ;, nv Nsighbor's Wife ITO Oblge Benson
etc have been ransacxed for theatrical eXpeu-7,'9
and comic business and every part ha7 80
too heavily freighted- The structure Hes-'s -
simplifed the business lessened. the acton a.
celebrated and the words much curtailed- N
that event the effect would be ludicrousy orllia'.
in any case. there is sport enough III me
perpIexity to win and hold the popular IaVOi-
Mr. BeIascos serious purpose. uhdeIlSNs 'A7
Quest OF laughter was to satfrize moral humous'
and this coed purpose he has well accoIhp'lsleu-
Anthony Depew is an amiable inpos'oi' : 60 -
at Chautauqua. to give lessons IN HlolaI
to persons who deem themselves tehp'eu u -
estrav He goes astrav himself. far as oscuIa-
ton and he causes all manner Of disturbances, III
several households. by fixing the gGlLt OF q rs
upon an innocent BOBBY. who Is ms -
lord Mr. Worthing embodied this huHlOus
IN a most admirable manner. His plan was
definite hts execution firm and True MS
satire cumulative: and from first TO !asI
he never swerved from that demeanor OF perIect
gravity which makes absurd proceedings irreslstl-
blv comicaL Miss Ba ties, more than usNa4iy
beautiful made Cora. who is his tennpterr
compound Of demare simplicity and arch ana
piquant glee, and. in her complete Illustration o
the Professors moral herOics, she was most de-
uRhtfuI incarnation OF honest healthfu. trt-
urnphant woman nature The cOnoduy OF these
two players, as preceptor and = pill has seldom
been matched, for pure fun scthcat1on OF Ene
Ep-0f1 faaf
wolves himself and his landlcfd. Adam Budd.-$i
abundantIy comic. IN the unprecedented hunoHA
the soft, silky manner. and the grotes1ue psr~i
sonaHty assumed by Mr. lie Moyne,-Would De
tedious business These things cannot Be d1sssctsS
TO any good purpose. 1t is enough 70 say thas
much talent was exerted IN the Illustration O.
much extravagant nonsense, and that those VINO
wish to laugh will find abundant rtsble impulse In
Naughty Anthony" though they perosfys Ii
Il but little OF interesting human nature and lssA
of constructive