Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19
GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD"

az never played tie third ACT 81
vell,n These words we're spoken by
Mrs, Sarah Cowell lie Moyne after
"The Greatest Thing in the World at
the Opera House Tuesday. She was
chatting in her dressing room while her
maid was packing her CLOTHES hurriedly
and the manager outside was calling
Theatre baggage ready at H.3l
"Your bit of enthusiasm here spurreo
me on, | never felt nearer my theme
than did tonight. though / must say"
she added, with one of those rare smiies
which light up hor intelligent face, y
don't like your gallery and it's peanut
habits. =,
1.-THE Greatest Thing In the World"
by Harriet Ford and beatrice De Mile
is a play the theme OF which Is mother
lore. The scene opens with n ball and
gives the women Of the cast q chance
to appear In some fetching gowns.
think the women in the audience
leyeled their glasses at once upon the
white satin one worn by Mrs. LIE Moyne.
The others, well, with two exceptions
they we're bit too--ioo PRONOUNCED IN
their clinging effect; in fact one looked
like great big black tanners apron
with ruifles coming nom underneath,
1t is in the second act that the roai
interest in the play begins and the
breakfast scene with Virginia Bryant
Mrs. LIE Moyne-and her two sons Is
delightful and natural.
In the third act comes the climax
and 1t is here that Mrs. lie Moyne
shows her greatest power. There is the
usual library scene and the unrioht
piano, right centre, which conceals the
youthful lover, played by Robert EIDE.
son. 1t is odd how these pieces CT
stage furniture--I mean the riano, not
the lover-are always SO conveniently
placed. It is SO easy to slide behind
one and never by any chance do any OF
the other characters ever think OF
walking that way; II they do, they
look right over the object, around 1T
and past 1t, out never at 1t, and so
Cecil Bryant, who has called to See the
object Of his love, Helen Mcfarland
Cexquisitey played b, Katharine Grey. J
seeks refuge back of this convenient
piece of stage furniture when his
mother is announced, and unwillingly
listens to conversation not at all Hat
tering to his character, between his
mother and the father Of the girl he
i loves 1t is here that Mr.. Edeson
shows considerable power. Pantomime
is more difficult than words, and he
does this part quietly, like a gentle-
man, telling effect in his facial ex-
| pressions and the agoniZed movements
! Of his hands now and then. When the
| climax comes and he fears that he must
speak it is then that Mrs. lie Moyne
gives vent TO her most powerful speech
of the play. She stands oh how
she stands--I wot me there was not a
woman in the audience incliped to en-
bonpoint who did not secretly determine
TO study the art. They say Langtry knows
how to sit down; well, Mrs. lie Moyn
knows both how 10 sit down and stand
up, and think the grace with which
she stands is an object lesson to any
woman.
The fourth act is bit OF a disap.
pointment. That is to say one has beer
worked up to such q pitch Of emotions
when the curtain falls on the third Rci
aud we hear Cecil's agonized appeal Il
his mother and see her hand tenderl,
on his head, the mothers love oyercom
ing all else. They do not do very mucf
in the fourth act. OF course, an intelli
gent audience knows that Helen will
wait for Cecil and he will rrobabl,
come lack Brazilian millionaire, bu
then, like children, we like to see al
the wheels go around and we woult
like to SEQ Helen come out, Just as tn,
sweet loving girl always does in tn
old fashioned drama, and put her hant
trustingly in Cecil's. OF course, W,
all know that the widow will MARI,
Godfrey when no comes back, and W
all know that Cecil will nevor drinl
again, but think audiences like tn
old fashioned way Of "seeing the end.
"The play is to be revised and gon
over and patched here and there, sal,
Mrs. LIE Moyne III her dressing room
This will be done in June and earl
in September we will try IL on Metro
politan audience "
l hope the critic who is to moul
over this delightful play will DO YER
careful. 1t is ono Of the most deliciou
things we have had this season am
comos like draft OF cool spring waite
after the burning "Zazas, ""Saphos,
"DogeneI atss' and their kind.
''Une is better for having seen it,
said young man last night, and wha
better recommendation can the pla
hasef So lot this critic beware that b
leaves in all that is sweetest and cut
out only few crudities. Portia.