The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-10-20
VISIBILITIES IN TWO PLAYS.
PICTORIAL PROPRIETY IN ONE
AND NOT m THE OTHER.
Edward u. sothern Pisurcs IN scenes o.
Picturesque Romance and Anna Held
In Those ef GitterinE Audactt, In
Last weeks Elaborate stage shows.

picturesque Romance and Anna Held
An Those Of differing Audactty In
Last weeks Elaborate stage show
scenery. costumes n artistic arrange
ments % both were important In lat vceks
new plays. the poetic drama, III ! We're
King and the musical farce, The LAttie
Duchess Each contained q serie- OF
beautiful pictures, but the historical peril
nence 81 those at the Garden mace
them more considerable. OF course
than IN. trivial sights ut the Casino. I'd
ward II. Sothern had the aid OF William
Seymour ~ we'll a. Justin Huntly Mcoar-
! thy, the author, In bringing out III Were
King and the result Ia a very romantic
environment. Tho first acts scene IN a
Paris inn. with the groupings OF characters
il like old pictures Of tavern rcvelry. TN
| the tables and chairs. which are OF rough
wood put together In unplan"d Strength
St men IA women drinking, and they
evidently have drunk a good while. In a
corner IL a cask ~ wine, a fireplace
has at each side q high wooden bcnch'
| The clothes Of the people in this fifteenth
century time and place are Characteristic
and like the scene. suggestive OF ROMANCE
as well NJ a period. The groupings are
no, the least skilful part Of this hne pro-
d%nction. When Mr.. Sothern. ~ Vihon. the
poet. answers the request Of the people 10y
reciting verses antagonists 90 the hing "t
France. he sits on a barrel, n fine old tank
ard In hiz hand The uthcrs gather around
him. some lying on the floor, some suing
and several girls IN the arms OF men. Ihn'f
purely pictorial rating. leaving the his'ori-
cal value out. the rose garden In IA" second
and third acts il still more beautiful. ~
one side ru-. vines creep over "a great SION"
stairway leading To a palace. Ia a near
tower. a wonderful ht Of scenery huin IN
a semi circle and having all the appearance"
81 stone solidity. h a sun dial Between
trees at the back glimI-s- OF the say IN
various conditions Of sunset and moonlight,
are given. the ground IN covered by a good
imitation Of grass. which Yields ~ the
feet of tho-. who walk In this garden when
is a mas Of the ru-es. On a stone diNah ana
on the steps to the palace soft rugs haN"
been thrown In EASY disorder. This scene
transports the spectator into omanc
and Mr.. McCarthy'r words here are his be-t.
His extraordinary ~laIes- into Language"
nearly like modern slang are now absent,
and In some Of the passages on" forge's
the sometimes ridiculous construction. ana
b.sromes engrosscd in deeds n words
81 ardor.
The dance IN III We're King Is different
from tho-a i'm The Little Duchess In
both halle,s women's legs are exhibits.
hut M the Garden they are suh-ervient.
while az the Casino care - taken to force
them into notice. Anna Held's show Is
l~aboriou-ly wick~i in costume. p" first
.c,.n. nj the Ostend i-ach Is an unusually
beautiful st. Tho costumes worn m ~
DO not represent bathing suits In a neat or
mic. WAY. hut M scn-uou-ly n possible.
Nothing Is new Ia dressing or undressing
Of The Little Duchess hut much IL rich
in a ~spangled, gaudy way. Reasonable
ness. usually treated rather violently IN
musical farcrs. Is not considered At all In
this one. A good effect u gained NJ the
end Of tho frs, art by placing Miss Held
high up AZ the back ~ the seen" with a
she'll behind her and having h"r hold ribbons
attached 10 a s,agefl Of dancers. tn"
imitation 81 a four-in-hand multiplied by
many IL bright and lively. Even In these
folly nlavs much IL lost when such n scene
is no, pertinent. When all character aud
all plot are dropped. when even the faint
illusion 81 n cumic-opcra story IL host, tho
work Of the fun makers becomes difficult.
Without a plot 20 develop. the comedians
have To rely upon independent FUN. and that
is hard To keep mp through an evening
The fast scene In The Little Duchess
il in n Paris fencing academy. The women
wear costumes copied from q Bcreaud's
famous painting. The short black skirts and
slaeves and the white padded waists With
rod hearts make a lovely effect. and their
wearers sing a good fencing chorus. with
IN. clashing 81 swords A. "A help % the
music. This IL finely amplfied from the
Las, NAV used by Miss Held, 'Papa's Wife
The lack Of originality In the Casino pro-
duc,ion goes 20 the extreme Of copying
costumes. This IL not done In a small
ray. lot IL women wear duplicates
Of Fav Templeton's pink cherry blossom
gown, at Weber A tield-'s, in q negro song
with a chorus initiative 81 those at the
music hall. In another ditty, employing
Miss Held and twelve girls In dresses Of
vondrous beauty. two wear replicas 81
Lillian Russel's red and gold gowns. HUT
~ THE Little Duchess omitted all save
original things there would be hardly
any costume-. music or dialogue. Those
street posters tina, advise the public 10
eco 20 Held and assert hat the play
Is a Held Of a success indicate correctly
the level sough, and reached In the enter
,ainment. ~ no one need be taken 10y
surprise at aght Of the costumes NOT reck-
lcssne~s Of srss,ch In The LITTLE Duche--.
There Is no denying that thoss posters are
truthful.
Anna Held has probably never looked
~ ~trautiful a. she does In this play. Her
gov rs are wonders, A. first she wears
a RECKLESS bathing nonde-cript, bu later
Ia n lovely pink boudoir she Is morn charm
ingly CARRIED. Her first gown, Of violet.
il suggestive 81 a ballad Jung by the harry
tone, about -Violetz.' far the b-st numher
In tho piece and worthier Of Reginald De
koven than most IL his music. After
wards Miss Held affects to disguise her
sill. bu, her peculiar personality II too
valuable a stage possession to REALLY OBJ
scurr. In pink and silver she sings a negro
ditty with a background 81 pretty girls.
Still In this dr-ss she gives the Sadie
song This IL where the twelve girls wear
wonders In hall gowns and tho stag looks
like an animated Paris fashion plate.
The Hogs the Thing.
Fr1ra ~ G,assoo ga Nsvs
Hors have made this one Of tho richest
counties In tic United state. They have