The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-09
"THECAVALIER" ONTHE STAGE
NOBLE PERFORMANCE By 4 FINE
ACTOR AND ACTRESS.
The Play Made From Mr.. Cables Book Gut
Above the Average Dramatizcd Novel
and the Presentation did the Best
for N-Miss Nariowe IL the Play.


and the Presentation did the Best
for N-Miss Nariowe Is the Play.
There were two spies on the stage OF the
Criterion Theatre last night in The Cava-
lier. dramatization Of George W. Cables
romance. One was sympathetic. the other
was not, one spied and sold his country for
Yankee gold, the other spied for the honor
of her cause. Ethically considered. one
was in about the same boat a. the other;
and the complication was further intensi-
fled by the fact that these spies were hus-
band and wife. Julia Marlowe enacted the
Southern girl-wfe: Frank Worthing the
INSTRUMENTATION, and both by their splendid
and sustained acting made the audience
forget all about the play and Mr.. Cables
story which WAS TO bc expected.
As IA play one might class The Cavalier"
a cut above the usual dramatizcd novel not
that technically il was any cleverer or less
free from the accus; omei impPiimcntu. but
because of the few natural episodes that
occurred in a wilderness of 'n"rtitu1cs and
rude twangnss of the STING sentimental.
From the hist orical Belle Boyd To the stage
Barbara Frietchi"" many dramatic spies
have fallen by the footlights. Yet the theme
still invites
Those who have read Mr.. Cables story
say that only a moie'y Of the main fabric
was rctcincd ard many minor episodes
| developed. For example, we saw last
| night Mr.. Worthing making an unsym-
pathetic role extremely viabln by his art
! In the book this newly married man, a
! Southerner. who has sold his birthright Of
! honor for mens Of Northern pot,age, has
not so II il said-the same prominence.
b. this as II may--ior We vigorously
avoid reading the originals of this type Of
! play a. being too confusing Paul kester
| and George Middleton have provided a
strikingly theatrical piece, all situations
| with little or no frnress of structure.
| sluggish in movements and finale easily
| anticipated.
| You fairly ycan to hear the crack OF tho
| revolver that will carry Of FRONTS Oliver,
| the incurablc husband of Charlotte purdn6;
and after his death you leave with the as
surarce that she will enjoy a happy future
~ the wife Of the other fellow, the youEg
| man always around the corner, the young
| man whose sob suggests n sacrifice, whose
| every action il pure, lofty Of purpose and
who j.. naturally enough, absolutely inare.
But the personality Of Miss Marlowc is
| Of a singular charm; her exquisite control
! of all the resources of a singularlv varied
art her v!b aIt voice, a voice that espresso
deliciously tho archness of a rginal nature,
, pride has been outraged, whose honor has
been jugsled with-all this battery OF
projections did Miss Marlowe employ With
telling effect in The Cavalier and saved
! 1t from the fate Of "Fiammetta.
In Act !. she was delicacly droll during
a mock marriage scene: in the second she
did 40 many things. from sleeping in
| transportation Ger TO te,egralhEg, that
her audience was embarrassed; in Ac, III.
she easily carried of the honors and IN
hos - lsoA
| in the light-hearted paye,y Of the dance,
she was admirable and deserved the curtain
calls she received. Mr.. Gable cnioyed this
! scene so much that he came out upon the
stage and thanked every ono in sight. II
was good of him. OF course, but the Audience
really meant it's applause for the gifted
actress.
Mr.. Frank Worthing as DE- spicable
character worked wonders He was a
manly, desperate rogue and evidently
very much In love with Lis wife. The
play might be reohristened The Pursuit
. Of Honeymoon" for lie cheses his spouse
with coniugal fervor through three acts
| and about the time when he nea, his pr ize--
Alas he IL interrupted! II must have been
| dishear tsning Indeed the tragedy ele-
was II in the best taste. The dying 81 ldier
| begging for the LorG's Prayer and The
StM -Spangled Banner" from fair rebel
| suggs sted the inevitable Autograph 81 our
yon'n' inns epis a. was f,"horsd al
its close by vision oi Yankee prisoners
in a box ca chanting Ia patriotic un-un
Wars slarums were not sounded on the
| stage. shots and horses galloping being
heard in the distance But there were
uniforms and several colorcd brethren
| and a slave and girls in expansive crino-
line and dancing and singing. The COM
pany was generally excellent, William
Levers playing the part of the patient
soul who waited for that revolver report.
Ii came He was blissful.
The audience was enthusiastic whenever
Miss Marlowe did anything; in fact, Miss
Marlowo il THE Cavalier"