New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-30
THE DR4M4-MU.SIC.
Mrs.. Langby at the Gm77ch,.
"THE CROSSWAYS."

Mrs. Langtry cordially welcomed by a fine audi
ence. appeared Al the Garrck Theatre last night,
and. in the light and bright manner fer which sire
has long been distinguished set forth piquant
charming. and in respects touching. emhodi-
ment of representative woman of the world Her
play.-Tnade by herself and Mr. J. II. Manners, me
leading actor Of her dramatic comnany,-is called
The Crossways"; this title being opposite to a
posture OF circumstances surrounding young wife
whose resentment of her elderly husbands ground
less jealousy prompts her to Irritation with a
younger IT is young Lady Teaze VINO an
gritty and wfuy informs old Sir Peter that she
will not be injuriously suspected without cause.
The Duchess of Keensbury. drawn and per-
sonated by Mrs. Langtry, is a modern Lady Teazle'
a fashionable women in the London society OF to-
day. The Irritation which this imperious duchess
resorts. at first trivial and harmless presently be-
comes awkward, not to say periious.-the mae
party TO it, Sir Charles Crofte being disposed TO
play Joseph Surface in earnest, and the lady her-
self seriously inclining accept him At the part
ing of the ways, however the brother OF the
duchess, being wshful to wed lovely girl VINO Is
Duke Keensbury's ward: is happily instrumental IN
restoring moral equilibrium, and so the peril Is
avertcd. The selection OF this tyne of woman. for
dramatic treatment, does not surprise by novelty
of choice. but, in the use OF it. the authors have
devised an Ingenious plot, telling story OF sus-
taned interest diversified with telling situations
and pervaded. almost continuously, with the tremor
OF suspense. The play is smoothly, and in some OF
its colloquies, brilliantly written,-if VIM
| terseness, appropriate fuency, and sharp hnsual
! effect constitute briance-and. except for weak
| ending and some encroachments on possiblntE OF
incident is cleveriy constructed; and certainly IL
| provides Mrs. Langtry with good ana rarely ser
/ vceable medium for the exercise or her peculiar
| talents The public gain In seeing this actress
whose art whether in action speech, is more eX-
| pressive agreeable than that OF most OIL the
| female performers now visible.-s pleased per
ception of beauty. grace, piquant personally III
| nate refinement excellent English speaking. ana
opulent, tasteful dress. Mrs. Langtry's perform
ance of the Duchess OF Keensbury does not reveal
her I'm light; in some essential ATTRIBUTES 'e
part is Lady Ormonde over again: but TINS etnoouA
| ment displays her as an accomplished actress
aware of the value of repose and able to MAINTAIN
Il at an extreme tension of feeling; proilceht IN
seIf-eontroI: skilled impersonate; creative OF
dramatic Illusion. and thoroughly equipped ior the
| even sustainment of that charming effect.
In its clever blending Of crime with love tnis
| play Of THE Crossways' creates somewhat 'ie
| atmosphere that alluring in the drama Oh
Jim the Penman," and yet no two plays could De
! more unlike The structural situation is arranged
at the outset when the resentful wife repents OF
her nomentary purpose Of sin; and Thereafter 'iie
action concerns itself with the consequences OF
| her yenial imprudence. Those consequences might
| have heen fatal but they prove only transiently
| painfuI The duchess has Invited her lover 10
| come to her house, and when he comes ne Is uie-
missed Being on the verge Of ruin-uniess MS
| horse proves winner at Ascot,-he steals her
,,oa-1e worth 80 600 When the theft is discovered.
| in her husbands presence, her brother Loro
Scarlet shields by taking the guilt upon MINI
self Later both the Duchess ana Lord ocaIle't
seek Sir Charles Croffe, his house. for counsel
! and aid and the Duke of Keensbury Following MS
,,.ife TO that place confronts Sir Charles, in a
scene of rare force, and is adrotly discounted a.
its climax by the simultaneous appearance oi
brother and sister. The acting of Mr.. Manners
| Mr. Lang and Mr. Wharf was marked, In various
daeraes bv mower and brilliancy especially at TINS
noInt and after the third curtain there were 10
less than seven calls. Queer aTis'ocra.s a
Cronte who steals and Keensbury. who buiiies'
but the world is queerly made up ana 'neSe N
! thors after all. not far wrong
Twenty wears have passed since Mrs. Lanstry
made her first visit to America-appearlhg' No'ei
| her G. 1852 at wallack's Theatre, as hester dra~e
| brook in The Unequal Match Her acting then
| &c somewhat crude and sef-conscious though
| even then It evinced decided natural fitness ana
| force Since that time she has been IN communal
| nrect;ce of the dramatic art, and, while she mas
had her failures and losses,-as in Rosaiho anu
- Macbeth she has steadily advanced in pro-
fessional growth, and more than once her career
has been marked by brilliant triumph Almost at
the beginning she gave superb peri VI
| 1,,Iiaoa in .'The Honeymoon A little later she
! - = performance of Pauline, in The Lady Of
| LYONS" which. II not perfect, was In many ways
| admirable. Still later she presented an image OIL
| exouisite beauty ard a symmetrical ana charming
TYNE of consistent Cialatea, In Glloerts eN-
| ouisite drama of the Pygmaion myth mis- pres
| entity she supplemented with a spirited. palmetto
| and thoroughly noble embodiment OF Lazy Oi"'l-
carty In Tom Taylors excellent historical play Oh
| hat
sinple achievement would have suficed to estaoisn
| her. honorable rank IN the dramatic world Intel
| ,ectual guidance she has never had, and some OF
| her ventures have been mournfully frivolous; out
| in characters of elemental feeling this actress
| would always be victorious, because, when the
| situation is simple she speak straight from
tho heart and can the accent Of nature strong
| and true The character OF the Duchess OF keehs-
| hurry as written is at once somewhat shallow and
largely artificial: sacrifice Of self-respeet always
denotes morbid sensibilty and excess of vanity:
vet there is vein Of genuine worth IN the nature
| Of This wayward, wilful Duchess. and she is ca
| nable of noble pride and Of passionate scorn;
| csnable also of protective sympathy with youth
| f,I love and-rarest Of all virtues,-capable or
eelf-condernaton, seIf-denial, and sad endurance
| for the sake of the welfare Of others. Mrs Lang
| trv shows In this performance, solid satisfying
| maturity A depth of thought and OF feeling, ana
| a COMPREHENSION of the facts Of life, such as she
has NOT shown before. The actress is more than
.be mart It is the impetuous. tender woman or
| LADY Clancarty,'' more come to life,
| snartling as of old. but ripper In her mentality,
| richer in her tenderness and lovelier in her
strength. W. w.
srTbe Sultan of Sulu"