The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-30
LILY LANGTRY IN A new PLAY.
TAN, SIMMER AND NERVOUS
bit HER COINS!
The Gowns Are the show-The Play Neither
Romantic Nor MelOdrauattc. hut Q
compound 0f BOth-IlOnors Even for
sO-Authors-Dress Won the Applause.

Encore Lily Langtry. Encore tho gowns
glorious rags! And don't encore her new
play, "'rhc Cross-W iys,' which came on the
stage of the Garrick Theatre last night,
but so disguised 10y the stars costumes that
II was almost invisible for an entire act
Many sensitive feminine souls sLudderd
with JOY At the co-authors first dress he
Oth,r half Of the dramatic D, Goncourt'
~ named j. Hartley Manners; he is IA mere
fellow man and actor, therefore not factor
IN he SWEET ring symphonies OF the MODESTO.
And these dresses are wonderful, ell
trancing, overwhelming. In at least one
what the architects call the sky line" was
viewed across the footll gifts. She is now
the very picture Of the matron, less mas
sive than sr,He. She is simmer than sew
eral seasons ago, and, oh. the clothes Of
her! To the average male il was all a
rhapsody in chromatics; to the women in
the aud. ence the general effect was no doubt
open TO variety Of criticism. In word,
Ia dismiss modes and TO reach the play.
we can only say that in Act !. Mrs. Langtry
wore a BdrcdroHe in pale green minor
encrusted with eharps and fats in the
shape of water lles a rose-pnk chiffon
cloak hung on her shoulders and there
were diamond buttons glittering like the
trills OF 1Iaroella Sembrich
In Act III. Mrs. Llngtry became a pale
blue Nocturne in the flowing Florentine
mtlnsr. Pale blue tassels fought for
recognition with a wide blue Empire scarf
Tnis usicll girh was all in the -key of
bue'-the very title of job n Addngton
Symonds's book. Nothing short OF ana
lytical programme would do these vest
mcntS justice; so again, let us to the play.
Il pay not quite smothered in silks. satins
ani uplolsteries, though we wished that
II had been.
:, theme is marital jealousy; there is
Ike who suffers from green eye, the
fashionable malady OF the sort so ably
described by Clyde Fitch last week The
moral l. distinctly enuncilted: don't steal
pearls from your lady friend after mid
night. The telling of the tale is supposed
TO be by Mrs. Langtry; Mr.. Manners looked
after the dialogue. SO did the audience
and did not di co yer any especial brilliancy
in this romantic penny dreadful curious
compound Of Gaboriau az Jerome X.
Jeroms
Little time need be spent upon its descrip-
ton. There Is wicked seduction in the air
of the first act; nothing fell but the cushions
last night. The Duke and Duchess are at
sword points. The servants believe that
the cause Is the advanced age Of his Grace.
Nothing Of the sort. The Duchess is tired
OF being nagged and frts with a dis
and all-around sporting man. He follows
her home after the opera and. failing to
lead her away, charms her pearls from
their drawer. He needs money. His horse
is to run, All! 1t will be all right if-some-
thing or other. the mare, you know-wins
tn cup.
But it isnt all right Her Grace's brot her
denounces himself TO save his sisters
honor-though he doesn't exactly know
what the row is all about. In Act III.
aD ha ,..AI 10 ha .p,,,it
mans house, each intent upon his own
partcular Grand For at least one minute
Lady Winderere's Fan" Is reminiscently
waved. then the Duke apologies when
her brother. In the last scene all is for
given or is il forgotten? However. the
gowns the thing not the play-to catch
the conscience of the town.
Mrs. 'argtrv's company il not below the
level Of the pL :. Honors were about even,
Mr.. Manners, the author, PLAYED the sym-
pathetic part Of the self-sacrficing brother.
His lines we're brisk IL irrelevant, and he
won manv laughs-some at the wrong time.
Henry Wharf was the Duke. truly an iron
Duke. Mr. Mathcson Lang did what he
could to make credible an absurd character.
He did not succeed
There was a rather sinister hoisekeeper
and several nice -look ing British girls
Muriel Ashwynne and Helen Amory, who
had nothing TO do and did it bravely. Kath-
arine Stewart was supposed to b. an anxious
mother. We refused to accept her state
ment Of the fact. She looked too jolly.
Mrs Langtry. who had bsG cold. suffered
from an uncont reliable nervousness. Con-
sidering that royalty bafe her 20 ahead
ard conquer Arl"rica with This me'cdrama-
tic romance. there was Ntt'e ressfn for
any agitat'on on her p'rt She ~ever
acted when she was here be ore-v by should
she begin now?
There was "represen, alive first NIGHT
Hudcnce"- whatever that may mean
and the tall Jersey lady was heartily
greeted.