The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-31
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oayfes play, Tom Moore" at the Met
1opohtan last night to a small but appre
clatlve audience which was most gener-
gus III us expression of approval. The
seherdl sentiment of the audience was
summed up by one enthusiast, who, at
the close of the performance, remarked:
Just enjoyed every minute of it, That
is the strength of this play, that it is
interesting all the time, it has no dreary
stretches, no inconsequential lapses, no
tlme-kllling Incidents, but every incident
ana action and speech contributes to
natural and interesting development OF
character and story
TO write a play around a historic per
sonage is dangerous experiment for a
playwright; to interpret the character or
Such parsonage a decided risk for che
actor And yet in reality it presents
less olfhculty than many other dramatic
ventures, inasmuch as the essential thing
Is that neither playwright nor actor shall
in the least degree jar the popular tradi-
ton. For the public is jealous Of its
gods and will not suffer an Interpretation
that runs counter to the accepted hiStor-
ic profile
In this respect the performance last
night must be considered a complete
triumph for both playwright and actor.
1t is an especial triumph for the author.
Mr.. Sayre deserves all commentator for
his work. The play was written for
Andrew Mack. Too often the playwright
who writes a play to exploit the peculiar
abilities of a certain actor Goes little
more than originate a vaudeville sketch.
Such plays generally lack form, cOnti-
nuity and purpose. Mr. Sayre has not
failed thus.
1t was nothing less than an inspiration
that led him to select TON Moe" for
the subject of his Andrew Mack come
dy. 1t was necessary that the play
should offer Mr. Mack opportunity to dis
play his rare voice in song selections.
Ordinarily this would mean the artificial
Introduction of such numbers as having
no connection with the play itself. The
selection Of the subject obviated this diff
| fculty. No poet of the eighteenth cen
fury was Sc prominent socially as Thorn
as Moore, and this man. owing not 50
largely to his natural graces and Wit,
as to his marvellous voice. He himself
declared that if he were born for any,
thing it was for a singer. Hence the in
PRODUCTION of the songs which Mr. Mack
| sings-all songs Of Moore sis natural
| and essential to the story. Furthermore,
Moores life is full OF the romantic ele-
| ment Moore, Burns and Goldsmith are
! the three poets whose lives have appeal
| ed to humanity by reason of their hui
| man quality theii romantic flavor and
| their picturesque personalities and OF
| the three Thomas Moore combined gore
| of those clements which make a man
| the personal comrade of all classes OF
| mankind.
! The strongest proof of this is the fact
that the author of the play has held him
| self closely to the esta blished facts of the
| poets life And from these facts he has
constructed a play of intense human inter
| est, of wholesome simplicity and of APP
| pealing spirit
| The play is admirably constructed. 1t
| has artistic unity both of form and sub
stance. Its development is natural and
| cumulative. 1t is we'll written. There is
| not a dull line in it, The dialogue is crisp,
| bright and effective. And best of all it
abounds with wit and humor, real wit and
natural humor which illuminate the
| character of the poet whose whole phil
osophy of life was best exemplifieI in his
| own word: LAS we journey through life
| let us live by the way" The play is
beautiful because it's atmosphere is ro-
| nance. and it's garment simplicity. II is
| touched by the dew of pathos and the
| sheen of wit. The play, moreover, fits
| Mr. Mack to a nicely. Mr.. Mack has GER
| tain marked linitat ons-which is not to
say that he is not in his way true artist
and the wonderful thing about the play
| is that it realizes these limitations with
out in the, least marring the symmetry
| of the production, or the truth of the
| character.
Mr.. Mack has never appeared to so
much advantage as in the character of
| tom Moore His Interpretation gives US
| Tome Moore as we believe him to have
been, the kindly lovable benefcent man,
| loyal to his frienCS the companion of little
children. touched at times with vanity
and wOrldlinoss, but still the serene, SYM
pathetic, eager, buoyant, impulsive gen.
tleman, true to the instincts of his heart.
rrixr Ioie Viii,
love of lords" MIR. Mack is more than
a sweet singer he is an actor of no
meager scope and power, and his creation
of the character esSayed last night will
long remain one of the sweetest and most
lOvable memories Of those who witness
it.
The supporting company is exceptional
ly good and entirely adequate. Theo-
dore Babcocks impersonation Of Lord
Mora, remembered only because Of his
benefactiOns to the poet, was especially
good. His acting was virile and dis
eliminating. Edward j. Heron, as Bus
ter, Moore's loyal and irrepressiDIe gerry
ant. shared the honors of the evening
with Mr.. Mack in the goodwill of the
audience. Giles Shine as Richard 13rins-
ley Sheridan, Harry P Stone as Beau
Brummel, George w. Deyo as Robin
Dyke, and George F. Nash as Sir PEREZ
val Lovelace, the villain Of the play,
were all excellent in their fmperson3-
tons
Miss Josephine Lovett, as Bessie Dyke,
the Bessie" who became Moore's wife
and guiding star, and made his life beau
tiful and happy, made the part all that
could be desired. She was especially
capable in the first act
Maggie Fielding as Mrs. Malone The
lrate but gOod-hearted landladv. whose
frequent importunings for rent were tie
cause of many of Moores tenderest
| songs, made a great hit with the audi
ence. Her work was very far above the
average character work of the kind Miss
Jane Peyton, as Lady Fitzherbert the
princes favorite, is a beautiful woman
VINO wears stunning clothes and acts
with grace and intelligence
The first act was most delightful 1t
shows the school taught by Bessie, with
a dozen typical children plying their
tasks at the rough wooden benches. The
children perhaps made the greatest hit
of the evening. The audience was quite
overwhelmed with their artless FRANKS
The play is sweet, clean, beautiful
one Its effect is an effect of the
whole, and it leaves only pleasant mem
cries after the curtain has gone down
While the dialogue is extremely witty.
and charged with good cheer, the re-
membrance will be that of a fine. true
lovable man, a sweet strong woman low
ing him and loved by him, and the
laughter and rollicking of happy chill
dren. The spirit of the play is pest ex-
pressed in the motto of the last act:
If every rose with gold were tied,