New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-01-20
THE DRAMA.
Mss Russell at the Gar7ich,.
"MICE AND MEN."

The re-entrance Of Miss Annie Russell and her
professional associates. chief among whom are the
honored veteran Mrs. G. H. Gilbert and the SYM
pathetic, delicate and polished comedian Mr. John
Mason, was made last night under suspicious con-
dtions, the Garrick Theatre. in a neat, fanciTul
and pretty comedy by Mrs NJ. L. Ryley, called
Mice and Men" This title was. avoweoS'
suggested by the familiar line from Burns rea-
tive TO the frequency with which well LAID plans
are discounted by the drift of circumstance. Inc
story OF the play has already been told IN TINS
paper, and there is need tell it again Inc
plan of making bachelor choose and educate
girl with view to uatrinony is anciehI OUT II
is susceptible of fresh treatment, and IL mas oeeH
somewhat freshly treated in this case. MI MaSoA
as Mark Embury,-the elderly, phiosophic bachelor
who makes this experiment, and is disappointed al
the result.-has the best part in the coHieoS'
and he invests It with the charm Oh
winning personality, expressed through the me
dunn of spontaneous. graceful. and apparently Ell
fortress art.-the art that has all the appearance
Of being unprecedented and inevitable MISS ANNIE
Russell, as the heroine,-Little Britain, by name
selected from among the inmates OF a rounding
hospital and renamed Peggy,-has an opportunity
to fupersonate sort of hybrid Of Congreves Prue,
Mrs CowIey's Letitia Hardy and Arthur Murphy
Maria; and this opportunity she improves passing
asreeably from the condition of raw glrlhooo 10
that Of self-willed maturity-at least OF feehng
and sentiment if not of character IN the coAQQeI
of the plot the girl is made TO love her educator
handsome nephew, and the pensive pEliosopner Is
practically admenishei that love gives lseIl anu
that the affections cannot be grown" as II they
were cabbages. His renUnciation Of the lass' N
favor OF his nephew, is manly and touching ana IN
the scene of this self-confict and ultimate mag
nanirnity Mr.. Mason shows the power OF simplicity
in a way to impress the mind and touch the neart-
The play begins in rather a novel strain oy
the presentment of the candidates for adoption ana
En- bl1rv's choice of ward. but the ensuing col
IoQuy between the girl and Embury's nephew-Who
is adroitly introduced--is unlikely. tnfehcitous'
and forced; and here Mr. Orrin johnson mars the
effect by substituting noise and swsgger for PIMA
biIitv pIavfness distinction and the kindly senti-
ment of growing interest. The second act con-
tains some capital equvoke. at first between EN-
bury and his nephew. Lowell and later between
Erbury and the girl Peggy-equivoke that lasts
lust long enough and ends IN just the right way
and IL contains some charming passages of natural
coquetry and incipient passion fer the heroine III
all OF which Miss Russell was delightfully."- sincere
and brightly effective. The incident OF the bare
feet detracted from the charm. however, and was
distinctly a bIemsh. The Masquerade Ban on
the stage has been done to death. and is no longer
endurable but. Of course. its perplexlues cause
rrth and its conditions admit Of good stage erect
and so il has hourished ever since Much Aoo-
The sterling worth of Mrs. Ryley's Mice ano
Men, is IT'S deineati Of the character of Embury
"a variant Of Sir Oswn Mortland. and an I'M
prevement on il. Mr.. Masons deueanor gesture
tone and carriage in every serious moment OF TINS
fine impersonation are beyond all praise for nature
Gilbert who presents elderly housekeeper, OF
brusaue manners. but kind hearted and sprlghtiy
temper had a royal welcome. and Miss RusseH'
who seemed quite to have escaped from the thral-
dom OF hel sacCnarine simp'eness' was seen as d
suirit of fro ic. and was many times recalled win
heartiest pIaudits. Her singing of My love is IKE
a red, red rose" while deficient of genuine feel
ing was very sweet. and. indeed, that strain alone
ought to carry the piece W. W.
CAST OF MICE AND MEN"
49, r---hrry ..........,...... John Mason