New-York tribune., 1903-03-17
THE DRAMA.
ELSIE DE WOLFE AS CYNTHIA.
MADISON SQUARE THEATRE.

''sIIence We wolves while Ralph TO Cynthia
howIs!' Cynthia, in this instance was prodsaI
young American wife, resident In London ana
there wasteful of her husbands money, while Raph
was her stern father-n-aw. who. because OF her
extravaEance curtaiIed her supplies and thus ham,
pered her pleasures. In this dilemma Cynthia pri-
vatefy borrowed money from German he
brew usurer thereby mourning her husbands sus-
picIon and arousing in his bosom a groundless but
distressing jealousy of one of their opulent socai
acQuaintances and their domestic tranquility
was disturbed. Later the frugal usurer sug-
gested that Cynthia should go upon the stage OF a
London music hail, and, by performing as a dancer
earn the money requisite for the payment OF her
debt to him. This to do-momentaTily, at least
did Cynthia seriously incline. and, by way of prov
ing her powers she straightway edited the usu-
with saltatOry exhibition. The father-in-
law however. possessing Hall Cainf knowl-
edge of the London music hail. demurred 10 the
proposed theatrical arrangement. frustrated the
plans OF the usurer and, by a renewal OF the
paternal Iiberality, restored Cynthia and her hus-
band to a condition Of comfort.
The story of Cynthia. told in the play by MI
H. H. Davies. produced last night at the Madison
Square Theatre. is dramatically dependent on the
situation In which the impecunious young woman
shows her facility in the dance. n situation,-alioW-
ing for difference of spirit and motive,-long ago
made familiar IL Mr.. Ibsen's play Of "A Dolls
House." Miss Elsie De Wolfe. A Jealous and cap
able actress. who has many times commended her
self to the favor of the local theatrical public I'M
personated Cynthia, and again impressed her ad-
mIrers with a sense Of personal force and earnest
endeavor. Miss De Wolfe's professional method ls
photogra phic-the method that aims at exacdtude in
sl surface details. and the result Of which is literal
transcript. The French comedians practise ans.
and in some ways it reaches admirable results; but
it is unimaKinatve and cold. and 1t needs COM
pIeX subject for it's better forms of display. In
this thin and feeble play 1t has much the effect OF
silk embroidery on coarse woollen stocking
Purporting to depict actual social life. Cynthia"
presents it's subject in almost every essential
feature. Claiming to be original comedy. it
blends all of reniniscences.-the fag ends
of old plays and greenroom properties. on which
tho moss has become literally fossiized. It's first
act owesl everything to the Moses episode in THE
School for Scandal It's second act is freighted
with a trick cmacteric effect, dependent a mis-
understanding that never could have happened,
and procured by of artifce trans
parent to be positively silly. Its third act
becomes frivolous. tedious. and foolish farce. The
heroine,-an American girl, in good society.-ts
such preposterous fool that she borrows $4,000. at
90 per cent interest, without knowing that it is
perilOus business TO borrow. and indeed. without
knowing anything: and she talks about having
saved money because she has burned up the let
ter that demanded its payment. This Child wife
can, perhaps, he endured in David Copper1eld,"
but 1T is intolerahle in play. and actually i'm
possible in American breeding. The only bright line
is old witticsm made by John Lothrop Motley,
who said that if he could have the uxures Of life
he would dispense with the necessities. Miss De
Wofe's field is the high comedy of manners if 1t is
anything she is an ingenue. and she cannot be
pathetic; while in the skirt dance she absurd.
There but few women who do that trick
without becoming ridiculous. and Miss De Wolfe is
far too much refined. we'll bred to shine
in such a posture. The house crowded, and
the applause frequent-as is usual in such cases,
and without significance. W. ".