The sun., 1903-12-10
new BELASCO PLAY SHOWN.
"SVEET KITTY BELLAIRS' WINS
ALL HEARTS, IN THETHEATRE.
A Pretty. Romantic Eighteenth Century
Comedy CharminEly Presented anu
Well Acted-IIenrietta Crosnan
kitty-yer, Beautiful stage Pictures

Comedy NharWihH9 TFeeei"e" "
Well Acted-IIenrietta Crosman Is
Kitty-very Beautiful stage Pictures
II rained on he st reefs last night, but 1t
did not rain in he heart of David Relasco,
to slightly alter Paul Verlaine's famous
line: for Sweet Kitty Rellairs' easily
ach,cyed "a the SUCCESS OF an almost sterile
season at the Belasco Theatre in West
Fortv-second street. And, in company
with the play, Henrietta Crosmsn. as the
saucy heroine. a gain put forth her powers
of witchery and at the fall OF The second act
curtain was recalled dozen times and
finally uttered few trembling words OF
thanks.
The piece will prove a strong attraction
II for no other reason-and there are really
many others-than it's utter unlikeness to.
any dramatic production OF David Belaseos
That wizard OF canvas, paint and light
has not hitherto paid his respects to the
Georgian sepoch. He does 80 in Sweet
KittyIBellairs "a title that Is an inspiration
and the outcome was pure delight for eye
and ear. Upon the pretty and not very
consequential romance Of Egerton Castle s
novel "The Bath Comedy" the dralnatist
Belasco has built a comedy of intrigue,
full Of sound the trical situations, easy dia-
loRue and d-naturally-redolen Of the pow
der and patch, sword and gown play OF
familiar pattern.
But there Is way Of handling con-
fessedly artificial comedies by which. il
they are none the less artificial, they are at
least interesting. And let 1t be said at once
that Mr.. Belasco has not attempted to
escape the stage conventions imposed
upon him by his very choice OF subject.
1t Is his delicate evasion Of its banal aspects,
with its commonplace dialogue and vio-
lently contrived situations. that attracts.
The playwright has escaped the obvious,
though his second act. with Its stirring
finale, is sheerly operate.
How does he manage this? Simply be-
cause of his vast knowledge OF what has
been done. and then quietly slipping around
face with his big scene-bengl You are
amused and almost annoyed at the dra-
matio virtuosity, but you burst your gloves
with the rest OF the audience, for the trick
is worth all the applause bestowed upon t.
SO simple that it would evaporate in the
telling. Evidently Egerton Castle took
great model to start with Diana OF the
Crossways and transposed her to more
key. This Kitty is charming,
she has not Diana's brains or character,
But she is full Of theatrical possibilities:
This fact caught the attention OF Mr.
Belasoo. He makes her the delight and
despair Of Dublin and Bath; When she
reaches the English watering place the little
Twotregiments, an English and an Irish,
vie fer her favors. She drives the women
into sulky cts Of jealousy and the men
they are simply crazy over her.
But Kitty is capricious-fors she is widow
officer, a certain Lord Verney, whose bash
fulness Is his chief claim to celebrity in an
age when spades were spades and hard
virtue. Act l. shows the wooing
Of this military Joseph and also INTRODUCES
9, jealous careless husband with silly
fhe complications which are brought
about almost lead to duel, and in Act H.,
at Lord Yernsls lodginge, We see KITTY, IN
mask and cisak, beggtng the young omcer
not to fight with Pie absurd husband
wife. A trite situation this, but wait!
Vsrney does not recognize his visitor,
she has left the fool girl in the entry and
there ensues q sparring dialogue fuli OF
humor. They are interrupted. The usual
screen Is not ct hand and the TWO % women
ton on an old theme. There ia a crowd
Of officers, all full Of good spirits and other
wise; the irate husband comes in to tender
z belated apology-he has discovered
This Il the most telling episode Of the
play, for t has legitimate suspense and
ss worked out proved the biggest kind
Of q hit. The young men suspect VeTnsy,
and. pulling the canopied bed into the middle
Of the apartment dance wildly about II,
singing 4peggys Leg and behaHSing tSa WITH WIN
the aeoustomed JOY inspired by the down.
fail ~ n Cbaata oOInDQniOn.
One Of their number, the town gossip.
discovers slipper. 1t is filled with wine
and the unknown lady behind the curtains
is toasted. At this junoture the jealous
A furious fight is started, interrupted by
the sudden apparition Of Kitty. She sao-
riticee herself on the altar OF an idiotio
friendship.
There was no doubt as to the effect Of the
scene. It was played nimbly and with
eal,lted the fall OF the curtain. or course,
II was theatric; OF course, II was artificial.
but It was also consummetely clever. -,
Miss Crosman has role that fits her like
ling, witty and taps easily, the well spring OF
pathos--t though It may be confessed the
spring ia not very wide or very profound.
Wearing the lovely gowns and hats OF the
Gainsborough period, she looked plctur.
to degree she came 10 ra9 ldr not OF
a. did Cha rles Hammond. good looking,
graceful, young actor, who was the shy
officer.
Mr. Stevens's drunken scene was very
funny. John Kellerd, as Sir Jaaper Stand
ish, was forceful, wrnthful and fenced most
vigorously. II Is not Il part that would
be effect i've in any but artist 10 hands. Mr..
Kellerd was all he should have been. Miss
Katharine Florence, as the fearful wife.
looked as pretty as ever and played with
her accustomed finish The cast, which
was large, was admirable throughout.
Mr.. Belasco, painter, also had his innings.
His first act. an Italian garden with dis
tinct view of old Bath was lovely in atmos-
phere. The clipped box hedges, the statues
above all, the lighting. revealed the artistic
temperament of a stage manager who has
not his equal. The solidly set interior, the
brilliant ballroom scene and the rainy day
at the Bear Inn" were feasts of color and
yerismilitude. At the close of Act III.
the dramatist was forced to make a sh ort
speech--a regular Belasoo speech. The
prologue was spoken grace fully by
Ant toinette Walker and Mark Smith Jr.
There is this to be said about Sweet
Kitty Bellairs'-if you don't care for the
pictures, you will enjoy the play: il you
don't care for the period. you will surely
he delighted with the stage tableaux.
Sweet Kitty" the Incompatible Bel
lsirs.' has come to stay long time in this
s,io to nd