The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-17
ELSIE DE- WOLFE IN "CYNTHIA. "
SHE AND HER NEW PLAY TAxTHE
CREDULITY, BUT AMUSE.

ar,sb, Lines and LACK Of "situations"
sbarscteriye the Comedy-Geaial
Money Lender, . Delicate Young VIE
and 4 Foolish Husband In lt--Ns Harm.
Cynthia. an .orsinal' comedy by
Hubert Henry Davies, was produced AZ
the Madison Square Theatre last night
before q full house and . sympatheto'
Elsie de Wolfe In the title role began a. an
English Moro. but ended a. John Sargent
Carmencita. She had character TO un-
fold that taxed our orsdulty from the
outset: that she accomplished what sho
did Is testimony to her advance along the
stony road to technical perfection. though
the in9enue Is hardly within her province.
A. the young wife OF young man, both
fashionable spendthnfts, Miss dc Wolfe
vas delicately cynical and artihciany IN
renuous. We often wondered In exsctiy
What key the author wished his heroine
to be sounded; she was only In one tonality
last night. diverting. yet never convincing
for a moment.
The lines are the thing in this new piece.
which. shorn Of it's absurd third act, can Jay
claim to being agreeable. The story Is
simple, it's clustering epigrams distinctly
clever. Mr.. and Mrs. JeroId 60 the pace
in the inner London set-that we are told
tbey do; we are never shown this pacing
A father interferes and an aunt (who looks
os II she were In a velvet bathtub) insinu-
atcs things about tame but rich cat. For
moment In Act II. matters seem serious;
there is an ENHANCEMENT; the young VIE
has borrowed money. and her husband
almost believes the worst. But the tenn
porarv cloud vanishes. and except that
Cvr0ia is deeper in debt than In the pre-
coding act, nothing Of real Importance has
happened.
n the last act the foolish. loving pair
are in a garrett with bread. cheese and kisses
Pursued by a jolly money lender OF the
sam Lewis type. Cynthic resolves to dance
in the music halls. The father Of her hus-
hand objects. A brief but busy auctioning
Of the lady's charms ensues. Like the
dance about which II weaves. 1t proves
funsreal. MISS de Wolfe Is not Carmen
cita.
She IL, in the expressive phrase OF Mr..
Henry james, the real thing during the
early scenes. She In we'll bred. deliciousiy
gowned and wears an air Of distinction
Her isnorancs Of the hard monetary facts
Of existence il hardly orsdible-yet-yet
II all seemed sheer irony, dainty irony.
she knew abe would never be poor and her
make-believe at the last had hollow ring.
she saws her lines charmingly; she Is
dis,n.e to her finger tips-and she Is also
artificial from her vanished boots to her
GROWN Of curly black hair. When Cvnfhid
pulled out the pathetic stop We did not
waen In unison. Throughout. this always
interesting actress was amusing; and not
ouite Juvenile enough for Moro or Dickens
Dora.
Ios;o pierces the piece-but that Is an
obvious remark Why Mr.. Davies chose
70 make his heroine % innocent In money
AFFAIR.", though absolutely mondd'ns In
everything else. 10 something that VIII
not bear scrutiny, Her peycnoiosy Is
onnnd note and shs will run. for an act;
after that--more ten.pound notes.
Her husband. excellently portrayed oy
Charles Cherry. 10 not whit more numsn;
He :: ;h bit q Arnold lS0 ba i ri. fsnss
SaIIv pared away, was q family friend
Who had money 70 lsnd with no takers;
There was the chance that MIA; JsrGtd
would not have lst clip tn real his; ,,, dne
pretsy. but nonsensicsi. Mr.. DAILY was
AZ ever. clever In q r6le that cramped ms
natural exuberanoe.
Mr. Max Freeman ~ the money ,chos
was a large q life and twice - real. M
WAS very funny and carried on more thar
his Abare Of the honor. though no was very
care less In the way he handled those promis
His sppearancs caught ths house. The
minor characters were fairly we'll enacted
although with an Unnecessary vehemence
borderinG on exaegeration: Laura Gem
. ents was msnicuTist; Clarits Vidal should
manicure her French; and Kate Pattison
Seton. a capital dowsger sort OF an aunt
Tbo hair dresser. r. Z. Herr gave US a
comical sketch. q. H. Hunter with q Johr
Hare makeup was not very re'sntess
father.
lines and there were enough 70 furnhn
half dorm come dice. were received viii
iauehter-bu with Wit the play stope
1aracterization, developnent and even ths
rsoI,ary scaho iding are al abssnt. Mr.
DAVIS, Who WAS formerly dramatic critlt
IN San Francisco. Get out 70 asnuee anc
amuse by verbal aseeuk. MOI BY 2 batter,
Of situations. And Misc Dc Wolfe, vhiIs
rot az her brilliai bret. was o e.niai &C
oomplice In this little game OF The loot
lghts.