The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-08
THE NEW YORK THEATERS.

CONCLUDED FROM PAGE 4. PART 81
full in witty utterances, but almost devoid
OF emotional potency. Her technique is all
and her magnetism is nil In that respect
she is much like our own Anges Booth.
They are good actresses for stage-aspiring
girls to watch for knowledge of dramatic
art. Miss Millward's brilliancy in "a Clean
Slate" has no warmth, yet many a more
gifted aspirant might we'll let it light the
way to fame. Henry Irving, who went to
see her yesterday afternoon, remarked that
Jessie was a superb artist. He was bound
TO say something pleasant, as he was her
guest in a proscenium box. but he chose the
right phrase and meant il sincerely.
XXX
Sam Bernard is not starred" but only
featured" That means difference to the
actor in his own mind, and is appreciable
by stage folks, but the audiences are not
aware of the discrimination. Charles Froh-
man presents The Girl from Kay's' with
Sam Bernard" and not Sam Bernard in
The Girl from Kay's.'" Thus is expressed
the distinction between starring and 'fea-
turing" Absurd? No. II involves profess
sional etiquette and business technicality,
even though the public takes no account Of
Il. The more salient point is that Bernard
in the role OF rich and vulgar Londoner
trying to break his way into polite society
over there such a fellow Is called a
bounder, and the term is coming into use
here to designate that kind of a bounding
braggart-is for the first time something
Ike a legitimate comedian. The upshot
Is a character instead OF a caricature. This
Hoggenheimer speaks Bernard broken Eng
lish. and Is funny with Bernard manner
isms. but he is dramatically legitimate. He
Is just the boor whom Englishmen regard
as typical OF American new wealth, but who
Is quite as numerously an English product.
In this instance he is a German Jew, and
so instinctively thrifty even i'm his prof1igacy
that he counts the cost of his indulgences
and cuts II down by ingenious devices. He
Is a pursuer OF girls, and especially of one
from Kay's dry goods store; but when he
gets her he assents to her demand OF mar
rfage because. as he puts it, her husband
he can give her diamonds and still keep
them.
The girl whom the title mentions as COM
ing from Kay's gives vivacious glee to this
latest musical farce from London. She is
played by Hattie Williams, who is permit
ted to take curtain calls hand in hand with
the featured Bernard. Winnie is a win
ner. She skates over thin ice with Hog
genheimer-I may say warm ice-in the way
that Partisan sirens do In French farces.
but at the point where she seems about to
break through the moral surface and plunge
into what Is underneath, she steadies her
self on her feet like solid English maiden
and slides safely away into matrimony.
This play. with it's tripping songs. skipping
dances and ripping girls, ends thus with an
honest wedding prepared. and it has begun
nuptially. too With bride and eight
bridesmaids on view In beautiful gowns
That Is the smartest of the many spectacles.
Winnie brings bonnet from Kays to the
new wife, and casually kisses the new hus-
band, thereby es.ranging the pair at the
outset Of the honeymoon. That half Of the
story. like the other. ambles closely along
the line fence between modesty and audaci-
~. and at times straddles IL. but doesn't
climb clear over. and at length gets down
the right side This piece made in
England, on the English model. by owen
Hall and Ivan Caryll. but It's gayeties are as
characteristic OF New York as they are of
London. and still more are they congenial to
Paris. They keep you expectant Of moral
shock which doesn't come
Frank Daniels likes to break into q new