The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-31
"THETAMING OF HELEN" SEEN
1T IS A WEAK AND MEDIOCRE
PLAY, WITH PLUSH IDEALS.


"Ciean" Also "Wholesome'' and m. n
Davis Has Made It-Probabiy II WIN Paw
It was a night last night to test the souls
Of men and critical Mark Tapleys. And
what went We forth to seek1 .The Tamin.
OF Helen, known TO her set as Helen pobot
and presented for the first time to New
York theatregoers at the Savoy. Mr..
Richard Harding Davis il theauthor. and
the play is said to be his first real dramatic
e1ort-the others, Soldiers of Fortune !.
and The Attlest Girl having been adap-
tations Of stories.
With such literary capital rs his narae
Mr.. Dsvis enters the field far from being
handicapped-exoept by lack Of dramatic
experience. He then may be Mr.. Clyde
Ftch's only serious rival some day; both
are known from the Golden Gate TO Gal
weston; each. In his respective way pre-
pares the sort Of entertainment the public
likes.
But Mr.. Davis has many leagues of un-
travelled territory-technioa territory-to
traverse before he overtakes the nimble
Fitch and his dramatic racing machine.
The story-writer Is a man OF pleasing talent.
who mixes ID nice proportions ingredients
toothsome and appealing to the Young
woman and her escort. With the generous
cooperation Of Mr.. c. d. Gibson Mr.. Davis
has, among other Accomplishments, actually
pinned down a type in his pages. Need
we add that when all his other tales 10
into the inevitable limbo, the inimitabls
Van Biboer win not be forced by fate to
accompany his papery colleaguesf
The Tanning Of Helen encloses oom-
monplace. yet eternally new story. II
deals with the love and misunderstanding
OF young woman and young man. In
eons 70 como this theme will be quite as
fresh a. II was when the male Of the Stone
Age pursued a. his lawful prey the female
Of his species-and As it is to-day. Philip
Cdrrou-mark the Celt!-has a girl and
play.
One is in London; the former he carries
there to have IL produced. Tho young
people, strong as they are In their affections,
il much In company W Ia a fascinatine
actress, Marion Cd,endish. Helen is souRht
after by the Marquis OF WooJcote-an idyyiic
name for rake. Being impetuous, credu-
iou "a and youthful they delight in torturins
Helen, Jealous. tells Philip, foolish, that
she has betrothea herself to the MARQUIS.
Naturally. the interest the young play-
wright takes in the actress is set down
10 her absorbing desire TO be the heroine |
OF his comedy. After the piece is sue.
her fears proved causelees-for, though |
her eyes are not as green a. Jinnp's, she |
is jealous, and she Is stubborn as Gerdi- |
dine.
-Ths Tanning Of a Play would have
and there are many and scrappy-re- |
wolves about the rejection or acceptance |
OF Phifp's manuscript firstling. And the |
atmosphere 10 an attempt to catch the |
a eng Y. shop talk and action we en-
is-yes. We must admit ia green-room |
scene. II b both green and roomy
II had to be: Mr.. Davis's admirers would |
never have forgiven him without q peep |
4 high hfe behind the scenes. Act I. |
phihp lays down the law to Helen. Shs
very properly leaves him after singularly
ooastful caddish speech.
-Aot11-1s Il hell or Hariemf This is difficult
Q answer; We are told that it is q ball at
,ers Of the British aristocracy are brought
1own steep staircase to be promptly In
'ulted by the American.
With few strokes Of his pen, with an
IRONY exquisite. peignant, M; Davis pays
Dickens and .Rudyard Kipling in their
10, ion y s'f nsht though it may keep the play
Oh; yes: Helen secs PhiGp with his arms
m idiot. Helen doesn't realize this. and
he curtain falls on emotional chaos, sym
,olised by the wild laughter Of Mr. Miller.
He discovers his fatuousnees Act III.
3 the green room Aforesaid.
By theatrical device cut out Of the whole
10th Suspense Is sustained to the close and
hen jack gets his Jill. II IL all incredibly
Ibsurd. The author should turn 1t into |
tory. Even Soldiers Of Fortune IL better
han this amateurish, make believe comedy
Mr. Henry Miller would have done lots Of
lever things II he had had the chance. We
ave always enjoyed his comedy since the
lays when 'Gudgeons' proved how much
'etter be could do than az the lugubrious
nd His Lost Angel
He is the Englishman always; his Amer. !
an did not seem real but what he did he
i'd extremely well. The pipes Of Pathos
'eIe played upon gently. quite gently,
'as boyish and unaffected.
He was very nervous. Miss Jessie Mill
ard and Mr.. Morton Selten made the fun
I the evening. She was the actress Morton.
. her adorer. Miss Millward wears q
sen her before In such part, but In leggings
My. Hero she pretends bashfllnese.
here Ii no necessity.
Percy Lyndal had to be a sbounder- {
[arquis Really it is a triHe rough on the
Sersse Miss Drina de Wolfe as the
glorious Mrs.. Eridn made a distinct hit; !
e are almost tempted to say the one hit q
I the evening. She was picturesque and 9
haded the role with commendable re-
traint.
1t could be vulgar. Dodper, the call
oy Nrancis Sedgwick). was funny. There Q
'ns the actor manager capitaly imper-
onated by John Flood. and O stage door
eeper with one arm, history and an in
isible wife was Frederick Daniels. The
eneral performance was excellent: the
ieoe has been q month or so ION the road
It's ideals are plush-be nice and you will
e rewarded: that Is nice to the right peoplei I
lr Miller made a little speech and Mr..
'avis-much against his will-came In b
nd thanked his audience and his COM ;
any.
There was undoubted enthusiasm U
throughout, the clever lines, many Of them
ndeered by custom. causing laughter.
e should not be surprised 6-thanks to /
ever acting.
The Tanning Of Helen" afforded diversion I
} large audiences for some time to come. o
10 clean II Ia wholesome the two b
,rbal watchdogs OF mcdiocrity. Besides, p
"A made by Richard Harding Davis v
EW AND OLD THEATRE BILLS. b
4 Sf1u nsus~s~hs,.