New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-28
THE DRAMA.
a PLAY ABOUT RAFFLES.
PRINCESS THEATRE.

The play OF ''Raf1es" which was presented LAST
night at the Princess Theatre. confronts Mr. Kyrle
Beuew. as a polished and expert scOundrel. with
Mr.. Z. NJ. Holland az a polished anr expert de-
tective officer. The design is the same IL 'Sher-
lock Holmes"-to illustrate an encounter between
the active wits Of two plausible and elegant men
who are resolute expeditions. clever and cool The
characters and Incidents are extracted from Mr..
Hornung's well-knOwn novels. The Amateur
Cracksman" and its sequel. and these are woven In
with mosaic bits from Jim the Penman." Captain
Swift The Social Hghwayman." and The Great
Ruby The maker Of this theatrical fabric IS Mr.
Eugene Presbrey. local stage manager. and he has
made II with q practical view 10 stage effect In
the play, as IN the novel the criminal Raffies. Is
represented as an alluring and admirable person
because suave N his manners and refined even In
his villany- Justice, persouihed by the detective
officer checkers his interesting career with some
embarrassments. but. at the close. he adroity
escapes by the ruse OF pretended suicide and the
convenience of extra bedroom door. The puff
preliminary this play declares ethical purpose
which might not otherwise have been suspected
boldly to announce the doctrine that crime Is
disease" This sapient dslverance.-so well cal
culated 10 comfort the timfd householder who
breads burglars.-no doubt incloses one OF
those new IDEAS Of modern drama" which
are so tendery cherished in the agricultural
interior. Here. indeed. possibly, is the subtle
Ibsen touch-thet mystic. deep-revOlvtng sugges-
ton that the rascality OF Rafes should be chart
tabIy attributed TO incpient cole. or mournfuIly
ascribed to bruises incident TO the original fall CO
man UnhappiIy, this mushy notion about crime Is
as old as the everlasting hills, or even as the
still more everlasting bores who ventilate IL Nor
IS the elegant thief by any greater novelIy
for the English stage displayed him as long ago
as the time Of The Beggars operate look no
further-aud he has for years adorned the ROAD
as Paul Clifford; and straddled Black Bess. as
Dick Turpin; and scaled prison walls, as Jack
shenpard: and "as Claude Duval. when IN Newsate
has carved his the dungeon
stone" Like most new ideas" IN fact, this hum
bug is an old image dressed IN fresh attire; and
a most fraudulent old image Il ts-though not
likely as now set forth by Mr.. Bellew. TO work any
particular harn-for this actor. though he has the
proficiency Of experience. combined with natural
grace and ran speak English with relodious hu-
ency-is altogether too specIous 70 deceive any
body and too completely artificial shallow. and sac
charine not 10 become nonotonOus and tnsiptd This
plav should De SEEN however. for the privilege Of
seeing Mr. E NJ Holland, who repeats IN It. under
new circumstances his old achievement OF seeming
Ianzuid indifference yelling Vigilant attention and
splendid executive force.-in Jim the Pennan-"
This Is an actor whom II is always a comfort 10
see and a pleasure 10 adTnire-for he lives In the
character that he IS assuming. whatever it may be:
his art is facile: and he has the rich. spontaneous
huuor Of The genial optinist and unobtrustve-
QuizzicaI man OF the world. There is love story.
cornrningIed with the episode Of the theft OF da-
rnond necklace-a romance in which the cynical
robber Is implicated. with entirely convincing
probability. Still, was noticed by Robert Burns.
who had read the Bible.
The wisest man that lived
The play held attention from first 20 last. excit-
ing the curiosity that wants TO know how things
will turn out-showtng adroit robbery. an eager
crafty pursuit the success OF detective skill and
the final triumph Of audacious GOODNESS. clever
stratagem. and iron nerve The moral influence OK
the drama is unequfvocaIIy evil W ".