The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-24
GRACE GEORGE IN A new ROLE
"PRETTY PEGGY" BUILT FOR HER
tND NONE TOO SkILFULLI.

,Iach,ne.,Isde Drama with Much Well.
Worn Material Cropping Out--Reai
Celery and Live Donkey for Realism
and Might, Little Else That Was Real.
swords and celery, strange oaths, a
di,appearing brogue, donkey and circus.
screens and sentiment-what Alternative
changes could one not ring on the whirling
operatic masque called Pretty Peggy"
produced at the Herald Square Theatre
last night? The play Is by Frances Aymar
Mathews; she has elaborated with the
sheeted dead; for her piece In a museum
Of all the odds and flag ends apd pretty
prologues Of the old English theatre. 1t Is
a professional play: 1t deals with the love
affairs OF one Peg Wellington and an Eng
llsh actor known to fame as David Garrick.
Indeed 1t might have been called THE
Phlanderings Of Davy,' or THE Peregri-
nations OF Peggy but the dramatist saw
the theme even more vaguely and elected
to name II pretty Peggy" Read Grace
George and you have 1t bearing It's true
title
Miss Mathews. believing, with the late
Augustin DAILY. that the early life of the
Wellington had been neglected dramati-
oally, conceived the notion Of putting the
fascinating little sinner before the foot
lights, though not forgetting MASKS and
Faces Peg is first seen In a circus, wooed
by baronet, but won by Gdrrick. The
circus episode Ia exciting and well mounted
Strong men. jugglers, acrobats, trapezists
and live donkey with critical ears, make
the scene a diverting one. Occasionally
line is cast up. a. Is a plank by the sea.
Peg, Peg, nothing but Peg, Is talked about
her beauty, youth. wit, genius-Miss
Georges entrance IL carefully prepared
She wanders from Dublin to London.
where the dream Of her life Is realized.
She is the adored actress Of the public, she
il loved by Gdrrick-when he has the time
Act II. is composed chiefly Of fribbles and a
quotation from-isnt IL Daniel O'Connell2
ANYHOW, the epiEram is old and it's good;
per scene with songs and toastings in
Vulnerable ends the act. Incidentally Peg
makes David jealous and Is herself made
Jealous, for he has another mistress. Eva
Sorel. French dancer. But one can hardly
see the action for the talk.
In Act III. things begin to clarity. The
two women meet and with a convention
ally effective climax the curtain falls.
Peggy dismisses Ddrid-she had discovered
his perfidy. This scene will be interesting
TO admirers Of Miss George. who scored
her points. rather Historically TO be sure.
withal. forcibly. In the earlier scenes
her humor had been forced, her move
ments angular and her accent only one to
be put on and OF. At moments you could
cut the brogue with knife, and then would
follow a relapse into nasal Americanese.
But her nervousness must be remembered.
Otherwise this actress, whose touch Ia
often hard and hammered, looked pretty
ala infexible undramatio doll as Miss Math-
ews's PEG WonirOtou.
However, the big scene was reserved for
the last, Act Nv. split into episodee-the
entire play is 'spotty with episodes:
was enacted and real actors sat in the pro-
scenium boxes d Ia 'Kean.' Memories OF the
late Osborn Playhouse version Of Romeo
and Juliet were evoked by the players
rushing down the aisles roaring at their
collea gues on the boards. leg as r. sdiind
was picturesque and the comedy -trag edy
goes up In a riot OF noise and sentiment
and theatricalism.
Constructively. Pretty Peggy will hardly
stand ordinary critical tests; It's Psychology
the period u attractive, the story romantic
and the settings Of Manager Brady ex-
trernely effective. We have spoken Of
Miss George. Her associates are well
drilled and enthusiastic. Tho circus en-
Garden were all evidences OF managerial
forethought and arduous rehearsings.
Robert Lorraine was the Gdrrick and was
much handsomer than the real Garrick in
said to have been and-he expects one TO
say this-hardly 70 coed an actor. 1t Ii a
part OF no special significance. Mr.. Lorraine
easily compas sed its subtletiee.
That veteran actress, Annie Ward Tiff
fanny. gave a sketch Of q comic Hibernian
mother; Donald McIaren as q rather ridicu-
lous lover was manly. and Margaret Mayo
was a hoydenish Polly Wellington. Ruth
Hall was naughty stage queen.
After these the characters fade into
groups. the groups into masses. A capital
stage manager has given some vitality
10 the whole. which IL an artificial pre-
sentiment Of an artificial style OF play. live
celery and n live donkey may make for
realism, but q good situation IL worth
wilderness OF them both. Fortunately,
Grace George kept the tempo lively. and her
audience WAS grateful. There Was much
ill-oonsidered applause. but IL was applause
rightly directed at the end OF the third act
We repeat. Pretty Peggy u Grace George.
ILL., 0aa. n al