New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-06

,,oon1s ere found high and low in the dry tree
- they were when the Partisan society ulay
mrs ereener, thirty years ago. There is Moth
,,g ne-v except possibly. the expedient OF hav
,c fI,e rake explain by object lesson his dilemma
,rbar he writes a compromising love letter 10
,ns woman and receives an answer from an
o.he~ This IS done by putting cushions in two
chairs 10 represent the women, and a glass Of
-,,skey and soda in another chair 20 imper-
.orafe the confused and bewildered libertine
r.a other effects can be closely calculated IN
.5,snce from other plays OF the same class
and the curtain finally falls. the dullest spec
...or anticipates, when poor George comes IN
mir his wife 10 congratulate the other pair.
The MAY brings out the delightful and accom-
.,,efed actor Mr. cyril Maude, in a new char
screr part-that Of the professional Partisan
dandy. who spends his time in making love TO
other mems wives He plays the part we'll
,,eaI,ing broken English with hesitation and a
charming lisp. and beginning and ending his
sentences with comical little laugh, which is
m uufaiIing source of merriment throughout the
oiav. MI Maude is artist, who varies his
stvle and does not repeat himself in different
rlavs. He has definite idea of every character
--.:1h he tries 10 Impersonate and carries il out
with consistency and precision There is a de-
lightsul lghtness Of touch in his comedy style in
his part but il is one of the most artificial
things which he has done. He is for an in
slant G Frenchman in either voice, pose, gesture,
facial expression or manner. It is a clever
oaricature Of romantic unprincipled, conceited
rake; and the play is not farce. the actors
work amusing it is fails on the artistic side.
Miss Jeffreys as Lady F1irt acts with unwonted
rtvacity and brilliancy, and when she is at her
best, as she is in this French piece she is most
charming. The best bit of character acting is
Mr. Kerr's performance as the shrewd, wide
awake experienced Eng1ishman, who under
stands everything that is going on and refuses
70 accept the fascinating Widows professions OF
guilt i is = vivid. convincing bit OF work.
which goes far toward redeeming an artificial
NAV OF 2 poor sort. Mr. Harrison and Mr..
Mauae have set so high a standard OF comedy
at the Faymarket that ii is 10 be regretted that
they should have lowered il by reverting TO
French society plays.
The English theatre is not subsidized by state
or municipality. and The commercial side has to
be considered by managers. They cannot pro
duce Greek tragedies for the benefit OF small
knots OF scholars and academic pedants. They
make heavy investments Of capital in their bust
ness Of entertaining the public. and they must
have fair return they will be forced 10 earn
q living al some other trade This is the prac-
teal way in which managers discuss the selec-
tion Of plays; Yet by their own admissions they
are constantly making mistakes in judgment,
and fail often as they succeed in forecasting
the caprices Of public taste. It is a favOrte
comment IN the box Office that the modern the
stre is the most hazardous of all lotteries. and
that the most experienced managers draw
blanks when they are most confident that prizes
are coming tC them. One of the most salts
factory signs Of the times is the fact that the
most noteworthy successes during recent years
apart from musical comedies, have been clean
and wholesome plays. with freshness in the
plots and with chances for effective character
acting Mice and Men" Cousin Kate" The
Admirable Crichton," Little Mary" The Sec
ond in Command" "Old Heidelberg" and DUAL
fly street' have been among the most profitable
plays, and there was never any doubt about
their popularity from the opening night. There
IS no evidence from the box Office receipts that
the public IS eager to have tainted problem
plays or French society dramas with the i'm
morality thinly veneered and with stale stage
devices which have been in use for a generation.
The best drawing piece in London to-day is
The Duke Of Killiecrankie," farce frightened
By con1ical situation and sparkling with wit.
without any coarse suggestions unwholesome
Incidents. 1t has succeeded where scores OF i'm
moral French farces, with ciowning and horse
play, have failed. Playgoers are more emphatic
than managers are prepared TO concede in ex-
pressing strong preference for clean drama.
L 4. F.