The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-13
pTNERO'S "LETYY" PRODUCED.
THE STORY OF A WORKING GIRL
WITH YEARNINGS.
,.,ty wished TO He Lady, but Her Gen.
tIeman Friend Turned Out TO he Mar
rted-There's where the Trouble Began
treat Acting by william Fayersham.

Great Actlns Dy Whheh FhNefbham'
teav Shell was clerk in the elegant
ostohlishment OF Dugdale. She did not
s,ncv being a clerk. Her soul was filed
Nth soarings after the unreaohable. She
earned to break the bonds Of the financial
iotrict of London and sail on the gilded
wings of princess Is shallop into the select
oircles of Belgravia. She was a-weary Of
adding and subtracting.
She wished for compound interest and
unlimited credit at the modiste's. Into
rho life of this little birding. beating its
dainty pinions and its interesting case OF
tired heart against the sky line OF east
London, came one NeuiH Lefchmere. who
was born a gentleman with yellow streak
in him.
All the Letchmeres had gone wrong. and
this one had to have his turn. He had
wife. of course, separated from him. He
did not tell Lefty about her, and 30 the foolish
Girl permitted herself to dream dreams OF
being real lady and riding in her own
carriage. About this time one Mandepitle,
a bounder of the worst sort, but a member
OF the Dugdale firm, announced in loud
tones that he too, wGs In love with the
pallid Lefty and wished to make her Mrs.
Vaudeville, with victoria to ride In.
Letty did not like the notion; she had the
taste to prefer the gentleman.
About this time the gentleman went to
the pitiable lodging house in which Lefty
dwelt and found her with party Of cheap
lodging house characters, having a sausage
sandwich party on the roof. He told Lefty
the truth about himself and urged her to
accept the proposal Of the bounder. Lefty
told him in the most plaintive accents that
he might have mentioned the fact Of his
marriage earlier In the proceedings.
He admitted it, but went on playing
smooth and easy while he watched the effect
Of his communications on the young woman.
Then he departed and left the stage clear
for the bounder, who proposed, was in
dignantly rejected and the next minute
accepted, for Lefty was deeply in debt. and
he spoke OF much money and trip to Trou-
vile.
Meanwhile the gentleman's sister,
married woman, was carrying on an affair
Of her own with youth OF social distino-
ton She had farewell dinner with the
youth, but with brother present, and then
went off with the youth to dance. At
this moment enter the restaurant the
bounder, Lefty and the lodging house
characters to have a betrothal supper.
The bounder bounded outrageously,, and
at length fell into a fight with the proprietor.
The gentleman told Lefty she could never
stand that sort Of life, and she agreed;
whereupon he sent her TO his rooms In cab
1hither he followed, and after much
talk brought her to an agreement to live
with him without further ceremonies.
stating that she had eloped with the social
youth. The gentleman YVES deeply, af-
fected, and when Lefty, also affected and
remorseful, begged permits sion to 80 home
and not continue to dwell with him, he CON-
sented and wept against his centre doors
after she had departed
Then came an epilogue showing what
happened to everybody after all these inci-
dents had worked themselves out. This
is not the place for disclosure Of the solu-
ie leon 81 it 'n must SO to the Hudson Thss,rs
AMI see Arthur w. Pinero's play, Lefty
which was produced there last night. 1t
is the story of this play which has been
Ing details would require a page. Mr..
Pinero knows the craft Of dramatic con-
struction, which the industrious Paul Pot
ter says is a mere trick. Perhaps 1t is
but sometimes it looks as il there were
something like conviction In it.
At any rate. the author Of that instructive
was not 50 iar away from the thought
which dwelt In MIR. Pmero's mind when he
set out to build Lefty There are some
strong scenes and some cleverly drawn
characters in this drama and 1t made de-
cided impression on last nights audience.
Lefty herself suggests a neat combina-
ton OF 1bsen and Laura Jean Iibbey, but
she is human. She breathes and she lives.
Letchmere, too, il man and has blood and
heart. The other personages u the play
are chiefly accessory. Even the bounder
Il only foil to the gentleman, but they
are all made to move together in an action
which while it is in progress carries in
fuenoe with 1t.
William Faversham has done nothing
better than his Neriu Lefchmere. In the
scene in which he received the news OF
his sisters elopement he was admirable
In power and pathos. Carlotta Nilsson as
Lefty gave a capital imitation Of Mrs. Fiske
as the unweloome Mrs. Hatch, but this
was only in certain mannerisms. Her
acting had sincerity and force.
Arthur Playfair as the bounding Monde
nile made distinct hit and Julie Opp was
excellent as a shop girl who would be a
lady. Olive Oliver impaired the needed
touch Of feeling to one scene as the friend
Of the erring Lefty and Fritz Williams made
much of one Of the lodging house charac-