The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-28
MISS HARNED'S JANE SHORE.
4 CLOTHESHORSE PLAY or SOME
STRENGTH AND MORE CHARM.
R,ulet OF Text Flowing Through
Meadow or Costume and scenery
Miss Harmed Of Her Hest in the Milder
Ecenes-HandsOme Robert Lorraine.


Ecenes-Handsome Robert Lorraine.
The Lady Shore in which Miss Vir-
GINA Harmed made her first appearance Of
the season last night at the Hudson, would
he called by the rllder sort a clotheshorse
NAV. In honor Of the feminine authors,
Nrs Vance Thompson and Lena r. Smith,
the wife Of the well known librettist, let US
adapt phrase from Sheridan, and say that
il is a riyulet Of text flowing through a
covering meadow Of costume and scenery.
It is not, as has been alleged, founded
on the cary eighteenth century Jane
Shore Of the vcrsifying but otherwise
worthy Nicholas Rowe, playwright and first
editor Of Shakespeare. II IL a radically
different and far less historical treatment
n the life Of the goldsmths wife who be-
came the mistress Of Edward ~. and Ia
couched in the far from slumbrous man
per Of Sardou as it has been Americanized
by David Bsasco.
OF It's kind it has merit, and though II
lacks strength, the theatrical crises being
far from convincing, it Is admirably staged
and stage managed, and has moments of
feminine grace and charm which are in
their way unusual. The audience last
night received Miss Harmed with hospit-
able enthusiasm.
The fall by which shopkeeping Jane
rose 10 be the mistress Of the King Ia very
enthusiastically aud skilfully managed 80
as 70 gain for her the necessary sympathy
Wooed by Edpdrd in her husbands shop,
she cOnquers her love for him and bids
him go.
But royalty has elected to 90 goldsmith
ing that day, and when Crooked Richdrd
Of Gloucester urges his suit with violence
jane fouts him and scouts him and routs
him This enrages her misery old hus-
band who threatens to turn her over to
the hunchback without benefit Of clergy.
IL is to escape a worse fate that she sur
renders to EdpdTd
ms uLhislorc, but admirably histrionic,
rivalry OF the royal brothers affords the
dramatic struggle which dominates the
play. The second act represents Jane
making all possible virtue Of her theatric
necessity. She is shown in her quite his
torio character Of benefcent power behind
the throne, batting the salt tax, and stand
ing between certain minor culprits and the
rigors Of medieval justice.
Edvdrd Is called away 10 the wars, and
Richard uses absence TO assan James
virtue with midnight supper in the Tower,
at which the little Princes, who were 70
have been tho scarcely sufficient chap
erons, are represented as already in danger
"
again routed the ardent Duke, Jane kills
the warden and rescues the children. II
Ia a quietly written scene, and being quietly
acted by Miss Harmed, is the most effective
Of the evening.
should have been the climax, that the plot
il most artificial. Jane has taken refuge
from Richard among her friends, the towns
people. The gates Of London town have
been closed, and house to house search
is In progress
Ed,odrd has returned, however. in adj
vance Of his army; and, in consequences OF
a conventional misunderstanding IA made
TO believe that Jane has descended to an
intrigue with vagrant player.
The two meet inthe presence Of Richard
and his soldiers, and Jane IL convinced that
the only way to save the Kings life is to con-
feas 70 the disloyslty OF which she IL not
guilty. The heroic deed Of self sacrifice,
Indispensable TO such plays, has seldom
been less plausibly contrived,
Somehow or other one does not quite
believe that a woman as true as the Lady
Shore would be 90 easily discredited, or
that ths King stood in any real danger Of his
subjects in open daylight in the streets Of
his capital This Is not TO say, however,
that the "situation7 will not prove popu-
larly acceptable.
AS plays 90 nowadays il is much that
the plot Is Ineligible and there are many
intimate feminine touches in the writing
which go long way TO make up for the
lack of plausibility and strength in the
plot. The passages in which the Lady
Shore mothers and protects the i'll starred
Princes Is especially sympathetic
II Is in these milder and more personal
phases Of the character that Miss Harmed
Is at her best. There was time when she
gave promise Of becoming a character
actress Of unusual quality and charm-the
period Of The Adventure Of Lady Ursula.
Since then she has essayed the big bow
WOW style OF hysterical emotion made
popular by Mrs. Carter. IL Is net good
style, an d she does not do Il we'll In the
great scenes last night she lacked force
and conviction. To the eye, however, she
was delightful, and wore her picturesque
crown and regal rUbes with queenly
distinction.
AZ the King Mr.. Robert Lorraine also fell
short in his more strenuous moods. but
bis handsome physique has never shown
10 greater advantage. His costumes were
marvel Of fit and riot OF splendid color,
from his jacket and hose TO his breastplate
Of gilded steel and the skin tight mail on his
shapely legs.
As Crooked Richdrd Mr.. John Blair was
funny without being vulgar. Mr.. Mans
field may be permitted 70 interpret the
character in a vein Of light dandyism, for
he never fails to denote also the Virulent
strength beneath the surface. Mr.. BARS
Richdrd has the simpering, awkward grace
OF a pre-Raphaelite st. John. Richard
was seldom less himself though he did not
seem 20 be at all aware Of the fact.
II was his lack Of sinister masterhood
that gave the final touch Of impossibility
70 the scene in which Jane accuses herself
70 save the King. II she had known II
she had only TO tell the truth and Mr.. Blair
would have thrown up his hands and con-
tessed that in reality he was only saint
from a stained glass window.
The scenery and costumes we're richly
beautiful throughout. The cast as a whole
was admirable. and the crowds were made
up Of alphabetically indiyidualized char
acters sage managed with extraordinary
verisimilitude Austeiely intelligent peo-
pie will find the play pretty dull and I'M
possible, but these are, perpaps fortunately,
a small minority. There seems no good
reason why The Lady Shore should not
prove popularity acceptable.