New-York tribune., 1905-04-18
THE DRAMA.
"sHE sTOOPs TO CONQUER"
New Amsterdam Theatrn.

4@8 AA1sGA0A4 AWbaGtE.
Il is keen pleasure. even at this late dav 70
sfink that Oliver Goldsmith should after cruei
usage and bitter disappointment have had a sue
cess with his best comedy; that the distance OF
one hundred and thirty years from its FIRST rem
.resentation the gentle author should stil be re-
membered with affectonate interest and the bright
nlsv sfiu be enjoyed and admired She Stoopa n
Conquer" was produced on March Is i77s in Lon
Son by George Colman. who thought that il would
fan and who did what he could 70 ruin H. Since
then IL has been acted hundreds OF times and all
cver the English speaking world. The objection
made against il at first IS as valid now as ever
that story is marred by improbabity and farci-
cal incident: defect that should not exist in a
comedy purporting 10 present a truthful rational
picture artistcaly exaggerated, OF actual phase
Of social life ana manners. in the dwelling OF an
English country squire: but that objection Is i'm
potent vitiate the inherent, authoritative merits
81 the play. which action character humor.
couacal situation, ingenuity OF mechanism, and
mood English style. Those merits we're not
ohscured by the performance that was given last
r,Vht at the New Amsterdam Theatre. nor on the
ether hand. we're they made conspicuously mani
fest.
The imperative requirements for an effective rep
rsssntation Of this play distinct individuality
Of Characterization and hexibflity OF method. alike
4, movement and speech NARROW Is diff
se. in the presence OF ladies' but impudent in the
,oynpany Of drabs. Mr.. KyrIe Bellew supplied him
yrith liberal allowance OF conceit and affectaton.
,nrelieved by any suggestion OF innate manliness
or personal worth Hastings is a well bred, con-
ventionsl gentleman self poised. sensible, ar
dent and kind. Mr. Frank Mills made him correct
and agreeable. MI Hardcastle is the simple,
r-snial hearty, self-compacent thoroughly good
old country squire, sound in principle philo-
.o,hieal in mind. philanthropic in conduct, little
Varyr,lous but lovabls and humorously quaint.
A. Louis James, ia the Jealous endeavor TO make
.ysc,ive made him forcible and hard. whereas he
.bo,ld be sweet-tempered, mellow and sometimes
Gender Mrs. Hardcastle is a formidable person.
,rirn strict vain. tart, exceedingly conventional
-, t,pdv. and her conduct is amusing by reason
~ whimsical eccentricity Mrs. Calvert acted the
NJ IN the right vein. making OF the traditional
~tare business. but not at any time rising above
the Level OF a low mediocrity. Tony Lumpkin is a
~ild sportive mischievous lad but not. as usually
voDresented q pumpkin rustic lout- Mr.. sidney
T-eV- In acting Tony. followed stage usage, in
stead o. following the author, and embodied a
boisterous. noisy clown Mr.. Drew's poreine be-
havior and coarse vOciferdton. however, seemed 10
plesse his audience more than anything else in the
representation. The fun OF Diggory consists in
r4dicl,lols assumption Of consequential manner
That IS easy for such clever and experienced
actor as M DodsOn; but, while the hunor OF Dig
rorv is vacuous that Of Mr.. Dodson is saturnine.
II nleased Mr.. Dodson. furthermore, TO turn TINS
rustc BOBBY into grotesaue and idiotic clown
Miss Constantia Neville is the common
place. coloriess. walking lady OF old COM
edy and Miss Isabel Irving readily invested her
with sincerity ana grace DuCn pdIAS ~ MISS ~
vile and Caroline Dorner are CT frequent occur
renee in the comedies Of the eighteenth century,
and having been sighted by their authors. are
almost wholly dependent on the discretion and skill
nj their representatives, whc must illustrate. as
Miss Irving cIeverly did the art of doing nothing
90 as 10 MAKE it seem important. 1t is not an eX-
aegeraton 10 say that Miss Irving completely oblt-
Grated Miss Robson alike in acting, vocalisn' and
appearance.
The pivotal character in she Stoops 10 Conquer
is Of course Miss ardcastle-a well bred, sensible
accomplished high spirited young English woman;
beslthful; breezy: vigorous who can be. by turns
6er1ure and rnischevous; who is cOntemptuous OF
insneerity and afIectaton; who possesses fine
facility for playful ridicue; and whose assumed
levsfy OF manner covers. without concealing' an
honest mind a pure spirit. and an affectionate
heart. Miss Eleanor Robson simulated the baruald
in e suitable mood Of suppressed mrth. and i'm
parted an agreeable sense Of arch, roguish pleas
autry. In the more serious vein the performance
lacked refinement and distinction. and IL impaired
an impression OF laborious artihce. The total lack
of style indeed, became at times. pitiful-the
quality 0f the performance being not only arth-
ciai but plebeian. The art OF high comedy can
not be acquired in a day by the imitation,
however strenuous. Of pot-wallopers and peas
ants As q whole, the Interpretation Of this good
old play cannot justly be recorded creditsble
or interesting Much better performances Of il
are remembered. but they occurred a long time ago.
il well in q period OF fads and Fitches. that The
contemporary audience should see she Stoops 10
Conquer" and so should be reminded that there
were heroes before Agamemnon and good things in
the past. " ".