The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-16
nancy UP AND DOWN STAIRS.
.,py YANNERING TRIPS EN- UP
I'm FALLS EN- DOWN, IN VAIN.

dr., lanes Nancy stair" Potter Killed
q, rive Acts-BObhy Hurns's Latest
song a DanCe-Much Noise and Busile
tes,e, Criterion Audience Cold.
According to report there are several
srerting characters and u keeny sympa-
,s,,ic love story in Elinor Mccartney Lanes
'ayel Of Nancy Stair" II so they arc
.nin IL No suspicion Of them transpired
psul Potter's stage version OF the story,
vhich Miss Mary MAnnering resumed
stage career last night at the Criterion
~. nave Il on the word Of Il. A. Jones's
e,,ys BipGarn that there are nineteen
y IN make a potter's kiln, and only
- Of them good. Mr.. Potter has only
,os way of killing a play. But that Is
,0ough The popular good opinion OF the
sa,J and the charm Of Miss Mannerng's
s.rsonaHtv may possibly give the new
- some little life. But taken simply
n Itself il is As dead as the now buried
.Troue, and for precisely the same reason
like all superficial workers in the theatre,
Il, potter addresses the eyes and ears Of
u. audience and forgets their minds and
s..rts 1t is as easy as lying. Always
I.,no,binp doing; drinking scenes with four
s,D,D.ossiye versions OF Bobby BuTns's latest
sSrg-ybich ometimes as in the case OF
scominp Through the Rye turns out to
be a musical comedy dance-lots OF LOUD
words and brave attitudes q murdeT,
holsterous trial &c.
OESpsy's first entrance Is heralded by all
,hs cast abetted by the orchestra. She
s,osses and recrosses with about every
Inc. She trips up the stairs in the first
~, and in the fourth act she not only
80 them IN. but falls them headlong
SoEn. And all for any old reason, or no
sason al all that patience descry OF sym
To To transfer to the stage the volatile:
,nricious half.Rypsy noblewoman OF
F IA novel-p,u;-ing at love with hai a
ozen men, and most in love with the one
be least encourages-ls no easy taSk'
audiences are not prone to believe m the
Ssyering or the divided heart. The finest
I al of tie playwright is required 70 build
N the characters, stroke by stroke, and
\ delve TO TIE depth Of the soul that I'M
sries and puifes Il all. To any one
: the audience last night who had no
knowledge Of the novel Nancy must nave
semed the shallowest and lightest OF love.
DdnrerS MdcJrtg1or was even more mn
Dssible a. a romantic stage hgure. Pre-
gmsblv in love with Nancy, he did no
tnrle deed OF tenderness or chivalry, and
a the contrary caught at every straw OF
lspicion, making OF each preXteNt Tor
anFlinE and wrangling with the lady OF
Gs heart Even in the trial scene, as he
ns facing death. he had only scorn and
insult for her. The test Of a stage hero
4 whether the women in the audience
vould like 10 have him make love 70 them.
Any right minded female would give up
Diarer, any day and find peace in the
hsarest boiler factory.
Let Il not lie thought that the lack OF
ttnatic structure and force resulted from
ttOo faithful adherence TO the novel. Char
,eters had been altered, according 10 an
udurer Of the original, and whole scenes
ad been invented. During several entire
lcts-there we're five Of them, with seven
Cenes-only stray fra gments OF theoriglnal
Eere discernIbe.
OF the acting little need he said. Miss
danneTing has a charming and wholesome
personality, with some slight powers OF
characterization; but she Il quite unequal
10 the hard task Of infusing. such part
NTH the vitality il does not of itself possess.
Robert Lorraine threw masculine vigor
INTO Ddhters. and lent him a picturesque
ifure aud make up. Francis Carlyle as
Borthuicke, Clarence Handysides az John,
ord Stair. and Stanley Dark as Hugh
Pfcairn were negative in negative parts.
4 AZ Roberf BHrHs T. Daniel trawicy did
IA look like bis cigar, but he acted Ike it.
III Carer. the hanging judge, Frank Losee
Nd full scope for his rumbling. robustiOus
oioe. and made perhaps the strongest inn
ression Of the evening. The stage man
igement by George F. Marion was com
Bstent, but nothing could stage over the
lollow artiiciality Of the pisce.