New-York tribune., 1905-04-16


Mr. Mansfield OF ''Ths AIisanthrope" and the
opening OF the Hippodrome. The former needs
no further comment now. but the HippOdrome
and SIS performance are TO be a permanent
feature OF New-Yorz life and invite discussion.
Concering the hugeness and brilliancy OF the
entertainment provided there can be no conflict
Of oplrion-the verdict OF the morning after was
bound 10 express little but admiration. almost
untempered admiration. for mere bulk IS always
impressive. not to say unsettling, TO the mind.
Calmer judgment. however. finds many things
70 cTiticise in this latest theatrical toy. even
though it does not have TO take back any OF the
s65ectiyes Of praise. For instance. there seems
% be some question whether smoking should be
permitted IN the balcony. The slope Of the
floor is SO steep that the smoke rises into
the faces OF those IN the row behind, and on
the opening night many women We're forced TO
so out, some OF them TO remain out. because OF
smokers IN the seats IN front OF them. II the
management OF the Hippodrome wishes TO at
tract the better class Of people. women as well
as men, the dead line for smoking must per-
hsps be drawn further up.
Again, It was shown that the auditorium is too
large 10 allow OF much solo singing. at least by
any singers IN the Hippodrome company. Words
and tune alike are lost. The same is true OF
much Of the spoken dialogue. An effort should
be made. then, TO conducr the action Of the
much as possible by expressive pantomiTne, and
70 train the huge chorus 10 sing with volume
and some sort OF musical effect. letting them
take the place or much OF the solo singing. At
present this chorus cannot sing: its volume IS
sstonishingly thin and the orchestra Is also thin
and wonderfully bad 1t does for circus music
but IL IS pitifully inadequate TO play the ballet
music from la GiOcOnda." That ballet is the
most beautiful and impressive feature OF the
whole entertainment, that the need Of a good
orchestra IS all the more felt. And. by the way,
why should that ballet have TO give place at the
end 10 the Infinitely inferior music Of the finale
composed for the occasion? The present finale is
not only musicaliy but pictorially anti
climax. The cast would much better be brought
on TO some other music from the same opera,
10 q march from Verdi, and then for the curtain
20 bring OUT from the midst Of the five hundred
people on the stage that glorious, long line Of
dancing Hours fifty abreast while the music
swings once more into the ballet. That would
be a finale 10 bring the audience to its feet
Finally the W. nelodraua was in TOO many
scenes, so that the changes became wearisome
and II was too sentimental. 1t has already been
compressed, however. and eXpurgated, and so
now is more effective than the opening night
But, with all its faults New-York has never
before seen an entertainment like this one!
Charles Frohman viii present Miss Marie
Tempest and her London company including
Allen Aynesworth. in her success Of the present
season. The Freedom Of Suzanne" by Cosmo
Gordon Lennox. at the Empire Theatre on
Wednesday evening. The house viii be closed on
Monday and Tuesday evenings TO give Miss
Tempest and her associates opportunities for
rehearsal. This engagement IS more remarkable
than The mere announcement indicates. Mr.. Froh-
man has brought Miss Tempest and her entire
London organization together with the complete
scenic production OF her comedy. flying across
the Atlantic for limited engagement at his
Empire Theatre. At the expiration OF that time
he viii send them back 10 London again and
Immediately on their arrival there they VIII
resume their run OF ''The Freedom Of Suzanne"
The first act Of the play opens in CurZon-st,
where Charles Trevor is waiting disconsolately
Tor the Vagrant Suzanne. He is surrounded by
q small crowd OF friends and relatives, who are
ali vexstious enough 10 excuse the wife's sense
OF boredom. Lady Charlotte. the husbands
mother and FitzrOy Harding, the wife's uncle
tttack and defend by turns, until she appears
70 explain her absence. A series OF nocturnal
adventures consistent only with the most i'm
puoent innocence are narrated Frustrated sup
pers al the Continental Hotel. cab drives with
casually encountered strangers, and hnal
Iafclcal escape from a COMPROMISING visit 70
the strangers fat-Ihese form SuZanne'S partly
volunteered account Of her evenings frolic The
family leaves her in disgust, but her husband
surprises his wife and the audience by instant
forgiveness, and attempts 10 kill with kindness
her fatal passion Tor freedom. suzanne, now
ever. picks a quarrel with her husband ana
goads him into securing divorce.
During the nine months which separate ACTS
and II the coquette has been transformed. NO
fewer than three suitors persecute her with ar
dent attentions but chance meeting with her
husband sufices to implant all the wifely virtues
which she has hitherto lacked. Without any
contributing cause on his part except hlIo
Irritation with a fast widow. Suzanne becomes
penitent. devoted, adoring. She pursues him Dy
motor from MaVerley-on-Sea and arrives IN ms
fiat al midnight, mud stained but faithful, Tor
tne inevira ble reconciliation. which Is SAUSAGE
tOrily effected.
Following is the complete cast:
Euzsrne T-evo- Miss Marie Tempest
Charles Trevor her husband Allan Aynes~crth
F4tzE0y Harding uncle. Charles Sugoen
sr Horace Haiton family solicitor G. TitheEaege
captain Harry csel IIer admirers vernon steel
Mason her butler. per- isll-
Lady CHARLOTTE Trevor snother-in-aW Miss r. thorpe
Mss Fanny Ntnching. her companion MISS Il CoHen
Lady IsobeI Bury Ter frend.... Miss Beatrice Becseg
LrE NlEtRll her bete Dclrc ..1ss s.aiS l-tt
GrE Putnam husbands char Woliah -ets a. Sl.--
Gf
PoFasr. Frank AnofeNs
At the cosey Madison Square Theatre the Sec
ond production OF this season VIII occur Tues
day. when a comedy OF American life by Wills
Steel wiz be given its first production on any
stage. The success OF Mrs Temples Telegram
has been such that THE Firm OF Cunningham"
this new comedy, has been kept waiting. The
story Of the play concerns Davis Cunningham
head OF firm OF conservatOrs OF large estates
played By William HarcOurt. John Calvert MS
partner. 70 be played BY Henry Bergman. Is
the Suspicious husband OF Dora CalFefL e1llloa
spong). Dora has a younger sister. fresh from
Vassar and true 70 the traditions OF young girl
graduates. those mysteries OK llte tnat are 90
bafling "a many old An the world ana It's ways