The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-03
7. WILSON'S COMEDY SlDESTEpS
BETWEEN LABICHE AND FIrcu
HE FR0LICS INTO SUCCESS
lie voyage dc VI. Perichon" Is Very C1cv.
eriy Given Native Flavor and Amuses
'he Audience unnasglnsly-M May Rob.
son, Edith Barker and II. Abe,es i'm,

'"o Auulehce tnnag ginEly-NI Rob.
son' Euith Barker and Il. Abeles I'm II
Francis Wilson made his first sten asida
from comic opera last night at the Criterion
INTO what for the occasion may be called
legitimate comedy-and strewed his natb
with an abundance Of the old fashioned
sldesteps. The play was 80 good in fact
and gave such scope to his abilities n,
their best, that however much the stage Of
song may he said to have lost the presant
stage mas gained more than enough to make
up for IT,
ms vehicle was Cousin Billy adapted
by Clyde Fitch with many liberties from
play by Eugene Labiche.' II did not take
long to discover that the original is lie
voyage de NJ Perlohon which if not quite
legitimate comedy. is about as near TO it
as Labiohe ever came and in its way Of
sheer irresponsible gayety tempered by
philosophio insight into human nature
Is undoubtedly masterpiece.
The liberties TO which Mr. Fitch confesses
are very far from being licenses Both
the main characters and the action are
essentially French and as there is not the
slightest suggestion OF offence to the most
squeamish sensibilities. il would be the
height of folly to try to make them appear
otherwise. But the aspect of native life
ana character which our audiences are
supposed 60 demand Mr. Fitch has super
added in prodigalty of bright lines ahd
minor character sketches The evening
was one Of continued merrment, and
Cousin Billy may be warranted TO stand
10y, Mr. Wilson for many a happy day.
IN writing the original Labiche il known
70 nave at first intended merely to recount
tne adventures of an unCtuously and ami
ably vain provincial while travelling in
Switzerland. In the second act he en-
countered a comedy idea which so cap
tlvated his fancy that he rewrote the play
To make 1t the central theme. 1t is an idea
worthy Of La Roohefoucauld Gratitude
i the most difficult of virtues; what weak
human nature really loves Is to feel the
superior JOY of a benefactor.
In his travels in Switzerland Cousin
Billy is pursued by couple of young men
who are in love with fair protege of his.
The more sympathetic Of the two saves
his life in an automobile accident At
first Cousin Billy overhows with such graft
tude that the other and less sympathetic
sutton, Hopdrd is about TO give up the con-
test. 1t presently transpires, however.
that Cousin Bully is bored by his debt of
gratitude, and the cynical H0Wdrd has the
astuteness to see this and take advantage !
Of il.
he 80 manages that Cousin Billy saves |
him. as he thinks, from death in a crevasse.
and so overflows with such patronizing |
benefaction that the swift and honest Paul |
Is quite out of the running. In the third !
act, of course, Cousin Billy is rudely ami I
very comically If somewhat untheatrioali |
nndeceiyed, and the sCheming Hopdrd Is .
routed.
Mr.. Fitch has given his hero a local habi-
tation in Allentown, Pa. and has embroid-
cred upon his original his own particular
brand of sketches of travelling Americans
abroad, Of automobile absurdities and
finally an encounter with the customs
officers at the port of New York IL is
all very sprightly, vivacously gay and
with the aid Of the central idea of and
characters Of Labiche, unfiaggingly anus
ng.
Specifically the play is all OF the here
and the now II would be the rankest
pedantry to object that the total result
Is neither French nor American. The
purpose Is TO make US all laugh. and ii is
most successfully accomplished
1t was perhaps owing to the lack Of sin
'ere native color in C'bsit Billy that il ia
impossible as yet to acclaim Mr. Wilson
Is a full nedged legitimate comedian.
Throughout his toes still swung in ara
>esques, his knees twinBed rs of yore and
wore the customary grin
In the second act, when. in consequence !
u his automobile accident. he donned
ryroean shorts and hose his barred hooks
threatened to become "A Past with capital
"a musical comedy version of Fate. also
With a capital. II was down in the lines
or him to yodle and If he had not stopped
hort, as he did in the first note there Is no !
cling what might have happened.
As IL was. he saved the day, and con-
iuued TO show Billy's monstrous yet not
vanity with varied JUNCTION and
Increasing farcical eXuberance to the final
moment. when the plumage Of the pea
ook moulted and his spreading tail feathers
rooped. In its way II was art Of the
ipest and mellowest. infused with the
parkle and the glow of a most sympathetic
ersonality.
Asst cynical sutton. Houdri, Mr. Edward
bles had considerable, though not too
much scope for his dry and irresistiby
felike humor. Mr.. Fitch has made no
fort TO translate the character OF the
lr41ue who leaves her love affairs to be ,
ranged by her elders into the native
merican type but what could be done
nth the part Miss Edith Barker did, and
ad still plenty Of talent up her sleeve, I
q those who enjoved her performances
, the Fourteenth Street Theatre well re-
lember. :
Miss May Robson had the part Of 2 widow
18th whom Cousin PiHp is in love and showed
er fine and expert talent IN miniature,
n her love passages she was amiahly ana
-hiTusicaly charming-a mood that in re- !
ulsiEg the two suitors suddenly trans
1rned itself into that OF a most Formidable
ragon Miss Zelda Sears was salient and
dective as n modern type of the physical
llture exponent. I
At the end of the second OF three acts Q
lere was a tug OF war between Mr. Fitch ]
nd Mr.. Wilson as TO which should force {
ne other to tne footlights II resolved q
self into competitive speechmaklng :
ontest as TO which should say the same
beech, which ended by their both making u
!: i want TO thank you for Mr.. WILSON, j
7itoh). and wish you a happy New Year. {