New-York tribune., 1905-11-28
THE DRAMA.
..7uE TOAST OF THE TOWN. 7"
Viola Allen.

.usn an actress whose name Is rep
Mss VIZ ~ worthy ambition and auspicious
5sseh-.-. appeared last night at Dalys inca
fchie +be chief part in a play, by Mr. Clyde
re g. Ts .-7-he Toast Of the Town The audi
Ftca. CO. ,s and Miss Allen was greeted with
enc. &c and rewarded with appreciauoh IN estty ~
nhdness that this actress has given tand since
yeToTllantto ar of 'Esmeralda'' she has acted
fhs dls4- - nartsl the dominant attribute is sim
N1ae 'os 60 o,1bined truth and fervor OF an earn
CITY -nind This attribute again appears
81 sHe -ossnt representation The central charao-
IL nsf 20 comedy is an English actress. named
ff Il ,s.iator. resident in London, in the middle
* - george Ill and the purpose OF the coiii7uS ~
a1s u - q fancifrl episode in her experience
s 10 ar,- -. The story signifies some acquafnt-
m..L such biogra phies as those or george
an's ,.Iiorov and Charlotte Clarke Miss single
hA, .,-nss the wife Of q noble Duke, by whom
icn - she Is neglected for an earlier inamo-
- whose society and habitadcn she there-
is ,.sves-refusng, partly out Of jealous re-
.--snt and partly out OF an impulse Oh sen.
ss1l.e 90 he reinstated as his wife and submit
sHi.s~ ,be iuputation OF infdelity OF which
Ing ,o.e,+ As a consequence of this perverse,
s1s,.s and irrationally amiable conduct Qor
-,bess had only 10 assert her rights in order
D' s-,.tn tbem-as. in actual life. she inevitably
:. ,sr. done) she becomes miseraoIy poor,
s.srs for & time in sdualor and distress; put
her
- integrity and excellence: avows his reanl-
@ Ael -. end induces her 10 resume her social
ms' This whole posture of circumstances Is
t"..,,sIv artificial. and it is set forth In IA"
"s.r and a verbose style. In so Tar as the pay
=, ANYTHING it appears TO mean that 3 Vartuous
-, Of proud spirit, Will endure aoVersltE
--.ss- than submit 10 injustice. which Is hkeH'
80 that e loving devoted wife will countenance a
,-,etioa Of her chastity, if only. thereby she
,,1es Of
- 80 sbe adores;-which is preposterous nonsense.
- sftAen wears ago the subject OK Beau
,,rrosl" was communicated to Mr. Clyde Fltcn'
=. xeaAdy author Of this laborious piece IN such
~.y So to apprize him that a good draTnauo
.s.,, esn De caused by presenting an exquisite
--+.ss. figure at first in brilliant prosperity anu
.-.~wa-s in degradation and grief. That idea has
- .,n,s filed his mind-a cavity not dfthcuIt 10
su N The Toast Of the Town" an eHort mas
-. made 70 do for Betty Singleton the same
-, +bs. was done for Beau Brlmmel- Al nrst
,ss is q re,gning favorite. beloved by everybody
=, .. ;s said Anne Braccgirdle was); at the last
- a. .gi rescued and restored to happiness d
l,sIv abandoned figure foIlorn in penury ana
,,-ro4: but both at the first and the last' she
/, lsyeir, Miss Allen, might be expected eaSly
On, tbIs deal; for in the picturesque rniment OF
-. Georgian era, she is fair to see; and, whether
..t,ne ioy le7fty, pride. or grief, she is simple
"a .ns csrtain child-like sweetness OF voice
.rs iove1insss of temperament is the charm Of the
performance
Tbs sueoess Of THE Toast Of The Town is
,..sonsl success for Miss Allen. And her achieve
-.-t--.,,cs fba character of Betty Singleton af-
,c,a, little scope for actng,is the result OF pc
cplIsr sweetness in the woman, more than anything
done by the actress.
AZ Mr. Clyde Fitch is the author of this play.
naturally dramatic expedIents and effects invented
nv earlier dramatists, appear in it-such as the
ssfcs Of lowering real curtain and bringing Betty
b4for. IL 10 deliver her farewell speech TO the
,+r,j audience This is a variant of the scheme in
ryoricks Love- and Madness IN Genius" and In
contemporary experience in the late Charles Cogh-
lan's Royal Box" Mr.. Fitch early imbibed the
knowledge that many of Moores melodies are beau
tiful and his frequent introduction of them in his
dramatic compilations insures at least an attractive
feature