Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-23
T 4 E T q E A T E R.
"she stoops to Conquer. /"

The two nights engagement of the Lieb-
Ter & Co. production of she Stops to
Conquer" transferred from the New Ma
tional Theater to the Lafayette, opened
yesterday evening before large au-
dience. The opportunities of seeing
the English classics are being grad
ually restricted to enterprises Of this
character, in which a consolidation Of
acting talent and a brevity Of stay
compel attention. She Stops to Con-
quer." with all it's literary elegance,
Is out Of key with the theatrical taste Of
today. Goldsmith was never less a poet
than when he wrote this play. There is
in almost every scene an evidence Of his
effort to humble his genius to the fashion
Of the time; to paint modish pictures Of
staggering young gentlemen, drunken
servants and pert young women. AS an
especial concession to the public taste for
which he was angling he evolves situa-
clement in ditch of an estimable old
lady by her ungrateful son. And yet it
is classic. The author of The Vicar of
Wakefield" and The Deserted Village"
even though he strive to initiate the tin
seled patterns of his age, could not wholly
debase the coinage of his BRAIN The as
say of time shows that he wrought in pure
gold.
The theater of today pursues a wholly
different method of play structure from
that which She Stops to Conquer" fol-
lows. 1t recognizes that an audience, hav-
ing selected a favorite character, likes to
fasten its attention upon his adventures.
And 1t does not approve of his being too
long absent from the stage. The older
dramas consider no such preference. SO
generously are the opportunities distrib-
uted that only company made up Of
stars or people competent to be stars can
give a proper representation. And the au-
present, chooses one or two favorites
is compelled to wait impatiently through
barren intervals when others are exercts-
ing their right to dominate the stage
OF the masculine characters, the two
which command the greatest interest are
Young NARROW, played by Kyrle Bellew,
and Tony Lumpkin. played by Sidney
Drew. They form an extreme contrast.
One is gentleman whose sensibilties be-
tray him at times into utter bashfulness;
the other boor and bully. 1t is needless
to say that Mr.. Bellows NARROW is a fin
ished and graceful piece of acting. Mr..
Drew declines to make Tony the utter
BOBBY that he has sometimes been painted,
but with entire consistency and plausible
ity causes him to be a reflex of the impu-
dent smartness of the turf and the tap
room. Mr.. Louis James gives fine, hearty
portal of the character of an old English
country gentleman, and ]. E. Dodson en-
phasizes the comedy in the role of Dig
gerry to a degree that makes it highly en-
tertaining.
Miss Hardcastle. her mother and her
friend. Miss Neville. form the interesting
Eleanor Robson is actress whose stu
dious sincerity is more to be esteemed
than any gifts of temperamental vivacity.
Her Interpretation of the role of Miss
Hardcastle Is distinguished by an impress
sion of discreet and tactful womanliness
rather than of romping mischief Miss
Irving made Miss Neville's love affairs in
teresting, they should be, and Mrs. Cal
vert was duly and Iovably sedate and ma
ternal.
She Stops to Conquer will be repeated
tonight.