New-York tribune., 1905-02-26

demonstrated his theories and written Il all
down in his great work on womeni
Without an exceptionally good Mollentrave a
play so light in texture would pass anus
ing farce with an intricate plot and an unusually
bright and sparkling text. With a capable COM
edian like Mr.. Eric Lewis in the chief part it be-
comes at once work of stage art, carefully
thought out and delicately elaborated, with unity
of motion and consistency OF design. He acts
as though he had been Mollentrave all his life
and never could be anybody else. He fills the
stage with his genial optimism and delights the
audience with one of the finest serio-comic per-
formances seen in London during recent years.
Mollentrave. unlike the usual figures in farcical
comedy is not tiresome before the end of the
evening. The spectators may become weary of
underplot and intrigue in this fantastic medley
of complications. but Mollentrave is an unceas-
ing source of delight to the fall of the curtain.
Mr.. Mckinnel Sir Joseph Balsted also acts
with fine variety and whimsical humor. Mr.
Leslie Faber and Miss Lettice Fairfax as the
youthful lovers play with vivacity and charm.
Miss Marion Terry, Lady Claude Derenham.
has light work for an actress of her range and
power, but what a real impersonation of char
acter 1t is. how finely she carries herself and
how many artistic effects she produces by the
simplest means! Like Mrs. Kendall she belongs
to the old school of acting and has mastered the
ure- Mr. Tree ought to require the more ambi-
Ilous students of his school of acting to go to
the St James's and to look at her continuously
through opera glass
Mr.. Sutro has suddenly loomed up as a rival
10 MT Barrie in popularity dramatist Six
months ago he was known only as a translator
ana adapter: and now he has three plays which
are drawing crowded houses. one a curtain
raiser of exceptional power; another a drama
with serious purpose-"The Walls of Jericho"
aho hnaly this ingenious farce with Mollentrave
as the scientific Investigator of love. Success
mas come suddenly after decade of arduous
work as a man of letters, when he was not en-
pittered by failures and disa ppointments but
cIung persistently to his aspirations and ideals
managers who formerly refused his plays are
fe-reaolng them and accepting them; and he has
more orders for work than he can fill in several
years. his success is so notable and so briIIia
that II may be emphasized as a source OF en-
couragement and inspiration to fellow workers
in the crowded field of letters. While not so
fanclful as Mr.. Barrie, he has sentiment of a
delicate quality and true sympathy for what is
noble in human nature. He is perhaps better
craftsman for stage work. for he has the French
technique and talent for dramatic construc-
ton. His rivals works stand by themselves as
good or Indifferent "Barries' without being sub
Jected TO the ordinary tests Of criticism as
drama. Mr.. Sutro will be known as a writer of
plays rather than a sentimentast; and as
time goes on he Will be likely to become less
didactic than in The Walls of Jericho and "A
Maker of Men," and more serious than in Mol
lentraVe on Women" which in dramatic form
and originality is perhaps the best of his works
|. N +.