New-York tribune., 1906-02-20

ton. never insipid. but as bright as gold and as
sweet as roses.' and also declared that "the sue
cess of the play and of the performance decisive
and uneqtuvocal" Those expressions of cordial ap-
probation have since been combined by the subtle
advertiser. into an Endorsement stating that the
piece is ''As bright gold and sweet roses.
the success OF the play is decisive and unequivocaL
Mr. Sutro's remarkably good comedy. original in
construction and fluent IN STYLE presents a some
what cynical study of character and manners dts
latent sympathy being propitious truth and can
dor), and rghtfully. 1t could not be described as
sweet roses; neither is II, continuously.
bright as gold" The advertiser, in fact INDUCED
in "a neat arrangement of eptaphs' There was
no need TO resort to any oblique method of adver-
tisement. Mr.. Sutro's comedy can stand on 1ts
own obvious merits. without any regard 10 the
opinions OF reviewers. From first to last IL Is
sprightly and interesting-although a very long
way behind such comedy THE School for Scan
daT'-in which the single character Of Sir Peter
Teazle contains substance than all OF MT
Sutros people put together. The principal scene
OF "The Fascinating Mr.. Vandervedt-that OF
the lonely sequestered English wayside inn-is
in particular, deftly constructed and happily
written. and Il is very brilliantly acted Acute
sensibiity may, perhaps. be conscious OF Jarrins
note In It. but that impression is transient In that
scene Mr.. Vanderveldt has adroitly tnveigled Lady
Clarice into a position which. though innocent,
might seem to compromise her. in the OF cen
serious society and he hopes that. because OF TINS
ENHANCEMENT, she will be induced TO marry hilh
It should however be noted. that he is deeply IN
love with Clarice and honorably well as ardently
desrous to marry her: and he is shown as SIN
cerely anxious TO win the respect and anecuon OIL
the lady. and hoping, almost against hope' that
her lively sense OF humor will prevent her from
harboring resentment and will lead her TO Forgive
his nischievous subterfuge- His conduct. OF course
is blamable and cannot be extenuated; but the
situation offered by Mr.. Sutro for public approval
and sympathy-and incidentally for public amuse-
ment.-is not the contrived by Mr.. Vanderveldt'
but the one in which his crafty scheme is dis
corlfted by Lady CIarice's self-possession, sense
and promptitude of expeditions conduct The play
is eniovng much success and this 1t well deserves
for It is a good play. well set and well cast and 1t
is delightfully."- acted. especially by MISS EiIls
Jeffreys and Mr. Frank Worthing. The acting OF
Miss Jeffreys finely exemplthes the high-comedy
style of the English stage and her performance Oh
Lady Clarice is "as bright as gold and as sweet
as roses" Mr.. Worthing possesses uncommon nat
ural advantages, and his exceptionally me tai
ents have been trained and matured IN the great
school Of experience He is the best representative
of Charles Surface for example, now on our stage
He has succeeded in every light comedy part tnat
he has undertaken. His performance or Mr.. van
derveldt is continuously gay and buoyant. nor does
it lack an undercurrent OF genuine feeling his ae
livery OF the speech that closes the third ect OF TINS
comedy would alone mark him as light comedian
az the first order 1t not been excelled. indeed
~ ever eouaIled,-in professional dexter1ty' sig
pihcancn of meaning, drollery of humor' and
felicity of vocal intonation,since the nrlght DAYS
=, T1as+s- wauack. w ".