The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-24
ROSENFELD'S" THE OPTIMIST."
SLENDER COMEDY OF MANNERS
IN FOUR HEAVY ACTS.

Cheerful Mundane Philosophy Cheerlessly
Hnculcated - Some Able Aoting-J.
II. GIlmOur and Thos. A. Wise
Tho Triumph OF Charlotte walker.
When Sydney Rosenfeld, speaking some
years ago in the interests OF his now defunct
Century Players, cast sundry aspersions
upon the intelligence OF the Broadway
managers, a certain one Of them remarked;
sIf Sydney don't shut up, I'll produce one
of those plays of hisl" Just who produced
.The Optimist' last night at Days the
programme does not say, and the only
answer to inquiries in the lobby was a far
away rustling, as Of an angels wings. But
if the managerial pot had been looking for
a smudge to put upon the playwriting
kettle, it would not have had to go further.
The theme OF "The Optimist' is OF the
slender and undramatio kim that might
afford a French playwright, Alfred Capus
for preference, with material for a pleasant
little comedy Of manners, Of much ak
and nothing doing, such as the Partisan
public likes for once in a blue MOON. Tn
Optimist 81. H. Gilmour) has In his youth
been thrown over by Alice Wendell Uizzie
Hudson Collier because of an unjust and
virtuously obstinate suspicion, centrlng in
an illegitimate daughter. In middle life
he falls in with Alice's young brother, Jack
Wendell, who has just been quite heart
lessly Tilted. In accordance with his cheer
full mundane philosophy, the Optimist takes
charge of the youth and introduces him to
a pretty and frankly comradely soubrette
Charlotte Walker, who platonically UNDER
takes and effects the cure of his heartbreakI
subsequently marrying a flour manufact-
urer. When the jilt forsakes her husband
and comes back to claim Jacks love the
boy is able to send her properly about her
business. The Optimtsts ruse at first re-
wives all Alico's resentment against him.
but in the end his cheerful mundane hilos-
ophy wins her, and the boy marries the
Optimists ward.
To make such a theme viable on the stage
requires, at the least estimate, a light and
crisp touch in the development Of character
and an u~nerring b~rilliancy in dialogue.
There were four long acts in the play last
night, and it would be hard to say which was
the most clumsy and sluggish. There
we're a few good lines that evoked laughter
and applause, but this was forthe most
part partisan.
Mr.. Rosenfeld made a fluent little speech.
Apropos of the terrors of a first night he
told the story of an Englishman, tortured
all night by the blowing of fog horns on a
Sound steamer, who remarked that there
ought to be some less terrifying way OF
getting to Boston. 1t is only human to
subjoin tina there ought to be some less
terrible way Of intoxicating optimism:
In SO far as the play proved amusing the
fact was due mainly to the work Of a num-
Der Of capable actors In the cast. For
once Mr.. Gilmour had the opportunity to
lend his admirable stage presence and
able methods to the portrayal of a sym
pathetic character, and made much OF his
opportunities. AT the end OF the third
act he raised his voice and manner to the
pitch Of out and out melodrama which
was quite out Of keeping with the play
and the scene. But the responsibility for
this may have rested with the stage manage
ment. Thomas A. Wise had the part OF a
retired grocer bent on paying a tardy
tribute to a circumspect youth by flirting
with the soubrette; and, thanks to his
humorous personality and almost per-
feet comedy methods, he caused much
genuine amusement. g.,
The honors Of the evening were carried
of by Miss Walker, who still leaves some
thing to be desired in accuracy. and life
likeness of impersonation, but h never
theless created a most s%prightly and viva
cious impression. None Of our younger
actors is more fully endowed with per-
sonal and temperamental charm, and even
in the rather sorry list of parts she has
had this season she has shown marked
development along quite legitimate lines,
Miss Lizzie Hudson Collier, MIR. Gerald
Griffin and Miss Consuelo Bailey made
pleasant impressions in unsympathetio
or unimportant parts. The scenery was
at once shabby and garish.