The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-05
ELEANOR ROBSON'S THIRD BILL
CLYDE FITCH'S 1.-THE GIRL WHO
HAS EVERYTHING"
A Slender Play and III Constructed. hut .
Truthful Transcript From Life. with
Many Moments oS sentimental Charm
and Comedy Beautifully Acted.


As the third Offering in her season of
repertory at the Liberty, Eleanor Robson
last night put on Clyde Fitch's The Girl
Who Has Everything 1t can scarcely
be called strong even in comparison with
the plays that preceded it. being notably
slender in theme and III constructed as a
story; but 10 treats contemporary life with
prevailing t~ruthfulness. n it has many
moment Of sentimental charm and spriGhtly
comedy in MIR. Fitch'5 familiar vein. Lake
its predecessors it is exquisitely acted, not
only in the title part, but as a whole. II it
bad had been used TO open Miss RobsOn's
season here il might have enjoyed no little
prosperity; but it is scarcely the. piece TO
reverse the fortunes Of Nurse Marjorie
Susan in Search Of a Husband and "A
Tenement Tragedy
1t is a rehandling of characters which
Mr.. Fitch has already presented more
freshly and wildly, and IL tells a story
Of the kind he has so often told better be-
fore. There is the usual fresh and charm
ing girl in love with the usual sincere and
manly fellow, and the usual contrasts Of
people of breeding and fashion and social
outsiders. There are breezy children SYM
pathetically and amusingly presented, and
there is a Wal Street father Of good family
with a degenerate mania for gambling.
There IL also the usual plot arising not
so much from any clash of character as
lIOLl u NOlu DlOOtIcu htItkuc OI NlAlAlhJt
and the usual happy ending. 1t is Her
Own Way with a difference-and a very
considerable difference.
In the first act it Is evident-and very
c~harmingly evident that Sylvid Lang in
spite Of her wealth n family is in love
with Philip Wdring, a lawyers clerk, whose
family are honestly humble and live in
Harlem. 1t is evident also that Svirid's
degenerate brother-in-law intends 70
separate the pair as a means of covering
hfa rNa1VtIa Ntnna and apa1anlafaAna NkaN kn
will succeed for a time and at last be found
out. The second act shows how he does
IL, the third how he is shown 10 and the
fourth how Philip and Sylvia are reunited.
There used to be a sporting event called
the bicvcle show race. This is its dramatic
equivalent.
Mr.. Fitch may find such comfort as he can
in the fact that he has taken only a second
or third prize. Throughout the play has
the verv considerable merit Of being true
20 the life it depicts. Not i~nfrequently it is
subtle, laughable and infused with a sweetly
poignant charm.
The children, played briskly if with some
exaggeration by Donald Gallaher and
and amusing. There is a distant kins-
woman with a sentimental mania for imagin-
ing menfolk in love with her, whose gro
tesque Alterations and unintentional vul-
g~arities are not at all related TO the story,
but who. in the hands Of Sara McVicker,
causes considerable diversion. Philips
Harlem mother ada Dwyer) is studied
in very realistic detail-st once laughable
and sympathetic. Even the d~efaulting
father earle Brown is quite a possible
villain.
Equally well studied and equally unre-
lated TO the action ia an advancing bud,
Ruth Carney, e whom Miss Isabel Irving
lends her abundant good looks and fine
gowns.
In a better play the two leading characters
would win distinguished recognition. Philip
is honest, manly and OF sympathetic affec-
tions, and II. b. Warner-a very able young
actor-in vests him with a fetching person.
atty. the manners OF quiet good breeding
and unerring art.
The part Of SylUid Lang is evidently in
tended to exploit Miss Robson's charm Of
personality and poignant charm in comedy,
sentiment and emotion. Nothing could
be more penetrating h the sweetness
of her abandonment 10 u love; nothing
more idyllically charming than her devotion
20 the children OF her dead sister or her
honest acceptance OF Philips housewifely
mother. But as far az any theatrical vslue
Is concerned the part II a rope Of sand.
In the third act she has the inevitable
great" scene: but it consists in repelling
the half drunken advances Of her dead
sisters husband, already a confessed black
guard, and is AS Insignificant dramatically
have seldom been so well portrayed to so
little purpose.
As against the falsity and banality of
Zangwin comedy Fitchian realism. even
though futile, has its merits. But the
choice is not a happy one; and the excellence
Of the acting at the Liberty rather empha-
sizes the difficulty.