The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-21
LIES MISRRABLES" PRODUCED
But PLEASE PRONOUNCE 1T
Law AND THE NAN"

wilton Lackaye Presents Hugo's Novel, In
the Capsule MeledrAmatIc- "A Striking
Character ForcIbIy Actea-Theatrtc
scenes. Little story and No Love Interest
II Wilton Lackaye had been a. brilliant
when be sat down 70 drsmatize Les Mise
rabies as he was when he stood up
before the curtain to explain how and
why he had done il il would be easier 20
write OF what took place last night at the
Manhattan. Il 10 even possible that he
would not have sat down, and in oonse-
quencs that nothing would have taken
place.
The purpose to which he confessed wa
to provide a melodrama centring in q
powerful character who was neither a
murderer nor . grave robber. One o
dercd what Victor Hugo would say to that.
Perhaps he would find that Lackays the
playwright had played upon his august
person both OF the parts 80 scorned OF
Lackaye the actor. Something Of this
kind Mr.. Lackays himself confessed to.
with a modesty as engaging as his wit wa
diverting.
he had no illusions as TO the ificulty
OF COMPRISING the grandiose and volumin-
Gus novel into the capsule melodramatio
and his account Of the fruitlessness Of his
quest OF the golden manager mingled
pathos with humor. At first he called his
play Les Miserables,' and wheu q friend
asked him IL he bad found a manage who
would produce tt he replied that he had not
even found q who could pronounce IL.
Hence the present Anglo-SaIon title Of
monosyllAbles,
1t was perhap s inevitable that much OF
the story should be reduced 70 narrative
and soliloquy, but II the truth must DO told
the language OF the play fell a long way
short OF the terseness, naturalness and
point Of the language Of the speech. The
action constituted at best not 90 much q
play with a stoy-whioh all melodramas
should have-as a series Of pictures Of the
life Of its hero. A chronicle history. as our
forefathers would have called 10.
There was no real villain for. IN spite
Of his more than Hugoesque side WHISPERS
and stubble, lnpert was too psychological
and too episode a party for that. There
was only the barest Of heart interest, > CEN
tring. against all convent ons melodram-
attic. in the hairless snG toothless FaRtrEe,
while that indispeus able commodity. love
interest, mace ls dppeaIanNt only III TIE
third Of four acts in the person OF the stall
infantile Cosete. and somewhat anemically
at that. The authors OF Why Women
and How Hearts Are Broken could
give this ~Lsckaye-Hugo combination cards
and spades.
Whatever popular interest the produc-
ton possesses centres in Mr.. Lackaye's
impersonation OF the pictureaquely con-
trasting phases of the hfe and character Of
jean ydljedn. II backed up by a better
play, this might have scored a considerable
SUCCESS, artistic as well as popular. II does
now need TO be said that here we have
actor of extraordinary vers ulity in
portraiture, and OF
power.
A the escaped prisoner from the galleys,
Mr.. Lackaye was gloomily pathetic and
brltally powerful. As the able and wisely
humane Mayor of Meme, he was stalwaTt
viii a touch Of real nobility; and as the
aging and benevolent lie Blanc. he evinced
real mellowness and spirituality.
Some Of the scenes. moreover. were OF
great potential power. The trial Of the
feeble minded w~heelwright Cham pmdthIeV.
in F0ljedA's deed OF self sacrifice.
have produced a striking theatric
effect. and the scene in Thendrdier's garnet,
in which VdDsGR is rescued from the band
of thugs only 10 fall inldanger OF the police,
with his final escape through the window,
had all Of the elements which made the
adventure Of Sherlock Holmes in the Stepney
chamber memorable.
The lack Of dramatic appeal in the story.
however. rendered Mr.. Lackaye's acting
rather powerless and his stagecraft Of little
II is possible. Of course, that the
play may prove to have popular appeal.
FOR the production is varied and picturesque
and muc Of the acting able; but any great
measure Of success II unlikely.
As F'dntins and sfterwsrd as her daughter,
Miss Josephine Sherwood revealed
considerable pathos and charm. As J1Uert
Melbourne Mcdowell made what was 20
be made Of a seemingly preposterous and
largely incomprehensible part. The Bishop
" yreI Of Frederick Esnelton was dig
and fine, the TheEdrdier OF John J
D. O'Mara sufficient malignant. and the
Cham pmdthieu of F. Pollard rather IN