New-York tribune., 1906-11-04
THE DRAMA.
Mrs. Fiske in "The New York Idea"

Mrs Ffske will soon return to New York MAX
ing her re-entrance at the Lyric Theatre IN the
character of Cynthia Karsake IN a comedy, by
Mr. Iangdon Mitchell. called THE New York
Idea" Mrs F1ske produced that comedy oc-
tober g. at the Shubert Theatre Milwaukee and
October Is she appeared in It at Chicago. The
various newspapers OF those cities devoted much
attention both the play and the actress. Sons
OF the views expressed by leading journals OF the
West are reproduced here
1.-THE Milwaukee Sentinel" furnishes this sketch
of the plot:
The principals introduced at the Washington
Square home of the Phillimores, an old New York
family. iasmily. whose members have all the nsrrownesg
descent The % aeton opens on the DAY before tne
brings the dignity and the ceremonious manner
KaTsiaRe f Rech INTO MS own drawing f00 70 CShthia
This is the second marriage for both. and Is
most unsuitable match Phillimore has been d.
yorced, in Rhode Island. from his first wife. Vida
quick tempered and enth4siastio Brought up with
no idea Of the responsibilities OF life. has been
John Karslake, for a cause trivial that no wom-
an an who regarded marriage as a sacrament would
Cynthia finds life at the Phinmores terribly
the OTHER sayetes With 3Rch tSs hes sna Sne
When wos aEs no@ a5s
ora an & e6b through reyeTses comes to the Philli-
X. it is evident that both he and Cynthia are re-
Amsongs the i9ye which is &c genuine and intense 1
love FROM asserting ITSELF are vida Phiiifmors .s
Darby the sort 9f English spoTting M man man whose |hoss
yntha ana dn vda fs iRsfiSa MAKES
the mars makes make an appointment to show VIDA
out Of jealousy. appears also. Vida has exercised
e for 6 on sees eeh in mec a eses
NGt; 0nt n When ne, she sees Jack her Jealousy bursts
nIe. TheiF dt5Eores no and q is eOneqsien in at q
spite of the fact that her wedding is set for that
The curtain for me third act rises on the shocked
and and horrhed Phillimores awaiting her return and
insists that ne will not be made ridiculous and that
{ne @ Iaaiarriags must go on In the mean time Jack
f{ion {nSno,, and at the moment Of the wedding the
and is driven to Jacks home. where she expects
70 md him him married to Vida But It is Gates Darby
iSyouS 10y Of learning that her dyGTGe from JACK
IS still Mrs. John Karsiaks
THE Chicago Record Herald O1r. James o'Don-
nell Bennett writing) characterzes the play fol-
lows:
Mr: Mitchell has written an audacious composite
more or less yelled. Pathos springs from laughter,
always IN Mr. the Mth pay ct MS IS
almost uncannily. crazily clever. II his work is
ures; Half the time you are doubtful whether he is
people So ofte in eSs feSers 70 times 'n4 make ReS o
@ nIe; he Is now bizarre. now bitter now sorry. now
and with him his characters pass on.-aiong the
crazy faca hghWay as OF modern AmeTiGa9 life Can it
Jude OF mo wedding bells for her." Well so, per-
maps IL IS sometimes. But, its most farcical IL
IS farce done on silk with beautifully Illuminated
!etterS-and little fantastical frehies and strange
butterflies and pretty gewgaws strewn all the
pages. II is an old theme Mr.. Mitchell has taken
ana put IN setting OF the hour,-the theme OF
f,She fel in love with her husband old The
School for Scandal" and older. The setting is
New York society and the grotesque and demoral-
izing effects our wicked divorce laws produce upon
that society The moral OF the play Is that some
times II requires divorce to make and
woman understand that they love each other. In
better, soberer. state Of society neither the di-
vorce nor the moral would be necessary.
The acting of Mrs. Fiske is thus described by
Mr.. W. L. Hubbard. writing in THE Chicago
Tribune
Mrs. Fiske is fascinating: She never has looked
Younger or more beautiful, and never has she
played with more consummate art and capu-
waiting charm She is a comedenne by the grace
Of heaven. and in this play her skill is seen 70 the
touches imaginable she makes clear the onlooker
every trait. every whim, every mental attitude Of
Mrs. Karslake, and yet she holds her that
the spectators respect and liking for the woman
are mistaken. Who that heard 1t will soon forget
her ripple Of laughter with which the first curtain
closes, or the manner In which she invites her for
ner husband TO attend the wedding and give her
away. or the nervous excitement verging on actual
physical collapse expressed quietly and yet so
the exquisite comedy Of the last act-comedy so
interviewer with tears that it is like the play OF
sunshine and shadow in q woodland glade? And
who Will not recall with a smile tnat laughing
scene faultlessly done? 1t is a master imper-
sonation. The supporting company is easily the