New-York tribune., 1907-10-20
THREE ACTRESSES.
Htss BrdytOn, Mss Ellis Jefreys
and Mss EUa Moore.


London. October 8.
MISS Marlowe has been speedily followed in
London by another and equally charming Rosa
ihu. Miss Lily BraytOn's performance at His
NlaJeStys Theatre in LAS You Like 1t" is de-
hghtful from every point Of view She has
beauty, grace, charm, vivacity and true wom-
anliness: she has melodious voice, attuned to
the music of the lines, and even in masquerade
there is a touch Of dignity which denotes the
princess al home in court, although her rank
has been disguised in doubIet and hose. She
plays the part with fine variety and whimsical
humor, and distinctly suggests the combination
OF qualities and graces which make Rosalind the
Incompatible figure in the Shakespearian gallery.
1t is the best work which she has done. and
establishes her reputation as one of the great
artists of the English stage. 1t is success that
mas been richly earned by honorable ambition,
high intelligence and persistent resolution to
make the best possible use of all her talents. 1t
is the noticeable impersonation in a most artis-
tic and satisfactory production of the play, with
scenery, costumes. music and acting of a high
order Mr.. Henry Ainley as Orlando, is the
ideal forest lover, handsome, unaffected, merry
and captivating. and Mr.. Courtice Pound is a
ful-blooded Touchstone, brilliant in cleverness
and mellow in humor Mr.. Brydone. with his
ing wearisome Adam an interesting character,
and that is a real achievement Mr.. Oscar
Asche's Jaques is the best which has been seen
on the London stage for a dozen years-a tri-
umph OF finished art in reticence. simplicity and
naturalness-not didactiC, but medtative, with
a sombre melancholy that is phlosophic rather
than embttered. The revival Of this play is a
source Of delight and encouragement to all low
ers Of great drama. 1t brings Mr.. Asche and
Miss Brayton into the front rank of Shake
spearan actors
Miss Ellis Jeffreys has been welcomed to Ion
don at the new Queens Theatre in a sentimental
play by Mrs Madeleine Lucette Ryley The
Sugar Bowl" An impossible task has been as
signed to her-that Of impersonating a neglected
heroine Of twenty-eight who has no obvious at
fractions and passes in high society without OBJ
servation attentions or offers of marriage. Nat
ure and finished art have made Miss Jeffreys
one of the most graceful and charming actresses
on the stage, with brilliancy and distinction
Of style 70 command admiration. 1t Is quite
impracticable for her to transform herself on
the stage into woman OF ordinary qualities
and unattractive personality-a wall flower de-
spised by dowagers and men and heartsick
from disappointment and neglect The imper-
sonation is unreal from the outset because no
resource or s4btlety OF art enables her to con-
SOSAA SiIeiI iIllLlB neT DriIldnCy
Of style, her quicl1ness of mind. her grace of
movement and her unfailng vivacity She tri-
umphs in this comedy because she is herself
with every resource for captivating impression
able observers on or off the stage, and not be-
cause she succeeds in suggesting the lonesome
woman OF no Importance. with names of dummy
partners her dancing card and so hard
pressed for attentions that she has TO knock over
palm in order to command the sympathy Of
a middle aged dipIomatist for an imaginary ac-
cident and his cooperation in a scheme for
marrying her off. The scheme follows the anal
ogy of a sugar bowl toward which one fly as
1t settles draws buzzing swarm. It is carried
out when the ambassador, liking her frankness.
agrees In sport to pay her marked attentions for
a month and when she becomes n woman Of
supreme Importance with suitors hanging upon
her smiles and an earl whom her match max
ing mother has vainly endeavored to ensnare
drawn into proposal 1t seems a transpar-
emily artificial scheme when Miss Jenrevs AIIs
the stage with her fascinating presence and
convinces every in the audience that the
flies would have swarmed around the sugar bowl
from sweet sixteen.
In these days Of morbid problems and tainted
stage meat 1t IS an encouraging sign when =
clean. wholesome play is written and a first
night audience is well pleased Mrs Rvlev Is
old ldshloned because she chooses sentimental
themes and works them out with theatrical
eXpedients and cross play of trivial under
plot and the end. when it is reached after a
light hearted and innocent ramble. is tranquil
and agreeable as a summers dream in new
mown hay. There no indelicate situations:
there is not an ambiguous phrase nor sugges-
ton Of coarseness: and the dialogue rattles
along pleasantly with glnts Of pretty senti-
ment and bright wit 1t IS vivacious. domestic
and social drama for well ordered households
and the spectators go out at the close without =
bad taste in their mouths a twinge of con-
science for having wasted an evening in fol-
lowing rank and noxious performance.
1t is the actress. who carries Sweet Kitty
Bellairs" through a successful first night at the
Haymarket several years after American eyes
have been dazzled by the scarlet uniforms of
two British regiments and the picturesque
costumes Of eighteenth century Bath The
stage is crowded with performers whose iden-
tty IT is not easy to establish, and there is
ceaseless movement in the bustIing scenes but
II is Miss Eva Moore who lends plausibilIty
and innocence TO amazing indiscretions is fas-
cinating and audacious in triumph and human
and moving in distress, and is as real a per
sonage in the newer Bath comedy as Miss
Braithwaite is In the original School for Scan
dal" at the ST. Jamess. She not only wears
the clothes of the decorative eighteenth century
but also impersOnates the spirit of the revel OF
fashion and frivOty at oIdtime Bath. The
Castles in the royal box must have recognized
their 'Incomparable Beairs" even If they
were bewildered by much of Mr. Beasco's
stage carpentry; and Mr.. Austin Dobson, if ne
had been there. could have turned back the
hands to his favorite century after the first