The daily sentinel., 1907-10-17

q thusiastic recall given her in x
q the third act. x
Unquestionably quite a few were
severely prejudiced against Miss
Fealy before having heard her in
the dainty little society comedy plav
last night, and it was n great com
pllment to her histrionic ability that
through her winsomeness, her living.
not playing, the principal role, they
were conquered and have become ar
dent supporters of the claims of Miss
Fealy's friends, that she is one of the
brilliant young actresses of the
American stage.
The story of the play. "The Strong
er Sex briefly told, is that of a
rich American girl. timid and shrink
ing in the midst of her new sur
roundings, just married to an En-
glishman who has taken her for her
money. She discovers OIL the day OF
her wedding that her husband does
not love her. She at once develops
I into a clever little woman, who. be-
meath the surface, possesses a will
of iron. She promptly gives her hus-
/ band to understand that she Is sup
plying the funds, and devotes her at
/ tention to business and society. The
high spirited husband gals and win
ces under the arrangement. but his
wife seems to have the whip hand.
\ year passes. The husband has
sought to redeem himself by turning
his attention to business. He learns
that he loves his wife. and she on
her part has learned to love him. Or
perhaps she has loved him all along.
A rich widow of the outspoken
sort. a male cousin from Texas, and
an unidentified young lady, the fos-
ter daughter of the rich widow, fur
nished the necessary adjuncts for
bringing about the happy reconcilia-
tion of the husband and wife.
The play sparkles with brilliant
dialogue. 1t does not approach the
keen satire of Bernard Shaw, nor
the caustic wit and broad suggestive
ness of Pinero, but, in the second
act in particular where the husband
and wife indulge in frequent quar-
rels, the dialogue is refreshingly de
lightful and brilliant.
When Miss Fealy first appeared on
the stage gowned in her bridal cos
tune, she did not give the impress
sion Of her real self that she after
wards did in the more eNacting parts
of the second and third acts. She
has a slight, girlish figure, n most
distinct and charming voice which
holds the audience-the more that
she is heard the more attractive does
her singularly sweet voice charm.
Indeed, It may well be said that
in the part that she assumes in this
play she leaves nothing to be de
sired in her acting. She is tender.
sweet, without being gushing, and
altogether she is ideally the figure
of a charming woman living the real
life in mimic action.
The supporting company of Miss
Fealy is most excellent. Gathered
about her she has number of most
excellent young people who are all
extremely capable. Brandon Hurst
Is not our ideal; but we must ac-
| knowledge that in a most distasteful
part he was most capable. 1t is
peculiarly hard to portray drunk
en- man. Nine out of ten actors fall
down miserably in this action; but
| it must be said for Mr.. Hurst that
| the bibulous gentleman who would
overawe his charming wife made
the scene in which it occurred one
of the thrilling features of the play
Wilson Forbes, as the cousin OF
Mary Warren CMiss Fealy), was eX-
ceptionally strong in that part and
won the sympathies of his audience
And no less in her part was Mrs
VanGarkerken, a widow blase and
delightful, who kept the audience in
most good humor with herself and
the play whenever she appeared.
The scenery of THE Stronger
Sex" was splendidly adapted to the
play, and was rich and elegant
throughout.
Miss Fealy will play to even lar
ger audience If she consents to re-
turn to this city, which everybody
who heard her last night hopes she
will do and that very soon again.