New-York tribune., 1908-11-10
A NEW PLAY AT THE HUDSON.
Lady Frederick.

The re-entrance here of the popular actress Miss
Ethel Barrymore was signalized. at the Hudson
Theatre last night, by the presentrent Of a play.
of English origin entitled Lady Frederick, a
play which Is understood to have nat with much
public appreciation in London and IN which Miss
BARRYMORE has prosperously figured since the be
ginning OF her present season, September Y, at
Poughkeepsie The piece, by Mr. W s Vaughan
is crudely constructed but smoothly written and It
tells q trivial story in a bitha style Lady Fred
erick CAV Irish widow, is indicated q brilliant
woman. and the effective in1personation Of her
since she neither does anything that is rana ablA
nor SAYS ANYTHING that sparkles would require
indeed an actress Of extraordinary briliancv alike
OF animal spirits and mental force. The scene is
Monte Carlo Lady Frederick and other British
persons dwelling there and an ingenious
English lord, much younger than the Hibernian
fascinator. wishes 70 marry her His lordship's
mother. Lady Mereston. objects and the two women
then opposed Letters figure in the conflict
Both corbatants are possessed Of specimens Of
compromising chirographv LADY Nereston has
epstle which she thinks will discomft Lady
Frederick Lady Frederick has several epistles-
addressed to dennirep by the husband. de-
ceased "a preaching hvpocrrAl Of Lady Mereston,
which she knows Will put that respectable female
to utter defeat and shame At the crisis Of the
feminine encounter LADY Frederick exonerstes her
self BY explanation acceptable to everybody but
her adversary and, when she might triumph bv
producing her stationery, tears II in pieces and
throws the fragments into the fire That burst
sutor of hers who has led more less profit
gate life. but has sIvavs loved her So that. when
she is prosecuted BY Hebrew nilouaire-th son
Of money lender-vho has bought her prornis-
Eory notes and who proposes 70 use them
means OF compelling her 70 marry him, he PAYS
her debts and ultimately marries her. All these in
ctdents are obviously trite-recalling Charles
Lambs Poor Relation. Of whom IT is said that
the guests think they have seen him before
The most that be said for the play IS that IT
contains here and there. = bright line and the
dialogue Is provided with few episodicsl
passages Of farciosl huuor-as when the
''spooning' betrothed lovers discuss the method
Of education Of their son-vet unborn. Also the
part Of Lady Frederick provides Miss Barrymore
with opportunity to exercise her customary per
sonaI charm As actress she has gained
se1f-contro but she still reveals depIorable lack
Of vocal culture The most consistent perform
was that of the obnoxious. ungratefui part Of
Captain Montgomerie. BY Orlando Daly-a Charac-
ter very cr7Idely drawn and placed In situations of
an impossible kind. assuming that the is
disposed to be al idiot Miss Jessie Millward has
a comparatively insignificant character the lit
tie that she had TO do done well q o
ate the effect Of nature. M Norman Tharp's en-
bodiment Of the amiable young suitor was pleasant
and earnest and il revealed an agreeable personal
itv. The house crowded and the audience en-
thusiastc. " W