New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-07
CAST OF THE LOTTERY MAJ
THE LILY.
Version of the French Play Produced
in Washington.

Washington Dec S.-The premier per
Torrance Of THE Lily" the English YER
sion OF the French play lie Lys." by
Pierre Wolf and CASTOR LerOuX, was given
here this evening under the personal super
vision of David BelascO. Not only was IL
the first presentation OF The Lily" but il
was also the first appearance of Mr.. Be
lasco's repertory company which is soon to
appear in New York. Mr.. Belasco has ma
terially modified lie Lys" for the benefit of
his American audiences. The Union Libre"
is not the exalted state depicted in the
French version. The heroine is not depict
ed as having won happiness and content by
her rejection OF the principles Of morality
and her defiance Of society; on the con-
trary she gains only sorrow. which Is
ameliorated I'm the fourth and last act by
the promise OF a divorce for her lover, to
be followed also by marriage according to
the law, if not the Church Until the eli
max at the close of the third act, where
Christiane Julia DEAN declares her love,
asserts her right 10 love and to be loved
and hurls defiance at the principles and
traditions Of her family. the Belasco YER
sion follows the French, as described in
The Tribune of Sunday by the Paris corre-
spondent, &C. ]. B." In the last act the
theme OF the play is changed as indicated.
The Lily" as presented by Mr.. BelascO.
is beautifully staged and admirably played.
only one character was Disappointing
Georges Arnaud, taken by Aubrey Bouci-
cault who was at no time convincing and
who left the spectator wholly unsatisfied
as 10 both the intensity and sincerity OF
his love for the young girl whose reputa-
ton was sacrificed to her love for hun.
As Christiane. the heroine, Julia Dean de-
lighted her audience. AS Odette. the old
maid sister Nance ONeil did fine piece
of acting; as the embodiment of self-cen-
tired selfshness Charles Cartwright, the
father of the two girls. was remarkably
satisfying and convincing. and Bruce Nc
Rae. as Huzar. the lawyer friend OF the
family. won the sympathy OF the house
and retained il throughout the performance.
Alfred Hickman. Vicomte Maximilien de
Maigny, brother OF the tao girls ard
sublime cad. played his part in a manner
which left little room for criticism.
The play Is strong and convincing. and
the climax in the third act Is remarkably
dramatic Christiane. driven almost &c dis
traction through the supreme sclhshness
of her father. a titled roue. has given her
self to her lover, Arnaud, an unhappily
married man. VINO iOI ten years nhu hot
lived with his wife. and when she throws
defiance in the face of her family and es-
serts her right TO do 80 IL IS for ;he mo
ment difficult not to accept her reasoning.
Than which. perhaps. no higher tribute could
be paid TO the art OF ;he Authors and the
actors.
THE Lily Is not a problem play. as has
been announced. II is a concluded argu-
ment. whereby the authors seek to convey
conviction But. repugnant as the theme
may be to American audiences on mature
reflection, there was no evidence that to-
nights audience objected to the piece.
large and fashionable gathering re-
ceived the Belaseo production with every
manifestation of approval. After the third
act the curtain was raised sixteen times.
M Belasco appearing each time after the
eleventh call being finally compelled 10 ex-
press his thanks. which he did most simply.
The finest audience OF the season greeted
the BelascO premier. Among the boxho!d-