New-York tribune., 1909-05-23

the usual chatter was hushed as the theatre va.
emptied Mr.. Henry Ainley was the unhaouv
neurotic Fritz who was called upon to rsndap a.
account for one love affair while he was desn =,
another one with purer sentiment and mora -
ufne sincerity 1t was not SO good a perforr,
ance as Miss HaIstan's, yet it was fairly eTsc.
i've. There was excellent work by Miss svdna,.
Fairhrother, Mr.. Hgnett. Mr. James Hearn. NJ
Charles Maude and the remaining members !,
the company If they were not recognlzabE.
Germans they had the technique required e.
enactIng a superheated sentimental play NJ.
HaIstan for her part acted with such inteDs,.
and realism that sensitive auditors went bo,,.
with gulp in the throat
The Lyceum Theatre having become @s.
stronghold of popular melodrama with NJ
Matheson Lang the elocutiOnary hero with 4.
broad style, the production of The Iron NasL.
was inevitable. This result has been sero,
pllshed with continuous gallery thrills and !,
great outbreak of enthusiasm at the close. VI.
Norman Forbes has revised and partly reco,-
structed his own version of The Prisoner OF n.
Bastile" and adapted it to the requirements % +,
ponuIar house He has adopted the theory tb,.
the mysterious prisoner was Philippe, a tvs,
brother of Louis XIV and the lover of handsoms
Louise de la Vauiere. This enables Mr.. LAM =
double the parts of the King and the Mask ara
to vary his play to the satisfaction OF the raL
Ieries Poor Louise is in love with the Kin,
under the belief that he is his brother and N.
merry Bishop of vannes having decoyed IA.
sovereign into the dungeon. whips out a ue-,
funed handkerchief, reduces him to insensibiI,tv
leaves him in the place of the Iron Mask ana
releases the forlOrn prisoner in royal mar.
ouerade It is not good history. but it is III.
kind Of rneIodrama that the Lyceum audierc.
likes especially as there is a charming Louisa =,
the person of Miss Dorothy Thomas. A hauDv
ending is in plain sight, for it is only necessarv
to keep the wicked King on the plank in the can
and to put Philippe on the throne with Louise
as the yeigning Queen MI Norman Forbes hax
however the remnant of historical conscience
He lacks the courage required for the trfumph
of virtue on the throne and the punishment of
royal rascaIity in the prison cell Something 70
said about quiet home in foreign strand with
Louise as a companion, and the spectators
hustle home. bewildered by the idea OF whiu..
steal rather than heroic renunciation
Miss Billie Burke has received more press com.
pIirnents for her vivacious performance at III.
Haymarket than the adapter OF the play. Low.
Watches and she IS credited with having m.
right idea of the featherhead type OF wife and
with giving expression to It with piquancy n
manner Mr.. Gerald Lawrence and Miss Fzv
Davis are continuing with unabated energy and
refinement Of taste their Shakespearian series at
the Court Theatre, Hamlet being their nsyt
production. Mr., Bernard Shaw's short play
THE Showing Up Of Blanco Posnet'' is reserved
for few matinees at His Naiesty's in Juns
The theatrical season is closing unusually early
with managers in too hopeless a state OF depres-
sion TO talk about the future. Mr.. Alexander
| has a play by Mr.. Pinero for the st. Janes's IN
| the autumn, but is not to appear in it himself
| Mr.. Bourchier is depending upon a drama BY
Mr. Sutro. and Mr.. Waller upon one by Mr.
/ William Devereux, with Sir Walter Raleigh "a
\ the hero. Mr.. Forbes Robertson, whose fort
unes have been restored by The Third Floor
| Back" will be in New York early in the autumn
| Mr. Benson IS also in the way Of carrying ont
| one OF his secret ambitions-that OF SHAKE.
i spearian season IN America INF