The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-08
" PLAYED
SIR CHARLES WYNDHAM SHOWS
ITS REAL COMEDY.

Greeting to . Ptece which Was
Marred Here before by Miscast.
ins the Principal Masculine Part.
Il isn't 80 very often that We got on this
,de Of the wster 90 excellent a specimen
cf modern light comedy a. THE Mol
usc." and when we do We sometimes
fail 10 treat Il with the utmost oonsidera-
lion. MIR. Davies's play came Il US last
sn,nmn and revealed itself as one Of the
most skilfully constructed and gracefully
imagined pieces of its highly desirable
kind. But It's beauty and effectiveness
we're sadly marred because the chief
masculine part was entrusted to the hands
Of a Young man who had had no training
whatever in that sort Of acting. whose
experience was limited and who vas unfit
for his task in about every possible way.
I, was therefore an exceedingly happy
notion to seize upon the presence In this
country of Sir Charles Wyndham and
Miss Mary Moore for the purpose OF
bringing about a revival of 'The Mollusc"
IN it's happiest surroundings. II was
we'll worth while for the sake OF the play
itself. 1t was doubly worth whils for the
sake Of the players.
And it was not surprising that the Emf
pire Theatre was crowded last evening,
despite the fact that the season Is prac-
tically at an end. with an audience OF un-
usual class. Nor wal it at all surprising
that the house was delighted from be-
ginning to end. that 1t gave both play and
players a most cordial greeting and was
both edited and entertained. 1t isn't
verv often that a theatre gives up any
thing so good as -What Every Woman
Knows" to gaia anything 30 fine as THE
AollIsc.'
The Mollusc' has been described 30
recently in this newspe per that II is hardly
necessary to repeat. Its theme, accord
ing TO it's author. is ~mollusory,' which is
another word for a kind Of highly bred
.elhshness. 1t is an invinoible tendency
TO stand still. "A mollusc.' says one Of
the characters. uses force to resist press
ure." does nothing when 1t would be easier
TO do something, which distinguishes 1t
from laziness. Mr.. Davies has seized
upon this idea. translated itinto dramatic
terms and shown us how 1t works out in a
variety Of amusing ways.
Last nights performance revealed the
fact that for its presentation here last
autumn the play was considerably revised
to admit OF its being played by an actor
much younger han Sir Charles. 1t is a
better play in it's original form. More
over. the finished and mellow art OF Sir
Charles and Miss Moore. ably supple
mented by the efforts Of Miss Waldegrave
and Sam Sothern, is exoellently adapted
to the deft PARTICULARLY Of the style in
which Mr.. Davies writes. Both Sir
Charles and Miss Moore were 30 warmly
greeted upon their first appearances
that the action Of the play was halted for
some moments and they rewarded the
cordiality OF the audience. by giving a
performance that was full OF pure delight.
1t is hard to think Of another pair OF
players who could have equalled last
evenings performance. John Drew
would perhaps have shown more physical
d~eitness and possibly he might have ex-
tracted more humor from some OF the
situations, but on the other hand neither
be nor any other American actor could
have made that proposal as Sir Charles
made 1t last night. Miss Carlisle CAV a
good performance last autumn in his
play, but Miss Moore gave a better one
last night.
It was a performance exquisitely
balanced and restrained, correctly modu-
lated. admirably composed. an exhibition
Of the mastery Of the little things OF act
ng-the little things that make the big
effects. As for Sir Charles. when one re-
members that he is barely less than 10
years OF age the quality Of his imper-
sonation grows amazing and it seems
10000 pities that he Is than 80.
At the end OF the second act the ap-
plause vas 90 insistent that Sir Charles
was compelled to make response. He
made a happy little speech. thanking the
audience on behalf Of himself. Miss Moore
and his large company which included
four persons. all told. 1t was an uncom-
mon evening. What, In short. is so rare
as such an evening In June?