New-York tribune., 1910-05-11
THE DRAMA
Revival of "Jim the Penman' at
the Lyric Theatre.

1
lam A Brady and the Messrs. Shubert have
done well for the public in resuscitating Sir
Charles L. Young's "Jim the Penman,
which they did notably at the Lyric Thea
tire last night
These managers are TO be congratulated
on their achievement Their success shows
that even under our present star system II
is possible to gather together companies for
limited engagements at least equal In EN-
cheney to the stock companies of the past
Playgoers IN their twenties are not famii-
lar with Jim the Penman': some In their
th1rties are; those in their fortie5 should
be, for 1t was first presented In this city
at the old Madison Square Theatre on No
vember 1. 1886. This followed the first Lon
don production at the Haymarket Theatre
on March Is of the same year. For the ben
eft OF those who have not seen the play let
the story briefly be told.
James Ralston. an Englishn1an Of wealth
and position, is g. wolf in sleeps clothing
He. unknown 10 his family and his friends,
is "Jim the Penman''-forger, thief ana
scoundIel. He won his wife by breaking on
her engagement to Louis Percival. dear
friend of his, by an exchange OF letters
which neither Percival nor Nina ever Wrote-
He robbed Percival Of the savings of HE
time by forging check in his name
Only a few days before the marriage OF
his daughter Agnes to Lord Drelincourt ne
agrees with Baron Hartfeld. German &C
complice, to rob his soon to be son-in-laW
of family Jewels valued at 10000. In JUS
tice to Raiston, however, let 1t be said that
he is forced into this scheme much against
his will upon the promise of Hartfeld fhat
this will be their last coup.
- Pol -vffr I'm the
Penman' Is first discovered by Captain
Redwood Pinkerton detective, who has
been on his tracks for years. He communi-
Gates the Information to PercivaI and Per-
cival accidentally informs Mrs. Ralston.
when the latter expresses her knowledge
that II was her own husband who had
forged the letters which had bltghted their
happiness On the day OF his daughters
marriage to Drelincourt Captain Redwood
RECEIVERS the diamonds from Hartfeld in
Ralstou's own house. In a scene with
Hartfeld in the presence Of Redwood Raj
ston drops dead from heart failure while
the guests are making merry after the
wedding
The play is exciting in plot and incident.
And il carries two very pretty love stories,
those of Agnes and Lord Drelincourt and
of Nina and Percival. The characters are
drawn with great shill-even the minor
ones. You read through the dranatis per
soma years after seeing the play, and the
characters shine forth with the clean-cur
precision OF yesterday. You expect James
Ralston. Mrs. Ralston, Percival. Redwood
and HartfeId-the chief characteristic be
clearly delineated, but It would not be a
matter Of special comment If such minor
folk as Mr.. Chapstone, o. c., Lady Duns-
comhe, DR.. Pettywise and Mr.. Netherby.
N. P, were forgotten. Agnes Ralston-
what q charming and clever woman she
was! She could set Mr.. Chapstone right on
q point OF law and showed DR.. Pettywtse
that he had treated a fever patient wrong
In the words OF George, one could back her
common sense against all the Judges on
the bench, throwing in the Lord Chancellor
besides With what affection she treated
her chiIdreni With what tenderness she
met PercivaI after the broken chain OF their
love of years before! With what shame
she learned of her husbands feloniesI And
with what scorn she condemned, MISS
Roberts in her iInpersonation of this char
acter was effective at all times Her per
Torrance will long be remembered with
satisfaction.
The most popular figure in last nights
the detective. which was most capabiy
PLAYED by Mr. John Mason. With what
delicious sense OF hunor this favo-ite actor
showed his appreciation OF and familiarity
with the characterI Not once did he fal-
ter in his lines and whether falling asleep
or lying awake he was ever alert TO the
situation. He spoke his lines with excel
lent precision and understanding, and
never for one moment did he appear rs q
person of the stage STACEY.
Mr.. Lackaye gave z very good account
OF himself in the unpopular role Of Raj
ston. In appearance and manner he was
a striking scoundreL He used his excel
lent voice 10 good advantage and rose
fully to the occasion in the important
scenes with Agnes and Hartfed. As he &C
aulres greater familiarity with his lines
his performance will increase in effective
ness. Theodore Roberts, the suave and
deviIish Hartfeld, acted with distinction
one of the most difficult roles OF the play.
ThurloW Bergen, excellent actor that he is,
was rniscast In manner, speech and act
ing he was twentieth century American
and not British lord Of the SOS. Miss
Marguerite Clark, charming little woman
that she IS, suffered for the same rea-
son, although her performance was spir-
tied and interesting Ernest Glendinning
was a manly young George Ralston. Miss
Jefreys Lewis was amusing Lady
Dunscombe, but q little more subtlety
would have improved her acting. Arthur
Forrest created most favorable impress
sion as the faithful, kind and generous
Louis Percival. Frederick Paulding, in
makeup and acting, was a realistic
Mr Netherby. James kearney as Mr.
Chapstone and Louis 'Massen as DR.. Petty
wise-or PettyfooI as Redwood called him
were successful Miss Grace Reals did
well in the minor part of the gossiping
Mrs. Chapstone.
Seldom has SO large an audience greeted
so favorably a play of any kind in this
city. Time and again the actors bowed
their aCknow ledgment to loud applause.
At the end Of the third act William A.
Brady, who had charge of the rehearsals,
made brief speech, in which he thanked
the audience for its appreciation. He said
that he wished that he might be the au-
thor of play which would be received
with such cordial approval twenty-five
years after its first presentation
CAST OF Jim THE PENMAN''
James Ralston- Wilton Lackaye
Louis PerclvaI .'.--...-..---- arthur Forrest
Baron Hartfeld .-...-....-.-.. Theodore Roberts
Captain Redwood. .---s--....----... John Mason
Lord Drelincourt. -Thurow Bergen
George Ralston. Ernest Glendinning
Mr.. Chapstone. James kearney
DR.. PettyWlse ---..-- Louis f MaS5en
Butler ........................J. ii. Davies
Mrs Ralston. on......-.-.-----.-.-.F Florence Roberts
Agnes Ralston- --....-..--.--.-. Marguerite Clark
Lady Dunscombc. ..-...-.... Jeffreys Lewis
Mrs. Chapstone. e.-----.-.------.. Grace Reals